Craft Beer Millstream Feature at Wine Styles Tasting

Seven different types of beer from Millstream Brewing Co., a brewery in the Amana Colonies, was being sipped on, as Tom Albert, the warehouse production manager and owner of Millstream Brewing Co., shared history about the brewery and beer at Wine Styles’s beer tasting July 30.

Albert said the brewery started in 1985, making it Iowa’s oldest brewery, and it has received 31 national awards. Millstream offers several types of beer for different palates: Windmill Wheat, Heferweissen, John’s White Ale, Schild Bran Amer, Iowa Pale Ale, Back Road Stout and Heferweissen with Honey were sampled.

Brian Armstrong of Polk City, and a frequent of beer tastings, said his favorite beer was John’s Ale and Windmill Wheat.

“They are just good summer beer,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong said he enjoyed the tasting event because the owner of the brewery was there to share his knowledge.

“To get the owner of the brewery here is really cool,” Armstrong said.

Allan Graham, owner of Wine Styles, said he chose a beer tasting from Millstream Brewing Co. because they are a local company.

“It’s an Iowa company, I like to support them as much as I can,” Graham said. “They’re not in Des Moines where people can just drive there, it’s good to bring them over and give them some exposure.”

Millstream beer can be bought at Wine Styles and in grocery stores that sell craft beer.

Graham said he tries to hold a beer tasting once a month. This event was free.

“Craft beer is one of those products we continue to expand,” Graham said. “It is a growing market in Iowa, across the country and it has a lot of the same interests as wine. We continue to grow our craft beer selections.”

Erin Hofer and her husband, of Des Moines, attend almost all of the beer tastings at Wine Styles.

“We never miss a beer tasting at Wine Styles,” Hofer said. “We missed one for a funeral, but they did a special beer tasting for us. They poured us samples of the beer, it was pretty amazing.”

The next beer tasting date is undecided, but a wine tasting will be held Aug. 6. The wine tasting is free, but an RSVP by phone (515-334-WINE [9463]) or e-mail (agraham@winestyles.net) is required.