Dreaming of Fields

A Pulpit Rock Brewing project focusing on collaboration between farmers, small grain growers, conservation professionals, and the beer making process for brewers. The Dreaming of Fields project is an ode to all hard-working farmers.

 
 

Dreaming of Fields Day - June 10th 2023

Pulpit Rock will host a Dreaming of Fields Day on June 10th at their downtown Decorah Brewery. The event showcases the brewery's Dreaming of Fields Project which started in 2019 as a way to support local farmers, celebrate land stewardship, and contribute towards market creation for small grain production efforts in Northeast Iowa. Seven craft beers have been released as part of the project. They featured local corn, local wheat, and locally-sourced adjuncts such as honey and plums.

The June 10th brewery event includes a re-release for Dreaming of Fields' Upper Iowa Common beer as well as a beer release for the new Dreaming of Fields brew: Honest Work. Honest Work is a premium corn lager, with Jimmy Red corn from Brandt Family Farm out of Carroll, Ohio and Pilsner Malt from Miller Malting.

Pulpit's project has launched many new collaborations including ones with two award-winning Iowa farms: Luna Valley Farm (Winneshiek County) and FLOLO Farms (Fayette County). It has also increased awareness of Miller Malting, a small, farm-focused malting business located near Cascade, Iowa that prioritizes high quality ancient grains grown with regenerative practices.

Pulpit Rock Co-Brewers Robert Slack and Justin Teff look forward to all the ways this event can lift up important messaging about land use, water quality, and local economy. "We feel passionate about this project," says Slack, "because it's about land ethic and because it's about small-batch beer. It's about creativity and innovation at both the farm and the brewery. This is the future for craft beer, connecting with specific farmers and specific grains."

While Slack is quick to appreciate the potential for the project and how it could help build out a more sustainable local system, the simple joys aren't lost on him. He says what he looks forward to the most is getting to sit down with the farmer who grew the grain in his glass. "Bringing people together for a pint at the end of a long day is a gift we love giving. And when the people you're sharing a table with represent every stage of the process - well that's just the stuff dreams are made of."

Partners for the Dreaming of Fields Day event include area nonprofit Northeast Iowa RC&D - whose Multi-Cropping Iowa project collaboration with Iowa producers is gaining state and national attention - and the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce whose Ag. Committee works to keep the connection between local agriculture and business strong. The Dreaming of Fields Day is sponsored by Iowa's Coldwater Conservancy and Winneshiek Soil and Water Conservation District. There is no admission fee to attend the Dreaming of Fields Day event. Attendees can expect great brews, special event merchandise, the Iowa State University's Conservation Station, hamburgers by the Winneshiek County Cattlemen, Moo Mobile shakes by the Winneshiek County Dairy Promoters, and conversation with hard-working area farmers.

two new beers will be released as a part of the project

  • Honest Work is a premium corn lager made with pilsner malt from Miller Malting in Cascade, Iowa and Jimmy Red corn grown by Brandt Family Farm in Carroll, Ohio.

  • Upper Iowa Common is a Kentucky Common brewed with malt from Miller Malting in Cascade, Iowa and Blue Clarage Corn grown by Brandt Family Farm in Carroll, Ohio.

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