About
Born and brewed in Iowa, Backpocket Brewing is built on a passion for quality beer, meaningful connections, and creating spaces where people come together. From our taprooms to retail shelves across the Midwest, we’re focused on crafting approachable beers that are made to be shared and enjoyed.
Beer Made for Everyday Moments.
Since day one, Backpocket Brewing has focused on creating approachable, flavorful beer that fits every occasion. From crisp lagers and hop-forward IPAs to seasonal releases and creative small-batch brews, our goal has always been simple: make beer people want to come back to.
What started in Coralville has grown into a regional brewery proudly rooted in Iowa. Along the way, we’ve built lasting partnerships, expanded our brewing operations, and continued investing in the communities that support us. No matter how much we grow, the mission stays the same — brew quality beer and create spaces where good times naturally happen.
Our Team
Good beer starts with great people. Meet the team helping shape the Backpocket experience from grain to glass.
Our History
From early brewhouse days to new chapters in Waterloo, our story continues to evolve with every pint poured.
2008
Old Man River
Before we were Backpocket Brewing Company, we started out as Old Man River Restaurant and Brewery in McGregor, Iowa, the hometown of one of our owners. Back then, we operated out of a 7-barrel brew house and made our first beer—a dunkel— in 2008. While we no longer brew out of McGregor, the brew house still stands in historic downtown. The restaurant is open and operated by another group and they brew their own beer.
2009
First Beer: Einfach
As our brewing capabilities expanded, we added several more beers including a root beer and a German pale ale to our inventory. By 2010, we were ready to distribute to the market and bottled and kegged our first beer. We dubbed that beer Einfach, which means “easy” in German. There are still some Einfach bottles and growlers hanging around out there somewhere.
2012
Backpocket Brewing
After four years in McGregor, Iowa, we relocated to Coralville to be part of the Iowa River Landing project. We moved in June of 2012 and relaunched as Backpocket Brewing Company. Our 7-barrel brew house grew to a 30-barrel production facility complete with a taproom and a kitchen. With more room to brew, our list of German-inspired beers expanded. We had Penny Whistle Wheat, Slingshot, Gold Coin and Jackknife American Pale Ale.
2013
RAGBRAI Beer Garden
Once we settled into our new home in Coralville, we started looking for ways to share our love of craft beer with as many fellow Iowans as possible. That’s when RAGBRAI popped into our heads, so we teamed up with the Iowa Craft Beer Tent to set up beer gardens along the RAGBRAI route each year. Stop in if you’re a rider to see how you can get your “earned it” t-shirt.
2017
Dubuque Taproom
May 2017 we opened our satellite location—the Dubuque Taproom—in the historic Millworks District in Dubuque, Iowa. Unlike our other two locations, this taproom doesn’t have a kitchen. Instead, we focused on setting up an awesome tap system with 16 rotating handles of our craft beer. On top of that, we hauled in vintage arcade games to create the perfect craft beer hangout.
2017
Partnership with RayGun
Because we are Iowa born, Iowa owned and Iowa brewed, our mission has always been to keep things local. So partnering with RAYGUN Shirts was an easy fit. With their creative spirit and our brewing expertise, we launched our Raygun Cat Series in 2017. This series is all about big, beautiful, full-flavored beers that often lean toward the more experimental brews like sours and hazy IPAs. It’s been a delicious partnership to say the least.
2023
Johnston Pin and Pixel
We opened our second satellite taproom location in Johnston, IA. This location will feature our full tap list, a full menu, arcade and six duckpin bowling lanes.
2026
Brewery Operations Moved to Waterloo, Iowa
Backpocket Brewing begins a new chapter in Downtown Waterloo, operating from the historic Wonder Bread building alongside fellow Iowa craft beer brands. The move expands brewing capabilities while honoring the building’s rich manufacturing history and continued role in bringing people together.
