Front Street Brewery – IA

Having been in continuous operation since 1992, Front Street Brewery is the oldest brew pub and second oldest brewery, in the state of Iowa.  It was the 300th craft brewery to be established in the United States, founded by master brewer and engineer, Steve Zuidema, and co-operated with his wife, Jenni Ash.  The brewery’s humble beginnings started with a 7-barrel brewhouse in the basement of the current Pub & Eatery location, located on River Drive in downtown Davenport.  The 100+ year old building is nestled along the banks of the Mississippi River, in downtown Davenport, Iowa, in what was known from the late 1800’s into the early 1900’s as the “Bucktown” neighborhood.  In those days, River Drive was known as Front Street, and the Bucktown neighborhood itself was known for its plethora of drinking establishments and houses of ill repute.  This reputation gained Davenport its title of “Wickedest City in America”, back in those days.

In 1993, just months after opening Front Street Brewery, the “Great Flood of the Mississippi River” engulfed most of downtown Davenport, and completely submerged the original basement-level brewery, along with the entire brew pub.  Before succumbing to the disastrous flood waters, friends and loyal customers worked around the clock sandbagging and pumping water, in a futile effort to save Front Street.  Out of this tragedy, one of Front Street’s flagship beers, Raging River, was born.