A guide to St. Louis' brewery scene

In case you haven't heard, St. Louis' beer scene is kind of a big deal. Our fair city's been voted the "Best Beer Scene" by USA Today readers. But don't take their word for it. Visit some of the breweries within a 15-minute cab ride from downtown. Here's just a sampling. (For even more options, including Alpha Brewing in Tower Grove South, Ferguson Brewing and Narrow Gauge in North County, Old Bakery Beer and Hopskeller Brewing in Metro East, O'Fallon Brewing and Six Mile Bridge in West County, Two Plumbers and Friendship Brewing in St. Charles County, and many other noteworthy area breweries, visit the STL Beer site.) Prost!

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2nd Shift Brewing

Located in an under-the-radar industrial area just north of the iconic Hill neighborhood, 2nd Shift offers such standout beers as the flagship Art of Neurosis, Hibiscus Wit, and Cat Spit Spout (inspired by El Gato Grande, "the laziest, fattest, and friendliest cat in the brewery."). 1601 Sublette.

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4 Hands Brewing Company

Just south of downtown, near Soulard, 4 Hands is among the most innovative breweries around, often teaming up with other St. Louis companies and artists to produce memorable brews. City Wide, Single Speed, and Ripple are among the favorite year-round brews, though look for the seasonals as well. And be sure to check out the sprawling upstairs area, where kids and adults alike can play arcade games and Skee-ball for free. 1220 S. 8th Street.

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Anheuser-Busch Brewery

A tour of the storied brick brewery in Soulard is a must. Stand in the Clydesdales' stable, gaze up at Reynard the Fox, and sample a beer—all for free. There are also more involved tours, including the Beermaster Tour, the Horses and Heritage Tour, and the hands-on Where You Brew experience. 12th & Lynch.

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Bluewood Brewing

Recently opened in the former stables of the historic Lemp Brewery, Bluewood is known for its high-ABV beers and barrel-aged stouts, such as Leviathan. (Bluewood's highest ABV was Testify, brewed in 2015, which had an ABV of 24 percent.) 1821 Cherokee.

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Civil Life Brewing Company

After first making a name for himself at 33 Wine Bar in Lafayette Square, Jake Hafner turned to another beverage and opened Civil Life in Tower Grove South. He then began offering cans of the popular American Brown and expanded the brewery in 2018. If you visit the brewery, note the house rules on the website, ways of keeping things civil, including an aversion to mean people and no buses or limos: "It's a pub not the Oscars." 3714 Holt.

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Earthbound Beer

As historian and SLM contributor Chris Naffziger pointed out when Earthbound opened in the former Cherokee Brewery stock house in 2017, the brewery "can now almost certainly claim to be brewing beer in the oldest brewery building in St. Louis, as the first floor and cellars of the stock house date to before 1875." There's always something new and unusual on tap, with such memorable names as the Tax Evader, Gruit Out of Hell, and Immaculate Confection (the brewery's first pastry stout). 2724 Cherokee.

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Modern Brewery

Co-founder Beamer Eisele has some serious brewing credentials, having studied under top brewers across the nation before returning to his hometown and opening Modern, where the tasting room is open Fridays and Saturdays from 4–10 p.m. The brewery is perhaps best known for its popular Citrapolis, a super Citra-hopped IPA full of citrus and tropical notes. 5231 Manchester.

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Perennial Artisan Ales

The small-batch brewery has a loyal following, who flock to the Carondelet tasting room to enjoy such popular brews as the Vermillion, barleywine, Abraxas stout, and Maman imperial stout. Paste recently ranked Perennial among the "The 50 Best American Breweries of the 2010s," noting that it “just might be the most balanced and consistent” of the decade’s class of St. Louis beermakers. (And Perennial has gained even more fanfare, with a satellite brewery and 80-seat tasting room in Webster Groves, alongside the acclaimed, recently relocated Olive + Oak restaurant.) 8125 Michigan.

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Rockwell Beer Co.

One of the most anticipated breweries to open in recent years, Rockwell's composed of brightly colored shipping containers just east of the Grove, in Botanical Heights. The interior's equally eye-catching, with a ceiling of wooden slats and live edge wooden tables. Brewer Jonathan Moxey serves up such faves as Passing Clouds witbier, Byrd Up! dry-hopped rye ale, and Stand By hoppy pilsner. And acclaimed chef Gerard Craft's BrassWELL offers elevated burgers, beer brats and thin-cut crispy fries. 1320 S. Vandeventer.

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Side Project Brewing

Ranked among the top 10 in Paste's aforementioned list of the “50 Best American Breweries of the 2010s,” Cory and Karen King's Maplewood brewery is acclaimed for its oak-aged beers, notably its wild ales. As Paste writer Jim Vorel noted, "Even at a festival filled with absolute titans of the industry, people are still making a beeline for Side Project when the doors open, which marks them as elite among the elite." 7458 Manchester.

