Scooter's Bar Journal » East Village

1717 Brewing Co

scooterj — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 17:18:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1353rd bar, first visited in 2019.

This is a brand new brewery, only open for a few weeks at the time of our visit, directly across the street from Peace Tree. It’s owned by three brothers, and inside the tap room the build what I believe to be a replica of their childhood home.

I had their Irish Red and their Coffee Stout.

There were a couple of tables outside, but it was unclear if you could take drinks out there.

From here we went to Iowa Taproom (where we ate again before calling it a night. But I have that already logged in here from an earlier visit.

322 E Court Ave
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 243-7868
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Peace Tree Brewing Co. – Des Moines Branch

scooterj — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 17:17:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1352nd bar, first visited in 2019.

There were a crap-ton of cyclists here. And, despite the rainbow banners outside, in one corner was a small group of very young kids wearing t-shirts that gave them impression they were from a pray-the-gay-away cult.

The tap room is nicely done, though as a first time visitor I was intimidated stepping in the door and finding myself immediately at the ordering counter. I had to wander away for a bit to figure out what I wanted.

I had their Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Stout and their Catwalk Swagger (pilsner).

317 E Court Ave
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 883-2739
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AJ’s on East Court

scooterj — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 17:16:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1351st bar, first visited in 2019.

This is primarily a karaoke bar but we were here way too early for karaoke. So our entertainment was instead two people working on a laptop, a guy listening to podcasts, and a small group of people from the patio continuously circulating in for more drinks or less urine.

I had a Zoltan Session IPA by Exile Brewing Company

419 E Court Ave
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 282-1888
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Up-Down DSM

scooterj — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 17:15:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1350th bar, first visited in 2019.

The original location! Though it had recently expanded and taken over a second level, it was originally just the basement bar.

The bouncer tried to photobomb my main photo but he wasn’t quick enough, which was a shame as it would have been a good shot.

We were hungry (again) and had some pizza and played lots of pinball. I had a Roxie Irish Red by Boone Valley Brewing Company

From here we went across the street to Locust Tap, but that’s already logged elsewhere in this journal.

500 E Locust St
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 243-4322
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Buddy’s Corral

scooterj — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 17:14:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1349th bar, first visited in 2019.

This is a gay bar, but we got here too early in the day. We kind of felt like we were making the regulars uncomfortable.

I had a Busch Light.

418 E 5th St
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 244-7140
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Ernie’s Boondock

scooterj — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 17:13:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1348th bar, first visited in 2019.

This is an odd duck in that it is a new-build dive bar. That’s really hard to do, you can’t normally just “build” dive bar. But they managed to pull it off and do it well.

There’s a food truck by the patio if you’re hungry, or you can duck on a pickled egg I guess. One of their specialties is classic canned crap beer.

I had a Schmidt by Pabst Brewing Company because it’s something we can’t get at home.

When I got up to use the restroom, I was extremely disappointed to find a clean modern restroom. I was about to cancel my classification of this as a dive bar because of it. By then I washed my hands and found… AN OLD SCHOOL POWERED SOAP DISPENSER NOT SEEN SINCE THE TRUCK STOPS AND JUNIOR HIGHS OF THE LATE-70S/EARLY-80S!!!!!

440 East Grand Ave
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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Iowa Taproom

scooterj — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 17:12:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1313th bar, first visited in 2019.

I tried to visit this place a couple of years ago, but some sort of bike event/street party (not RAGBRAI) made it so crowded I decided to save it for another day.

This craft beer bar has 99 taps, all serving beer only from breweries in Iowa. There is partially-covered outdoor seating available in the alley. They do serve food, but that’s not why I was there.

I could have easily stayed here until close, but alas I only had 45 minutes before I would have to leave to rejoin my group. So I had as many 4oz pours as I could during that time.

What I drank:

Oreo Speed Wagon by Lake Time Brewery (milk stout)

De Olla BA Rye Imperial Stout by Keg Creek Brewing Company

CocO Stout by West O Beer

Rhymes With Orange by Brightside Aleworks (stout)

Electric Banshee by ReUnion Brewery (stout)

Freedom Toast by Madhouse Brewing Company (Jesus Christ, this bourbon maple barrel-aged Wee-Heavy with cinnamon and vanilla stuck with me for two days!)

V.I.P. by Madhouse Brewing Company (imperial porter)

215 E 3rd St
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 243-0827
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Beechwood Lounge

scooterj — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 17:10:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1312th bar, first visited in 2019.

I was walking from Locust Tap to Iowa Tap Room and spotted this place along the way. It looked too inviting to not stop in.

The main level is up a short flight of stairs, the lower level wasn’t open so I didn’t get to see what was downstairs. There’s also a patio around back that I didn’t notice until I was leaving.

Unlike what the outside presents, I wouldn’t quite call this a dive bar. A little too nice, and the beer selection a little too good.

Amenitites that I noticed included a handful of video games (including video slots/poker), a popcorn cart, and an ATM. I have no idea what might have been downstairs.

I had a ChewBOCKa German-Style Doppelbock by Confluence Brewing Company

416 E Walnut St
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 288-2337
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Zombie Burger + Drink Lab

scooterj — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 17:10:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1203rd bar, first visited in 2017.

Popped in here for a hangover lunch / some hair of the dog. Zombie themed burger bar. When we first got here it wasn’t terribly busy, by the time we left it was so crowded that when I went to found the restroom I discovered it would have been easier to go outside, walk around the block, and re-enter the building from the other side.

Beer consumed: Cofluence Milk Man

300 E. Grand Ave
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 244-9292
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Locust Tap

scooterj — Sat, 15 Jul 2017 17:10:00 +0000

(Downtown, Des Moines, IA)

Scooter’s 1202nd bar, first visited in 2017.

FANTASTIC historic dive bar, an old school gem in a highly-gentrified neighborhood. Great people, great times, and a great selection of local/regional craft beer for such a small dive. We indented to spend the evening barhopping. This was the first bar we went to and we ended up staying the whole evening.

Beers consumed: Pace Tree Red Rambler, Peace Tree Blonde Fatale, Surly Xtra Citra, Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue, Boone Valley Roxie Irish Red, Confluence East Side Attitude, Exile Hahhah, and Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro.

434 E Locust St
Des Moines, IA 50309
US
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(515) 689-9654
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