Barn Town Brewing, West Des Moines, IA
- 4 Paws Marketing
- May 3
- 4 min read
Updated: May 23
If you ever find yourself passing through West Des Moines—or spending a little time in the area—Barn Town Brewery should be on your list of places to go. Even if you're just mildly into sours, or considering checking them out. This place checked a lot of boxes for me: fun atmosphere, awesome variety of sours on tap, and a good looking food menu. Even though this visit was more about the drinks than the food, it definitely earned a spot on my “will come back” list.
Drinks:
This is where the fun started for me, as soon as we got there I noticed a flight menu, specifically for sours. Yes, please! It's definitely not something you find often so I was particularly excited to try them all! And, every one of them was good! It was hard to choose a favorite.
The standout for me, though, did end up being the Peach & Chong. (And, no, it doesn't have any THC in it! A common question I've been asked, due to the name! Ha!) This one was something unique—think sour peach with hints of vanilla and cinnamon. Not your everyday flavor combo, and that’s what made it so great. It was hands-down one of my all-time favorites—and of course, it was sold out in cans when I went to grab some to-go. (Clearly, I wasn’t the only one obsessed.) HUGE BUMMER!
I didn’t leave empty-handed though. I grabbed a couple cans of Rain and Six Foot, Seven Foot, Eight Foot Punch, both of which I enjoyed and they held their own in the flavor department. Still, I’ll be hoping to bring home some of that Peach and Chong on my next visit.
Fun fact, however, they do have this on tap around the area - I was delighted to have it as an option at our restaurant that same evening!
For anyone who’s not into beer, no worries—they’ve got White Claws, specialty cocktails, and a variety of mixed drinks and non-alcoholic options available. Not something you find often at a brewery, and a win for groups with different tastes and multiple ages.
This one gets a 5 out of 5, it was seriously great! I was genuinely disappointed I couldn't bring some home with me!
Food:
This was more of a drink stop, and since the place was packed, we didn’t hang around long enough to wait for a table. Instead, we grabbed our drinks and headed to the patio to sip and relax for a bit. No regrets—the weather cooperated, it was a beautiful day, and we had the space to ourselves.
The food menu looked pretty legit though, and their claim to fame is that everything is made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients, which I love. A mix of bar & grill staples with a a few unique options, and what looked like a solid weekend brunch too. From what I saw on the plates around the place, everything looked really good. If I had more time—or a shorter wait—I definitely would give it a shot. So, though I didn’t actually taste anything, I’m still comfortable giving the food menu a solid 4/5, just based on the food I saw and the range of options.
Dog Friendliness:
Dogs are limited to the patio—and I’m totally okay with that, especially since they clearly plan for four-legged visitors. They sell branded collapsible dog bowls, which earns them some bonus points in my book. When a place makes merch specifically for your dog, you know they’re not just checking a “dog-friendly” box—they actually put some effort into it.
That said, there weren’t any pups around when I was there, but that may have had more to do with timing. The patio wasn’t technically open for service, so we were kind of doing our own thing.
Atmosphere:
Barn Town is a mix of laid-back and lively. It’s not a huge place, so when it’s busy (like it was during our visit), you definitely know it. But it wasn’t too overwhelming —enough to give it some energy that makes you want to stay and see what it's all about. Inside, the decor is rustic and fun, lots of weathered metal signs, a full wall made of beer cans, and a little “barnyard” charm, not surprising in Iowa. It was definitely a comfortable spot to hang out either with a group or even on your own.
It was nice that the staff was cool with us grabbing drinks and making ourselves at home on the patio, which added to the welcoming factor. If I lived nearby, I could definitely see this becoming a regular stop.
This definitely deserves a 4/5 for it's unique-factor. Not quite a 5, because it was rather small and hard to judge when we were outside.
Merch & More:
If you’re a merch person (and I clearly am), you’ll want to check out their options. They’ve got a pretty nice selection: tees, tanks, flannels, long sleeves, and a few trucker hats. There were also a bunch of branded bar glasses to pick from. I walked away with both a shirt and a glass—because I’m always down to represent a place that does sours this well. Plus, it’s a great way to remember and promote a smaller brewery that left a huge impression.
Overall:
Barn Town Brewery had a lot of what I look for in a brewery: strong sour selection, unique atmosphere, and a space that is fun without being gimmicky. The Peach and Chong alone was enough to make it memorable—but the rest of the elements, a solid menu, dog-friendly patio, and the atmosphere sealed the deal.
Would it be even better if my pup were allowed inside? Of course. But I get it, and they’ve clearly made the most of their setup to still make dog owners feel welcome. So I’m only docking them slightly there.
Overall, this place is a 4 out of 5, and I will definitely be stopping by again the next time I’m in the Des Moines area—even if it’s just to check and see Peach and Chong is available to bring with me. If you’re passing through, or visiting, be sure to make this a stop.
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