Big Grove Brewery to open Des Moines location next spring; timing aligns with Krause Group's Western Gateway plans

[cigaretteman]

A popular Eastern Iowa brewery is reaching across the state with plans to move into the capital city.

Big Grove Brewery will be expanding to Des Moines in an undisclosed location, Rachel Furman, a brewery manager at the Iowa City location, confirmed. She said plans are underway to bring Big Grove to central Iowa between March and May 2022.

While representatives at Big Grove would not confirm the location of the new taproom, the timeline for Big Grove's arrival in Des Moines aligns with plans by the Krause Group to open a brewery with a beer hall, kitchen, all-season beer garden and patio in the former Crescent Chevrolet building at 555 17th St. in March 2022.

The Crescent Chevrolet revitalization is part of a $209.1 million development plan for Des Moines' Western Gateway neighborhood by Krause+, the Krause Group's commercial real estate arm. The plan also includes a 6,300-seat soccer stadium, hotels, apartments and pedestrian-focused public gathering space.

Big Grove Brewery to open Des Moines location next spring; timing aligns with Krause Group's Western Gateway plans

The team at Big Grove Brewery has had its eye on growth around the state since opening its first brewpub in 2013 in Solon.

www.press-citizen.com

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

It's nice of West Des Moines property owners to help with this development.

 

[lucas80]

That's an awesome move. The location will be slightly off of prime downtown venues, but it helps to expand commerce in the area. There are some older buildings in the area that could be rehabbed, or demolished and have housing put up.
Now, can the owners address the parking issue at their IC location? That's the number one reason I don't go there too often. The place is far too large for the available parking.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Does the Des Moines area lead the country in breweries per capita?

crazy how many there are.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Does the Des Moines area lead the country in breweries per capita?

crazy how many there are.

I think there are 3 in Ankeny alone.

 

[Jerome Silberman]

Does the Des Moines area lead the country in breweries per capita?

crazy how many there are.

Probably not, there's a few of midsized cities with more like Kalamazoo, Bend, Oregon or Portland, Maine.

They have to climbing the list though and it's great to see. They're going to do really well there, and it should give them a pretty big boost in retail sales in the western part of the state.

It's been a few years, but there was talk of a Cedar Falls/Waterloo location as part of the 10 year outlook.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

I think there are 3 in Ankeny alone.

I think location is more important than the product. Brewery on the bike trail circuit is pure gold.

Iowa really could promote itself as a biking Mecca with the trails expanding and connecting.

 

[Joes Place]

I'm going to be back in the IC area in the next few weeks.

What's on tap/in carry-out cans from Big Grove (or at John's grocery from BarnTown) that I should pick up?

My Go-tos out here include:

Weldwerks: Triple-Double, Extra Extra JBs, Triple Bunk Beds something they just released
(the Triple-Double stuff was just super-smooth with minimal bitter/weird finish to it)

Toppling: Safety Porpoises, DDH PseudoSue (except that last batch, which sucked), Sosus, Supa Sumo (I like this stuff, because it stores very well)

Odd13: JuiceHunter, (yet to try) QDH Codename Superfan

Alchemist: Focal Banger (was just able to get a 4pk of those recently)

for stouts:
Prairie Artisan Ales: BBA Weekend!, Bomb!, Pirate Bomb!, Prairie Noir; a whole bunch more of those like Mocha Noir, Vanilla Noir, BBA Paradise aging in the cellar crawlspace here

Always like to pick a few up from places that don't distribute out west.

 

[ghost80]

A popular Eastern Iowa brewery is reaching across the state with plans to move into the capital city.

Big Grove Brewery will be expanding to Des Moines in an undisclosed location, Rachel Furman, a brewery manager at the Iowa City location, confirmed. She said plans are underway to bring Big Grove to central Iowa between March and May 2022.

While representatives at Big Grove would not confirm the location of the new taproom, the timeline for Big Grove's arrival in Des Moines aligns with plans by the Krause Group to open a brewery with a beer hall, kitchen, all-season beer garden and patio in the former Crescent Chevrolet building at 555 17th St. in March 2022.

The Crescent Chevrolet revitalization is part of a $209.1 million development plan for Des Moines' Western Gateway neighborhood by Krause+, the Krause Group's commercial real estate arm. The plan also includes a 6,300-seat soccer stadium, hotels, apartments and pedestrian-focused public gathering space.

Big Grove Brewery to open Des Moines location next spring; timing aligns with Krause Group's Western Gateway plans

The team at Big Grove Brewery has had its eye on growth around the state since opening its first brewpub in 2013 in Solon.

www.press-citizen.com

Hmmmm. If they do in fact go into the old Crescent building that isn't far from Exile. Could sting for them.

