Bike Rack Brewing Company | Bentonville, AR
Beer Trip: Bike Rack Brewing Company in Bentonville, Arkansas
Having made many trips to Northwest Arkansas, we’ve been fortunate enough to try most of the breweries in town. This has afforded us the opportunity to start repeating destinations, which is something we don’t do often while traveling - but it’s been really fun to see how a place has changed, as well as try some new brews. It had been almost 7 years since our last venture into Bike Rack Brewing Co. (long before we started this blog!), and while much remained the same, there was still plenty to make this place worth another visit.
The Brewery
Bike Rack sits within the 8th St. Market complex, which is a shared restaurant and business park just a short walk from Walmart’s new headquarters. They have a spacious, partially covered outdoor patio with fire pits and an elevated stage. We were able to sit out here and let our 3-year-old play to his heart’s content, allowing us the time to sip on a few cold ones. As the weather allows, there are three overhead garage doors that tie this area into the indoor space quite nicely.
The inside is snug, with about 10 tables and an 8-person bar towards the back of the room. You’ll find cool artwork both inside and out here and, while it’s abstract, it blends in perfectly with the space. The interior is also decorated with colorful string lights across the ceiling, giving total Stranger Things vibes.
The Beer
Bike Rack strives to maintain a dozen beers on tap at any given time. Of those, seven are considered flagships, so it was fun to sample some of those same recipes that we’ve been enjoying all across the region for many years. They organize their menu via 3 categories: Light, Hoppy, and Malty. You’ll easily find something that aligns with your taste buds in one of their beers. One thing that’s unique about their options is that 2/3 of their offerings are 5% ABV or less, which is on the lower side within the world of craft beer.
The Slaughter Pen IPA, EPIC TRAIL Amber, and Urban Trail Golden Ale are probably their most popular selections, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. For us on this trip, our two favorites were actually rotators: the Nitro Irish Stout and the Petit Sour Guava.
Food, Merch, & More
There’s a limited food menu through Bike Rack itself, including soft pretzels, chicken tenders, and wings - but the real treat was from the food truck parked outside. During the day we visited, there were not one but two food trucks, and we enjoyed delicious summer BLTs from one of the vendors. In addition to serving up beer, they have a limited cocktail menu, wine selections, and a couple of N/A brews. The merchandise section spans both walls between the bar and the restrooms, and features hats, t-shirts, glassware, bandanas, and, of course, a bicycle bell. They also have all of their flagship brews in 6-packs available to take home.
It was fun returning to Bike Rack to try some of their new stuff and enjoy some of their old stuff. With its great outdoor space and ever-changing beer taps, we definitely won’t wait 7 more years until our next visit. The next time you’re in Northwest Arkansas, be sure to stop in!
Cheers!
