Check out this bike and brewery tour through Downtown Des Moines that’s easy enough for all levels of bikers to participate in. In an afternoon, you can hit five of the best local breweries in our cute little city! This is a must read for newcomers to Des Moines.
Written By: Rachel Wermager, Des Moines Girl Contributor
The real reason people bike in Des Moines is simple: to drink.
Well, it’s at least one of my favorite reasons to pull on a pair of cute bike shorts, strap on my fanny pack, and pedal down the trails. I’m fairly new to biking in Iowa (I bought a $40 bike off of Facebook Marketplace—best decision ever), but I’m not new to Des Moines breweries.
Des Moines is practically bursting at the seams with amazing local breweries, and each and every one of them has something unique to offer. If you couldn’t tell, I’m pretty passionate about the beer scene here. So, naturally, when purchasing my first bike in Des Moines right before summer, I needed the optimal bike and brewery route.
This route hits five different breweries, all located in the downtown area. You can either start in Sherman Hill, or in the East Village and it basically follows a U-shape path. I live closer to the East Village, so I usually start there. (If you start in Sherman Hill just do this route in reverse order.)
Credit: Ramic Creative Co.
Pro Tip: Check out the Des Moines PubPass. You get one free beer from every bar, restaurant, or brewery listed inside and they stamp it like a passport. The cost is $20 and it includes 20 locations, so you’re essentially paying $20 for 20 drinks. Such a steal.
First Stop: 1717 Brewing
First up is 1717 Brewing. It’s located on E. Court Avenue (right across the street from Peace Tree Brewing). The brewery, founded by three brothers, is casual, welcoming, and—most importantly—has great beers on tap.
Second Stop: Peace Tree Brewing Co.
You can probably guess where we’re headed next: Peace Tree. Having two breweries right across the street from each other is incredibly convenient. When you’re done with your beer at 1717, pop on over to Peace Tree for a Blonde Fatale, Mile Long Lager, or their very own line of hard seltzers. Peace Tree frequently hosts pop up workout classes on weekend mornings, so check out our latest weekend guide to add that into your route if you’re the active drinking type.
Food Stop: The Iowa Taproom
The all important food stop. Neither 1717 or Peace Tree sell food regularly. Sometimes Peace Tree features food trucks, but if they don’t when you’re stopping in, no worries! I recommend stopping by The Iowa Taproom to fill up on food and, of course, continue tasting the largest variety of local beers and ciders! This is a must do with out of towners that want to taste the best of Iowa beer and cider.
Third Stop: Confluence Brewing Company
Now that you’ve started out hot and hit multiple locations all in one block, it’s time to hop back on your bike and test your coordination. If you take the Meredith trail, Confluence Brewing Company is only 2.6 miles away, which means that another beer is a short 13-minute ride from you. Confluence has expanded their patio immensely, plus they have tons of bike rack space. This is such a classic biking stop in Des Moines, if you have to miss any of the stops, don’t let it be this one.
Fourth Stop: Exile Brewing Company
Once you’ve sipped the last drop of your Des Moines IPA at Confluence, ride the Kruidenier trail for a quick 2.3 miles to Exile Brewing Company. There you’ll enjoy the classics: Ruthie, Hannah, and Gigi—my favorite Des Moines gals. And if you start getting the munchies, the truffle fries are an absolute must.
Fifth Stop: Lua Brewing
Your final destination is Lua Brewing, only a mere half a mile away in Sherman Hill. Their patio is one of my favorites in Des Moines and they’re constantly coming out with new and unique beers. I recommend the Call It Dreaming, Loud As Hope or the Gils Pils.
And there you have it! This ride is honestly super easy, and you can hit some of the most popular local breweries all in one day: a win-win in my book.
Want more itineraries like this from cool people around DSM? Have a cool idea story?
