Lua Brewing ★ 4.7
Named USA Today's #1 Brewpub in America for 2025, Lua Brewing brings together serious beer credentials and a full kitchen in the Sherman Hill
Taprooms, brewpubs and the local beer scene in Des Moines worth taking a tram to.
Where to drink local
Confluence Brewing Company ★ 4.4
One of Iowa's most respected production breweries, Confluence has built a large following on clean, consistent American styles that have taken the Iowa
Exile Brewing Company ★ 4.2
The closest full-service brewpub to downtown since 2012; Ruthie Red Ale is the flagship. Weekend brunch with house beer flights is the most popular ritual.
Big Grove Brewery Des Moines ★ 4.1
The Des Moines satellite of the Iowa City original; Haze the Rainbow hazy IPA series plus Des Moines-exclusive releases and a full wood-fired food menu.
515 Brewing Company ★ 4.0
Just over the western border in Clive, 515 Brewing has earned a loyal fan base for its approachable and well-made session-strength ales and lagers.
Court Avenue Brewing ★ 4.0
The original Des Moines craft brewery on Court Avenue since 1996: reliable American food, a small-batch experimental series and house ales in a historic room.