Olde Main Brewing Co.

October 7, 2008
The place smelled like urine when I was there. I assume it was old stale beer. I had a few brews on tap and brought a few bottles home. The beers I tried were decent with no major flaws, but as much as anything, they were boring. Good prices, but maybe I hit happy hour. A decent brewpub that might be wirth a stop if you can’t make it to one of the ones in Des Moines. Hoever, I wouldn’t wish one finding themselves in Ames too often anyway.

July 28, 2008
Stopped by after a visit to my first alma mater on our way out to Utah during the Summer of Beer 08. Interesting ambiance, I can’t tell if it’s trying to be rustic or ritzy, but it works for me, exposed beams and wooden chairs with a really neat bridge crossing over the main dining floor. Oldies music played at lunchtime. The service was prompt and friendly, but she was also the main trainer so I would have expected that. The selection seemed good: six pulls, and a sampler. The beers themselves lacked much hoppiness but all in all they were not as disappointing as many of these guys make them out to be. The food was good. There was some kind of strange Iowa state tax on the beers. Overall, I had a pretty decent time. I have no idea what it would be like at night but it was a great place to stop for lunch before hitting the road again.

July 11, 2008
Olde Main is not the best place to get a beer in Ames. The food is not very good. They have recently began selling their beer in stores . Their beer is not the best.

December 16, 2007
I tried this place when I first moved to Ames hoping to have a place where brewing and people who love brewing would hang out. As it turns out it’s just another place for the college kids to get drunk at a good price. The beers are different each time you drink there, even a few days apart. The service doesn’t like me because I don’t know what I want even though it’s the same selection most of the time and I don’t order fast enough unless I hit the booth right away. Their glassware selection was going downhill fast last I was there, no more nonics available. I don’t eat the food, it is expensive. Overall I don’t visit very often anymore due to being so let down all of the time. I wish the owner would care about the beer as much as the restaurant part, he just opened a 56 tap bar above another college kid bar.

June 27, 2007
Nice looking place in Ames, IA. Beer sampler included seven beers and one root beer, which I thought was interesting. Beers were all pretty decent. Service was pretty good, as was the food. Unable to get growlers of beer to go at this time. Well worth the money and trip.

May 2, 2007
I was quite impressed with this place the first few times, but I’ve grown to sort-of dislike it. The food is overpriced and too complicated to make it something I want to eat on a regular basis, and the beers, while solid, are underwhelming and lean towards the light side. Every time I go there it seems I end up with a large bill but not really satisfied on either beer or food fronts. They have a Sunday brunch that is supposedly quite good, and if I like it, I’ll update this to reflect that. But really, this is not a pub I’d feel good calling my local.

January 7, 2007 [ Updated October 10, 2008 ]
Visited on a Saturday for lunch during Iowa State University’s winter break, so the place was pretty deserted. Service was therefore great. Nice bar on one side and a restaurant on the other. I sat in a comfy booth on the bar side and watched a bowl game whilst sampling their beer. They had seven on tap plus their own root beer. All were pretty good. The Off KIL Ter scottish ale was my favortie. My blackened chicken sandwich and soup were very good. I’ll be back again.

December 3, 2006
This is your only brewpub choice in Ames. While it is not outstanding, you won’t be disappointed if you drink and eat here. They have ridiculously stupid low happy hour prices. I like their lighter beers best.

July 31, 2006
There’s a bar side and a restaurant side; I sat on the bar side both times. Liked the atmosphere (despite the smokers) and the beers were pretty decent in taste. The stout was tasty. They also make a root beer for the kids which wasn’t bad but a little too sweet. Enjoyed the food and the service was fine.

August 16, 2005
First off, I have to say that all the beers I tried there on my visit were off. Mostly a bit sour, which suggested either too warm a ferment or some souring in the serving lines. But as this is in the home of my alma mater, I will be stopping through again one day to try the beers. It’s only opened last year, so maybe the kinks will get worked out. Otherwise, a great place to sit and eat. Open airy place combined from three old downtown storefronts, with the brew works visible right when you come in. Lots of Iowa State-related decor, of course. The food was great--well, we had sandwiches, but they were fine. Friendly waitstaff. If any brewers were there, I could have asked them what was up, but it wasn’t the mountain I want to have a fight on.