in Clear Lake
yet forging ahead on the business frontier! By Rachel Smith
Brad and Angie Barber had always dreamed of creating roots in
the Clear Lake community, and did just that in 2002 when they
opened the first Cabin Coffee Company. The concept, derived on a
drive home from Des Moines after getting coffee and bagels, was a
place where folks could get a high-quality cup of coffee in a warm
and inviting atmosphere.
And boy, have they done just that. As you enter Cabin Coffee,
located near the corner of S. 3rd Street and Main, you step into a
realm of comfort. A place full of warm smiles and friendly service
Bob Rolling has always enjoyed a good beer. So much, in fact, that
he began tinkering with brewing his own beer, giving it to friends
and family to try. Soon, his hobby turned into a business idea and
thus came the formulation of Lake Time Brewery.
Located on the corner of Main & 8th Street, Lake Time opened their
doors in June of 2013. Bob and his wife, Suzy, decided they wanted
their name to really reflect the lake lifestyle. Lake Time Brewery
is more than great beer… it’s a State of Mind. There are no rules,
no time constraints. Eat when you are hungry. Sleep when you
are tired. Fish, swim, read a great book. It’s about family. Friends.s
Making memories of a lifetime. That’s what Lake Time means.
It wasn’t long before Lake Time garnered a devoted following of
f
craft beer enthusiasts. In fact, they’d simply fulfilled their motto
o
of “Creating Beer Snobs… One Beer at a Time!” But with this
expanded need to supply beer to more and more people posed
to be difficult, and Bob soon found he could not keep up with
the demand.
In order to give the people what they wanted (more beer), Lake
Time expanded into a new production facility and hired Brandon
Nelson, a professional brewer from Spokane, Washington. In the
spring
of 2018, a canning line was added to the facility, making
great craft beer available whenever you’d like.
Currently available in 23 counties in the Northeast portion of Iowa
and 6 counties in and around the Des Moines area, lovers of Bob’s
famous brews can grab a six-pack to enjoy at home. Or, for those
e
dining around North Iowa, many local eateries carry the Lake Time
e
beer on tap.
Lake Time Brewery is a fabulous business anchored in Clear Lake,
but forging full-steam ahead into the business frontier!
RELOCATION
It’s no secret that nautical terms are used frequently in and around Clear Lake. To ‘Drop your Anchor’ is a common term used in boating. When a boat comes into shore, or wished to remain in one area while on
the water, you would drop your anchor into the water, securing yourself to a designated area.
It seems fitting, then, that we recognize these two incredible businesses who have dropped their anchor here, but then spread their wings and launched their product into other markets.
that cocoons you in a cloud of delicious sights and smells. A place
to grab a cup of coffee while you chat with friends, or meet for a
delightful lunch. Modeled after a log cabin in the West, it’s a place
where you can go to ‘Just Be Happy… And Have Fun.’
In fact, that’s their motto!
But what is really remarkable about their story, is that while they
are firmly anchored in Clear Lake, you can find Cabin Coffee stores
in 5 other states! Other than Iowa, they currently have 16 locations
in total throughout Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota and
Wisconsin. Recently, Cabin Coffee built a roasting house to handle
their large demand. And while they roast the majority of their
supply for franchises there, each location roasts their own single
origin and blends on site, giving each customer the ultimate
Offering only the freshest of ingredients, Cabin Coffee is the perfect
place to treat yourself at the Lake!
an event for all lovers of Barley & Hops!
BREWS
on the
BEACH
Lake Time Brewery is the proud event host of Brews on the Beach,
a collaboration with various breweries throughout Iowa. The
event runs in conjunction with the annual Bicycle, Blues & BBQ
event, typically held the first weekend in July. With each ticket
purchase, patrons receive a tasting glass and unlimited samples
of craft brews. It’s a great afternoon with, of course, the best
possible scenery as its backdrop – gorgeous Clear Lake!
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