5ive Cities Brewing | Bettendorf, IA
Beer Trip: 5ive Cities Brewing in Bettendorf, Iowa
Sometimes it’s nice to have a little downtime on a work trip. Just down the road from the hotel was 5ive Cities Brewing, which was the perfect place to unwind and enjoy an upscale brewery that produces some really solid beer. We even got a little education during our visit when we learned that East Moline is the fifth city in the Quad Cities!
The Brewery
From front to back, 5ive Cities has a modern, yet rustic feel to it. Walking up, the building itself has a stone facade along the front, as well as a weathered wood pergola over the patio. The outdoor space has several cushioned couches and smaller gas fire pits, with space to fit close to 20 people. The inside is much larger, with lots of tables and chairs, booths, and a 10-person stainless steel bar along the back of the room that peers into the actual brewery. The space looks brand new and professionally designed, offering brick accent walls, exposed ductwork that pops nicely against the black painted ceiling, and unique lights that make all of the wood tables and silver chairs really stand out. To top it off, 5ive Cities has a full-sized shuffleboard table, a real dart board area, and tons of board games to keep you entertained.
Shuffleboard
Darts
We were also informed that the whole place is dog-friendly, which makes sense since they feature a pup named Henry in their logo. They even go as far as hosting events for the canines, such as their annual Halloween costume contest.
The Beer
For a brewery the size of 5ive Cities, they sure put out a lot of different beers, with a whopping 16 to choose from. During this visit, the menu consisted of multiple IPAs, wheats, lagers, and barrel-aged options, along with a blonde, red ale, English Mild, and a sour. Of their selections, they have 6 flagship beers, and they rotate out the other taps as things run out; however, some of the more popular recipes do tend to return from time to time.
If you’ve ever been to the Quad Cities before, you have likely seen their Bikini Bottom Pineapple Wheat at one of the bars or restaurants, as this is by far their most popular option. If you’re a fan of pineapple, then you will love this one as it provides that rich sweetness of the fruit, just in liquid form. The red ale, Crushin’ on Amber, might have been our favorite from 5ive Cities, as it is on the sweeter side for a red, but still offers nice malts and a faint nutty taste. The last brew worth noting is the flagship Schwifty Hippie, which is a hazy IPA. This one has a lot of haze with good tropical notes, which makes it really crushable, which was the perfect way to wrap up the day.
Food, Merch, & More
If you aren’t a fan of beer, 5ive Cities also offers a full bar menu with a nice selection of whiskeys and tequilas. They constantly have 5 to 6 seasonal specialty cocktail options to make your decision easy in that category, and these seemed to be fairly popular based on the crowd during our visit.
While you won’t find a kitchen here, they have a full food menu from their sister company Central Standard located next door, and items will be hand-delivered directly to your table. Additionally, you can help yourself to free popcorn from their machine located on the bar. The merchandise selection is somewhat limited and includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, and glassware. They do have a nice selection of stickers, though, as well as a cooler full of to-go beer, which we were able to take advantage of on the trip back to Kansas.
5ive Cities met our expectations in every way, through their robust beer menu and vibrant atmosphere. Be sure to stop in if you find yourself in the Quad Cities!
Cheers!
