Big Rack Brew Haus in Madison County inspired by West Coast hunting and fishing trips
Note to readers: This story has been edited from its original publication to correct the hours of operation.
Address: 2475 Hiatt Apple Trail Road, Winterset
Phone: (515) 468-0012
Website: bigrackbrewhaus.com
Step into Big Rack Brew Haus in Madison County and you’ll feel like you’re “walking into your buddy’s garage for a beer,” says Aaron Oviatt, owner and manager of the brewery, whose interest in craft beer was piqued 30 years ago.
“I was influenced by what beer could be, not the watered-down versions, in the early 1990s when I would travel out to the West Coast on several skiing, hunting and fishing vacations,” said Oviatt. “I was intrigued with the flavors of these beverages, so every trip I would seek out new inspiring flavors to try.”
In 2009 he was introduced to the brewmasters of the Twisted Vine Brewery that was at that time associated with the Madison County Winery.
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“Twisted Vine was brewing beer in the facility building of the winery. The winery was well established at that time and I had done some volunteering ... for the fall harvest. That’s where I met the masterminds of the Twisted Vines,” Oviatt recalled.
And, he admits, he had a lot of questions. Fortunately, he was willing to do whatever it took to get his questions answered.
“I was showing up at the brewery volunteering so much that one of the brewmasters looked at me and said, ‘You know we don't have money to pay you.’
“I said. ‘Perfect, you don't have to pay me – just teach me how to brew beer,’" said Oviatt. “So with a handshake and a cold beer in the other hand, we were off and running, and I have not looked back since.”
Oviatt says the kindness he has been shown by the brewmasters at Twisted Vine and other brewers along the way has made a lasting impression in his life.
“What excites me the most about this small-craft beer industry is how it is so collaborative and not so much competitive,” he said. “Our brewers in this state are so forthcoming, willing to help the next guy be successful. If he has success, we all grow from it. The whole state of Iowa will grow from it. We have a great bunch of people that have worked so hard to build our foundation. The Iowa Brewers Guild is a great organization that was founded by a group of guys who loved beer and wanted to share that love by bonding together for a common cause. And that cause was to change the bureaucratic crap that governed our laws that kept us from sharing that love. So here we all are, years later, watching this manifest into an amazing adventure. How exciting is that?”
Big Rack usually has 10 to 15 beers being brewed at a time.
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“We always have some experimental beer going on,” Oviatt said. “With small-batch brewing, the opportunities are endless. I can be eating my favorite Lemon Meringue pie and become inspired to brew a beer that tastes like my favorite pie. We have one that resembles a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Dream it and let's brew it,”
Their most popular varieties are the Honey Badger Brown Ale, Snakebite IPA, Jones Creek Lager and Killerwatt Citrus Wheat. Though Oviatt admits, “My favorite is usually the one in front of me.”
The brewery is Oviatt’s retirement plan. He still works for the Firestone Plant in Des Moines, where he started as a tool-and-die machinist 33 years ago and is now involved in industrial maintenance. But he credits his experience at Firestone with helping him build his dream.
“I have built a good understanding of a multitude of operations from electrical and hydronics to controls and fabrications, which in turn has helped me build a solid foundation in our operations here at the brewery. We have built several of our components that it takes to operate our brewery,” said Oviatt.
The taproom is located in the brewery on Oviatt’s family farm.
“It is a large metal building that I have been fabricating for the last 25 years,” he said. “We have just added a 3,000-square-foot patio onto the outside. Eventually, we’ll turn it into a four-season beer hall with a wood-fired oven and many other amenities.
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“I knew someday I was going to do something fun and I would need a building to do it in. So it just happens to be a brewery.”
Oviatt says the trip to Big Rack Brew Haus is worth the price of gas, first off, if you like good beer.
“It would be worth the trip if you would like to experience a brewery that was built from the ground up," he said. "If you would like to see some guys living the American Dream. We have put our heart and souls into this adventure, and you’ll see it right when you walk in the door. It’s a one-of-a-kind place.”
Distance from downtown Des Moines: 39 miles
Hours: Friday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
The Partnership: Oviatt added a business partner, Joe Taylor, in May 2021. Taylor has helped him with several aspects of the business. “He’s a great help and has picked up things quickly in helping keep my momentum moving forward,” said Oviatt.
The Atmosphere: Oviatt loves the landscape of rural Madison County and credits its beauty for helping draw people to the brewery. “Our brewery has more of a homey feel to it, and it’s inviting for people to bring their families here,” he said. They have an assortment of board games on hand as well as a horseshoe pit and future plans of a 9-hole disc golf course and possibly a shuffleboard on the new patio. “We are not the typical commercial. brewery.” Oviatt loves that Big Rack has become the “neighborhood hangout.” “We have made so many wonderful friends from this, it is amazing. Beer brings people together.”
The Name: Coming up with a name for his new brewery wasn’t easy for Oviatt, who wanted to come up with a name that represented who he was and what he enjoyed doing. “So I wrote down several words that described that representation,” he said. “After that list was made, I went on a two-week bow hunting trip in the mountains, and that year my cousin and I shot a bull elk with our bows on the Grand Mesa of Colorado.” Oviatt admits this was no easy task, with only a 5 percent success rate. “We had been trying to accomplish that task for several years and had success the year I bought the brewery. After pondering on our accomplishments and looking at the pictures we took of each other that day of celebrating and holding up the antlers of the bull elk, it came to me. I love being outdoors, hunting animals, drinking beer, countryside living and the thrill of the chase. So it came to me as I was holding up the head of the elk getting my picture taken … BIG RACK BREW HAUS! ‘Big Rack’ was from the elk, ‘Brew’ for beer and ‘Haus' is from my German grandmother who taught me that hard work will always pay off. Haus is my home. Welcome, and come drink beer in my house.”
While You’re There: Oviatt loves Madison County, which has been his home. He suggests checking out madisoncounty.com to see all the area has to offer while making a plan to stop at Big Rack.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Winterset's Big Rack Brew Haus inspired by hunting and fishing trips