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Square One Brewery

Years ago, Steve Neukomm transformed a historic building in Lafayette Square that once housed an Anheuser-Busch–owned tavern and dance hall into one of the most charming breweries in St. Louis. When the weather's nice, the quaint patio's a hidden gem. Square One offers not just a solid lineup of beers (the Bavarian Weizen's a fave), but also cocktails made from Spirits of St. Louis distillery's offerings and a more extensive menu than most microbreweries. 1727 Park.

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Schlafly Tap Room and Bottleworks

Before the beer boom of the past decade, there was Schlafly. The Tap Room opened its doors nearly 30 years ago, in 1991. Today, Schlafly has grown to become St. Louis' largest independent craft brewery, shipping beer to more than a dozen states. In Maplewood, Schlafly Bottleworks often hosts live music and events, and a forthcoming St. Charles location is in the works. 2100 Locust, 7260 Southwest.

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Urban Chestnut Brewing Company

Urban Chestnut's roots are firmly planted in both the U.S. and Germany, with a Revolution series (paying homage to modern American beers) and Reverence series (timeless European-style brews). Fantasyland, Urban Underdog, Zwickel, Schnickelfritz, Oachkatzlschwoaf—the list of offerings is nearly as long as the number of letters in some of the beers' names. But beer's just the beginning. The brewery’s Grove location offers arguably the best brewpub menu in the metro area, and just west of the sprawling bierhall in The Grove, The U.R.B. allows patrons to sample test batches and order generous-size slices from the pizza counter in back. 4465 Manchester, 3229 Washington.

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Creative Cans 

Some St. Louis brewers elevate beer packaging to an art.

Main & Mill Brewing Blood Orange Berliner

Part of the brewery’s Artist Spotlight Series, St. Louis artist Andrew Krahnke’s Jaws-inspired can features a sun-soaked beach scene.

2nd Shift Coconut Liquid Spiritual Delight

Illustrator Kyle Scarborough created this pinwheel-eyed caricature of owner Steve Crider.

4 Hands City Wide

Artist Josh Rowan began by featuring the St. Louis flag across the entire can before including a smaller flag and the City Wide mission. 

Narrow Gauge Brewing DDH Cloud City

Jeremy Hegger’s label designs, which feature pencil sketch art, are among the most identifiable in St. Louis.

Old Bakery Beer Carrot Cake Brown Ale

Illinois artist Mike Hagen was given one directive: to emphasize the use of local organic carrots in this beer. 

Deep Sleep Brewing Train of Four

With the help of friends, Deep Sleep owner Nick Lyons quickly designed a clean layout while rolling out cans during the pandemic.

Modern Brewery Flavor Matrix #1

Ghost Signal Design in Cape Girardeau created this art, titled “Dissonance Disarray,” which plays on the Matrix film series.

Rockwell Beer Passing Clouds

Every Rockwell can features the image of a llama woven into the art, a sort of Easter egg surprise. See whether you can find it on this can.

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Local Collaborations

Perhaps more than any other city,  St. Louis epitomizes collaboration in food and drink—including beer.

Urban Chestnut Big Shark Grapefruit Radler

Urban Chestnut teamed up with Big Shark bike shop to create a grapefruit Radler that’s light and smooth, perfect for cooling down after a long ride. 

Perennial Sump Coffee Stout

Perennial ages its Imperial stout for 12 months in whiskey barrels with Sump Coffee Colombia Nariño Los Rosales coffee beans, giving it a delicious and complex flavor. 

4 Hands Strange Stout

Created in collaboration with Strange Donuts, this Imperial oatmeal stout is made with Madagascar vanilla beans, cacao nibs, and Rainbow Pony donuts. Pick some up in June during a limited release.

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Patios & Pints

Need a beer after the past year and a half? Consider one of these alfresco spots.

Rockwell Brewing: Reclaimed shipping containers frame a patio unlike any other in town; not only does an eye-catching orange container double as signage, but it also provides shade for a handful of the picnic benches along Vandeventer. And later this year, the brewery will open Rockwell Beer Garden, a family-friendly satellite biergarten in Francis Park—the first in a St. Louis public park—overlooking the playground and rec courts. Draft beer, guest brews, cocktails, wine on tap, and soft drinks will be served out of the charming ’50s-era stone comfort station, the former Lanai Coffee House space. 

Urban Chestnut’s Midtown Biergarten: Even after a decade of operation, UCBC’S biergarten, situated between the 1920s garage that houses the brewery’s original taproom and the historic Barnett on Washington building, is still one of the best St. Louis spots in which to enjoy a beer and brat. 

