Millstream Brewing Company - Widowmaker

This hazy IPA from Millstream pours a very well-hazed golden color with a large and persistent head of foam. In the aroma, look for bright citrus zest to jump out right away, along with a juicy array of softer tropical fruit and flora, impressions of sliced melon, and a light, somewhat peach-like stone fruit tone. All these luscious fruity notes take center stage in the flavor too, supported nicely by a robust, wheaty, malty core that offers a very smooth, mouth-filling canvas on which those hoppy notes can paint their juicy picture. Hop bitterness is moderately firm, providing plenty of balancing bite without hitting the palate as hard as more traditional American IPAs. For pairing options, we’d look to fish or chicken tacos drizzled with lime juice, grilled shrimp skewers with a citrus marinade and basting sauce, or spring rolls with a lightly spicy ginger sauce. Cheers!

If ever there was a place long overdue for a new brewery, it was Amana, IA. Until the Millstream Brewing Company opened their doors in 1985, the area had not been graced by the presence of a brewery for over 100 years. Why it took that long to get a brewery going in Amana, we don't know. What we do know is that the Millstream Brewing Company, founded by brothers James & Dennis Roemig and Carroll F. Zuber, was the first microbrewery in the state of Iowa, and was born out of a love for the finest European ales & lagers and the will to brew great, handcrafted beers locally. Oh, another thing we know... almost 40 years after their beers hit the market, they just keep getting better!

Master brewer Chris Priebe, who trained at Chicago’s world-famous Siebel Institute of Brewing Technology, became Millstream’s head brewer in 2000 and he remains so to this day, now with over three decades of brewing experience. In 2001 the brewery was sold to new owners, Tom & Teresa Albert, who maintained the brewery’s high standards and focus on German and other European styles. Then, in 2021, the brewery was sold to Steve & Susan Charlier and their business partner Justin Cohanim, while the Alberts remain owners of the adjacent Millstream Brau Haus. The new owners seek to maintain the brewery’s core beers while expanding the lineup to include more contemporary styles. They’ve also added a canning line to adapt to the modern demand for this packaging format.

If you're ever in the area of Amana, IA, stop by Millstream's Taproom, or head over to the Brau Haus to try their excellent beers (as well as their hand-crafted root beer, ginger beer, and cream soda) in the company of some good food with a bit of German flair. For more information about the brewery, check out their web site at www.millstreambrewing.com.