Olde Main Brewing Celebrating 5 Years
On Thursday, October 8, 2009, Olde Main Brewing of Ames, Iowa will be celebrating their 5-year anniversary. Details of the event are thus: free appetizers, prizes and giveaways, $5 pitchers, $5 growler refills, $5 off a $25 purchase, and a firkin tapping at 6pm. I first learned about Olde Main Brewing when I moved to Iowa a little more than a year ago. It’s great to find local brews available at all the stores and bars, but a small trip to Ames will yield you pints and growlers of some unique beers. As a brewpub, Olde Main offers your typical menu of delicious grub, but I highly recommend checking out their Sunday brunches and the 316 1/2 Beer Enthusiast Union.
Since the doors opened on October 4, 2004, the upswing hasn’t slowed down. Beer production has doubled every year, sponsorships with notable Central Iowa events like 80/35 and the Principal Charity Classic have garnered significant attention, Wednesday’s dollar pint nights continue to pack the restaurant, catering business has been booming, and the popular lunch and dinner specials bring in locals and tourists everyday. In 2003, Ames bar owner Scott Griffen and Iowa State biology graduate Jeff “Puff” Irvin had many discussions about opening a brewpub in Ames. Craft beer sales were on the rise and there wasn’t a brewery in Ames. But, being first on the scene is always a risk. So after many discussions, the dream came into focus when Griffen and Irvin made an agreement over beers and a handshake. Irvin headed to the master brewer’s program at the University of California at Davis and Griffen built a brewpub in an old bicycle shop on Main Street in downtown Ames. Just over a year ago, we took the upswing even further by becoming the only brewery in Central Iowa to bottle their beers. Now, we distribute four brands in bottles and 13 brands in draft to more than half the state and the beer is available in 350 plus locations.
Check out our reviews of some Olde Main beers from the past, including the Sodbuster.