Schlafly Bottleworks: Whatever the weather, the covered patio is a perfect perch. It’s a great place to sit and enjoy Bavarian pretzels and a pint of Kölsch after you make the rounds at one of the brewery’s popular festivals (Art Outside, Full Moon Fest, Cabin Fever) or the S.O.L. Food Farmers’ Market.

Wellspent Brewing: Wellspent’s courtyard, located between two historic brick buildings in Midtown, is dotted with picnic tables and adorned with strings of lights overhead—nothing too fancy but still a fine setting in which to sip quality beer.

Square One Brewery: A longtime Lafayette Square favorite, this brewery’s courtyard, with its trickling wall-length fountain, iron gates, and abundant greenery, still feels like a hidden gem. 

Friendship Brewing: Like the beer memorabilia–bedecked interior of this Wentzville brewery, the outdoor space is full of character, with a giant keg, abundant greenery (including bines of hops), and a sign reading, “I am outdoorsy. I like drinking beer on patios.”

The Biergarten at Anheuser-Busch: After you’ve taken out-of-town guests on the tour, unwind in the storied Soulard brewery’s 300-seat Biergarten, which serves up more than 15 brews and a food menu complete with suggested pairings.

4204 Main Street Brewing: The Belleville brewery’s sprawling outdoor area is among the metro area’s most inviting, with Adirondack chairs, fire pits, and even a designated area for cornhole.

Good News Brewery: Wine might be the thing in Defiance, but Good News sells an alternative for beer drinkers. Situated near the Katy Trail, the brewery offers plenty of outdoor seating, including on the rooftop.

Perennial on Lockwood: During the pandemic, the patio at Perennial’s satellite location, sharing a space with Olive + Oak in the heart of Webster Groves, has quickly become a neighborhood favorite for suds and seasonal dishes.

Earthbound Brewing: True to its name, Earthbound Beer has a two-tier patio where you can enjoy a brew from the walk-up window. 

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Patios Plus 

Even more alfresco options

Just south of Forest Park, Brew Hub Taproom offers a pet-friendly patio, including pup treats and pupscicles. Downtown, Morgan Street Brewery features a walkout patio on its second floor. O’Fallon Brewery not only has an inviting patio in back but also temporarily extended alfresco seating to its parking lot. At Peel in Edwardsville, you can enjoy a pint and pie on the patio, which hosts live music on weekends. And in Washington, Missouri, enjoy a riverside view from the elevated perch at Augusta Brewing Co.

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Hard Seltzers

With the market for hard seltzers exploding in recent years, local spots have rolled out low-calorie offerings. Among the options: Alpha Brewing’s Black Cherry Lemonade Pleasy, Urban Chestnut’s Urban Seltzer (passion fruit and lime with salt), Third Wheel Brewing’s seltzers (Valencia orange cranberry, mixed berry, and lime coconut), Schlafly’s Boomerang Mead Spritzer, and Friendship Brewing’s new varieties. 

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The Brew Crew: Fran Caradonna

Fran Caradonna can’t hold back a smile when she tries to explain how different things were when she first got onto the scene. When she tried her first sips of Beck’s Dark and St. Pauli Girl in the early ’80s, there wasn’t a scene. “It’s hard to explain that to people today,” Caradonna says. “It wasn’t nearly as interesting, but we didn’t know what we were missing.”

Caradonna was one of the pioneers seeking something different. Now the CEO of Schlafly Beer, she sits at the helm of one of the most successful craft breweries in the country. Over the course of her 30-year career, Caradonna has ridden a wave that began with the founding of Boulevard and New Belgium in the late ’80s, continued with her creating the distributorship Signature Beer with then-husband Tony Caradonna, and eventually founding O’Fallon Brewery in 2000. Through it all, she’s not only had a front-row seat to the craft beer explosion but also actually lit the match.

“It happened quickly,” Caradonna says. “When we started O’Fallon, we were the fourth craft brewery to open in the state. Now, at least pre-COVID, there are about 70.” Reflecting on what’s she’s seen—and started—Caradonna thinks back to the startup mentality that defined the early days of the craft beer scene. Though it’s harder today to capture that spirit, she points to breweries doing new things, such as a farm-to-glass experience and niche breweries producing one specific type of beer.

If there is one industry transformation she’d still like to see, however, it’s for the beer scene to become more inclusive. Pointing out that the industry remains a white- and male-dominated business, Caradonna is often asked about craft beer’s reputation as a boys’ club. “I talk to young women all the time about how to get through in a man’s world,” Caradonna says. “The first thing you do is acknowledge that it’s a real thing and accept that as a reality. Say something to your bosses and co-workers and even to yourself. Then—and this is most important—do a really good job. Your work speaks for you. The older I get, the more I realize that actions speak louder than words. People watch what we do more than they listen to what we say. When you do a good job, people recognize that.”

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Full Barrel

A St. Louis–based company is making oak barrels for some of the industry’s best.

