Peace Tree is for sale

[CloniesForLife]

Which ones?

Eastlake and Dangerous Man. Dangerous Man was the shock. They are still going to brew at their production brewery and distribute. The owners live way west of town so I think the drive kind of killed the brewery. Rumors are eventually opening up a new brewery but out in the country closer to where they live. I think they already have some land.

 

[Al_4_State]

Eastlake and Dangerous Man. Dangerous Man was the shock. They are still going to brew at their production brewery and distribute. The owners live way west of town so I think the drive kind of killed the brewery. Rumors are eventually opening up a new brewery but out in the country closer to where they live. I think they already have some land.

I've never heard of Eastlake, but Dangerous Man was a big name/hopping place not too long ago.

 

[OscarBerkshire]

Everyone’s talking about the market and the premier breweries in the state… the main problem is peace tree beers aren’t good (especially for the price) relative to the competition. Yes craft beer market share is shrinking but the alcohol market is growing so it’s not dire yet. And FFS this is Iowa, one of the leading binge drinking and alcoholism states. If you can’t make a successful brewery here then your product probably sucks.

 

[CloniesForLife]

I've never heard of Eastlake, but Dangerous Man was a big name/hopping place not too long ago.

Still is. It has been a pretty big surprise up here. They are staying open until Oct 20th and I guess are just getting slammed daily with people coming and getting a beer and taking home growlers

 

[Al_4_State]

Everyone’s talking about the market and the premier breweries in the state… the main problem is peace tree beers aren’t good (especially for the price) relative to the competition. Yes craft beer market share is shrinking but the alcohol market is growing so it’s not dire yet. And FFS this is Iowa, one of the leading binge drinking and alcoholism states. If you can’t make a successful brewery here then your product probably sucks.

I mentioned that earlier.

Places that make average beer and try to distribute it up against places that have really strong reputations for great beer are the ones getting squeezed the hardest, and that's Peace Tree.

If Peace Tree cut out their distribution and went back to being Knoxville's hometown brewery, they wouldn't have to make better beer than they do currently to survive. To survive in the space they occupy, they need to make beer on par with Psuedo Sue and Easy Eddy and they just aren't.

 

[OscarBerkshire]

Basically my “hot take” is that competition is good and this isn’t a bad sign for the market of craft beer… we may have reached the peak but that’s how all markets work. Should result in better products for consumers

 

[Al_4_State]

Basically my “hot take” is that competition is good and this isn’t a bad sign for the market of craft beer… we may have reached the peak but that’s how all markets work. Should result in better products for consumers

Exactly. The days of a bunch of mediocre beers being on the shelf will end. You will have macros and the really good local craft options in any given liquor store, with not much in the middle.

 

[TitanClone]

I've said for a long time that the most sustainable brewery model is the neighborhood taproom model.

Peace Tree is caught right in that spot of being a production/distribution brewery that isn't on the level of their higher end competitors in the state namely TG, Singlespeed, Big Grove, and Backpocket.

I think all of those 4 places are going to be fine. I think smaller breweries with good reputations and loyal customer bases, and very limited distribution (Alluvial, 515, Pulpit Rock) are going to be fine. The people who are scaling up production without being beer geek havens (Peace Tree, Keg Creek types) are in a tough spot. They either have to reel it in and just be a small brewery, or develop a following on the level of a TG/BG, which seems almost impossible in this current climate.

Yep. There's a couple in KC that follow this model, https://www.casualanimalbrewing.com/ has ok beer but nothing special. The environment is great though. Cinder Block is another that comes to mind.

 

[Cycsk]

I've said for a long time that the most sustainable brewery model is the neighborhood taproom model.

Like West O?

They are definitely taking a big step up! Hope it works for them. I'm doing my part by buying as much Ames Lager as I can find.

 

[cycloneworld]

Exactly. The days of a bunch of mediocre beers being on the shelf will end. You will have macros and the really good local craft options in any given liquor store, with not much in the middle.

It's the cupcake trend from 10 years ago. The best will survive and thrive and the rest will close.

 

[Al_4_State]

Like West O?

They are definitely taking a big step up! Hope it works for them. I'm doing my part by buying as much Ames Lager as I can find.

I think West O has a sustainable distribution model. I think most beer drinkers would rank them ahead of Peace Tree, and if they get over-extended on production, they have a thriving local taproom business.