 

[srams21]

I'm going to be back in the IC area in the next few weeks.

What's on tap/in carry-out cans from Big Grove (or at John's grocery from BarnTown) that I should pick up?

My Go-tos out here include:

Weldwerks: Triple-Double, Extra Extra JBs, Triple Bunk Beds something they just released
(the Triple-Double stuff was just super-smooth with minimal bitter/weird finish to it)

Toppling: Safety Porpoises, DDH PseudoSue (except that last batch, which sucked), Sosus, Supa Sumo (I like this stuff, because it stores very well)

Odd13: JuiceHunter, (yet to try) QDH Codename Superfan

Alchemist: Focal Banger (was just able to get a 4pk of those recently)

for stouts:
Prairie Artisan Ales: BBA Weekend!, Bomb!, Pirate Bomb!, Prairie Noir; a whole bunch more of those like Mocha Noir, Vanilla Noir, BBA Paradise aging in the cellar crawlspace here

Always like to pick a few up from places that don't distribute out west.

If you like Hazy's, Easy Eddy is supposedly really good but I'm not a huge Hazy IPA guy but my friends love it. Their Summer jam Berliner Weisse is pretty damn good and should be on tap.

 

[ThorneStockton]

Does the Des Moines area lead the country in breweries per capita?

crazy how many there are.

What are the most prominent ones? I lived there about 8 years ago and don't remember caring for too many of the local ones, I remember Exile. Can't recall the other popular ones.

 

[cigaretteman]

As Big Grove works to bring a brewery to Cedar Rapids, it will also be expanding to the state’s capital.


Big Grove, the eastern Iowa brewery with locations in Iowa City and Solon, will be part of a $209.1 million development in Des Moines from Krause+, the real estate wing of the Des Moines-based Krause Group.


The brewery will be in the former Crescent Chevrolet building on 17th Street off Ingersoll Avenue, and is expected to open in spring 2022. The building has sat empty since 2008. The Krause Group bought it in 2014, originally planning to use it as a Kum & Go training center.


The development in Des Moines will also include a $75 million soccer stadium, three hotels, and an entertainment venue.


A Big Grove brewery is part of the First and First development in the works in Cedar Rapids, which includes a movie theater, a family activity center, and a skating rink. The $90 to $100 million project is headed by Joe Ahmann and Chad Pelley of the Ahmann Companies, restaurateur Matt Smith and former NFL player Nate Kaeding, under the name First and First LLC.


Cedar Rapids’ Big Grove is also expected to open in 2022.


Zachary Mannheimer, the CEO of Atlas Community Studios which contracted with Cedar Rapids to work on the First and First project, said both developments are evidence that Des Moines and Cedar Rapids are working to recruit people to live and work in the cities.


Mannheimer said population trends show people leaving major metropolitan areas for smaller cities, and Iowa’s two largest cities are in the population range that is on track for growth.


“A brewery of that size is going to have a significant impact on the area,” he said. “It lends itself to showcasing these cities, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, as major contenders for third cities that are trying to gain population.“


Both the First and First and the Krause+ projects are bidding for state funding. The Iowa Economic Development Authority is offering $100 million to “transformational” projects, and the group is considering proposals from six communities: Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Fort Dodge, Newton, and Ames, and Urbandale, which joined Des Moines’ request.


Big Grove opened with a brewpub in Solon in 2013. The company expanded to Iowa City in 2017, opening a larger taproom with a spacious outdoor patio and a new menu curated by head chef Ben Smart, who was named Iowa Restaurateur of the Year in 2018.

Big Grove expanding to Des Moines, Cedar Rapids

Eastern Iowa brewery chain will expand to two major cities by 2022

www.thegazette.com

 

[AuroraHawk]

Hmmmm. If they do in fact go into the old Crescent building that isn't far from Exile. Could sting for them.

I think that location is closer to Lua than Exile but both would be in close proximity. Given that Lua makes flipping outstanding high ABV stouts and its menu is really good, I'm sure hoping that they remain afloat. If memory serves correctly, Lua and Big Grove have collaborated on at least one release . . . can't help but wonder what Lua's ownership thinks of the news that Big Grove is "moving" into Sherman Hill to compete.

 

[ghost80]

I think that location is closer to Lua than Exile but both would be in close proximity. Given that Lua makes flipping outstanding high ABV stouts and its menu is really good, I'm sure hoping that they remain afloat. If memory serves correctly, Lua and Big Grove have collaborated on at least one release . . . can't help but wonder what Lua's ownership thinks of the news that Big Grove is "moving" into Sherman Hill to compete.

You're right....didn't even think of Lua since I'm a Ruthie fan.