Yesterday Matt posted about the initiative to change the legal limit of alcohol in beers brewed in Iowa. While I also think this is a travesty and most of the beers brewed here in Montana would not be legal to brew down there, there are some quick fixes for the residents of Des Moines. Luckily for them, they lie on the river’s edge where a short trip across puts them in Illinois, where they are a bit more relaxed with their brewing laws. Just across the river, in Rock Island, there are a number of breweries that are able to brew stronger beers and more styles than are generally available at your local brewery in Iowa.

Residents of Des Moines can shoot across Centennial Bridge, hook a left, and run into some breweries that offer a full line up of exciting beers that are brewed on location and with a full range of ABVs. The Bent River Brewing Company offers an exciting line of beers ranging from a Jalepeno Pepper Ale to a newer release, their Strong English Ale which weighs in at aounr 9% ABV. If you are looking for something slightly closer, hit up the Bluecat Brewpub which currently has their Count Magnus Dark Belgium Strong on tap, which is a hefty 10% ABV. They also have a great little disclaimer on their site:

Remember: Going to a Brew Pub and not sampling the local brew is like going to a famous bordello just to listen to the piano player.

While these pubs offer an alternative with more options than their Iowan counterparts, I still recommend the Iowa natives support their local breweries and push to get their brewers some more room to play while practicing their craft.