 

[Antihawk240]

Yup. A place like Franklin Street is in a good spot. They have their local following, and distribute just a little bit.

I'm very intrigued with Franklin and even Textile in Dyersville. Textile has a taproom in Cascade that is attached to a Happy Joes. They don't get caught up in the whole "restaurant" industry. The 2 work together. They are who they are, they understand who they are, and based (the 1 time a month I go there) off the people in the establishment drinking beers and eating pizza, they are making it work.

 

[Cyclone06]

The Peacetree grapefruit IPA the Fatalle are up there with some of the top beer options around imo.

 

[Al_4_State]

I'm very intrigued with Franklin and even Textile in Dyersville. Textile has a taproom in Cascade that is attached to a Happy Joes. They don't get caught up in the whole "restaurant" industry. The 2 work together. They are who they are, they understand who they are, and based (the 1 time a month I go there) off the people in the establishment drinking beers and eating pizza, they are making it work.

There are some places in my neck of the woods that I really like, and seem to do well with either a limited menu, or bringing in food trucks. Limestone in Osage, Tellurian in Charles City, and Worth in Northwood all have either regular food trucks, a small menu of their own (pizza usually), or both. All of these places seem to put their primary concern on being their local go-to spot, and making beer. They do self distribute some, but it seems like their main energy goes into their location and experience, and from what I can tell it works.

All of these are in small towns ranging from about 1900 to 7K.

 

[JP4CY]

There are some places in my neck of the woods that I really like, and seem to do well with either a limited menu, or bringing in food trucks. Limestone in Osage, Tellurian in Charles City, and Worth in Northwood all have either regular food trucks, a small menu of their own (pizza usually), or both. All of these places seem to put their primary concern on being their local go-to spot, and making beer. They do self distribute some, but it seems like their main energy goes into their location and experience, and from what I can tell it works.

All of these are in small towns ranging from about 1900 to 7K.

Have you been to Guttenberg? Nice place.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Everyone’s talking about the market and the premier breweries in the state… the main problem is peace tree beers aren’t good (especially for the price) relative to the competition. Yes craft beer market share is shrinking but the alcohol market is growing so it’s not dire yet. And FFS this is Iowa, one of the leading binge drinking and alcoholism states. If you can’t make a successful brewery here then your product probably sucks.

Ya I've never been that impressed with Peacetree but I know they have their following. Barntown is underrated IMO but they aren't making traditional stuff as much anymore. It's all that hard seltzer based crap now for the bougie crowd in Waukee. Faster turnover and the ladies drink it up.

 

[cycub51]

Eastlake and Dangerous Man. Dangerous Man was the shock. They are still going to brew at their production brewery and distribute. The owners live way west of town so I think the drive kind of killed the brewery. Rumors are eventually opening up a new brewery but out in the country closer to where they live. I think they already have some land.

Does dangerous man still have the bearded guy as their logo? I lived in the cities 10 years ago and I know the guy they based the logo off of.

 

[CloniesForLife]

Does dangerous man still have the bearded guy as their logo? I lived in the cities 10 years ago and I know the guy they based the logo off of.

Yep!

 

[cycloneworld]

Ya I've never been that impressed with Peacetree but I know they have their following. Barntown is underrated IMO but they aren't making traditional stuff as much anymore. It's all that hard seltzer based crap now for the bougie crowd in Waukee. Faster turnover and the ladies drink it up.

Barntown is the best food/beer combo in the metro in my opinion (Lua a close second). And they also regularly put out new/different/weird beers that keeps them relevant in a saturated market.

Side note - I can't believe Global Tap in Waukee closed. With all of these dedicated beer places, having a wide range of beers from across the country and world is lacking. Bait Shop is about the only good place left and Global filled a nice void on the west side of the metro.

 

[JP4CY]

Barntown is the best food/beer combo in the metro in my opinion (Lua a close second). And they also regularly put out new/different/weird beers that keeps them relevant in a saturated market.

Side note - I can't believe Global Tap in Waukee closed. With all of these dedicated beer places, having a wide range of beers from across the country and world is lacking. Bait Shop is about the only good place left and Global filled a nice void on the west side of the metro.

I have found some places like Coopers Hawk and Smashpark to actually have good beer lists. I know it doesn't fully compare though.