Foeders (pronounced food-ers) are enormous oak barrels traditionally used for aging wines, as well as Belgian lambic beers fermented with wild yeast. The craft beer boom sparked renewed interest in wild ales across the United States, but nobody was producing these beauties domestically until St. Louis–based Foeder Crafters of America came along in 2014. Owner Matt Walters helms a team of craftspeople who fashion planks of Missouri white oak into customizable foeders. Locally, the company’s portfolio of clients includes such beloved local outfits as Side Project, Perennial Artisan Ales, 2nd Shift Brewing, and Rockwell.

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Perfect Pairings

Wash down these breweries’ delicious dishes with complementary brews.

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The New Brews

Newcomers, expansions, and coming-soons

Comfortably located inside Olive + Oak’s new space in Webster Groves, Perennial on Lockwood is being lauded as a great restaurant within a great restaurant. Add Perennial’s acclaimed beers (and exclusive experimental offerings), and it’s easy to understand the appeal of the now-popular offshoot.

Despite the pandemic, Six Mile Bridge Beer expanded into an adjacent space last June that allowed the brewery to add a kitchen, more brewing space, a larger taproom with more taps, and, for the first time, a patio, which was essential last summer. At press time, Good News Brewing Company was planning to open a third location in the former Augusta Brew Haus. Imbibers can pair brews with wood-fired pizza, smoked wings, and brisket tacos on a multilevel patio. Bicyclists can head east and repeat the process at Good News’ Defiance location, also sat near the Katy Trail.

Last year, when St. Charles’ Trailhead Brewing Co. became Schlafly Bankside, the craft brewer followed its winning formula of pairing proven beers with slightly different menu offerings at each brewpub location, giving guests a legit reason to visit all three. On tap for this year: beers brewed on site in St. Charles.

In Washington, three home brewers joined forces to open Old BridgeView Brewing, the first cooperative brewery in the state. The trio is assisting five home brewers, each of whom is guaranteed a tap. The remaining 15 taps are dedicated to BridgeView’s own beers, along with kombucha, ciders, and seltzers. Established Washington restaurateur Tom Kent is in charge of the victuals at the 5-month-old brewery.

This summer, with the redesigns and other delays behind them, Civil Life Brewing will unveil a large outdoor Biergarten—with acres of green space and multiple shipping containers used for storage, bathrooms, and a bar/cooler to serve the umbrella-covered patio.

Their operation having outgrown its basement brewing location beneath Cugino’s restaurant in Florissant, the owners of Narrow Gauge Brewing Company bought a building two doors down, allowing them to build a dedicated tasting room and double their beer production. They hope the project will be completed by year’s end. 

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Crafty Ladies

St. Louis groups supporting women 

The OG: St. Louis Women’s Craft Beer Collective and the St. Louis chapter of the Pink Boots Society are dedicated to empowering women in the fermented beverages world. Encompassing everyone from professional brewers to amateur enthusiasts, both organizations not only push back against the male domination of the field but also work to show consumers just how much impact women have on the industry.

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The Brew Crew: Justin Harris

In early 2015, craft beer was thriving in St. Louis, but Justin Harris and Ryan Griffin felt something was missing. “There were all these breweries opening up but no retail spot completely driven by craft beer,” says Harris. Saint Louis Hop Shop was born on Cherokee Street in May 2015.

Harris describes the Hop Shop as a conduit between local craft breweries and customers, a barometer of evolving local tastes. The Hop Shop helps convey key customer insights—what customers are buying, the beer styles they’re asking for—to the breweries. 

“The brewers have all these ideas of what they want to do, but what they put on the schedule is influenced by what the sales reps are seeing in the market,” he says. “I believe we play a pivotal role in making sure the breweries aren’t stuck in a rut, making the same thing all the time.”

The Hop Shop is also one of only two Black-owned craft beer businesses in the metro area (Wentzville’s Chillax being the other), but Harris says the store’s significance rests on the fundamentals of stocking and selling great brews. “My goal is to have the best craft beer store, bar none,” he says. 

Harris says that the pandemic, for him as a business owner and leader, was a lesson in resilience and patience. “Understanding that when or how I want things to happen isn’t as important as when things should happen,” he said. “You’ve got to learn to be cool with that. Allow the chips to fall how they will.” 

After taking a break over winter, the Hop Shop is back in business and continuing to spotlight the best in craft beer, with a focus on local breweries. Over the coming months, Harris says, the store will become more of a one-stop shop, with an expanded selection of wines, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks. Harris also says he’s looking forward to “getting back into the lab” and working on the kinds of activities that have been part of the Hop Shop brand since the store’s early days. For starters, a Hop Shop beer collaboration or two may be in the offing. 

“Nothing’s set in stone,” Harris says, “but as we sit down, there are a couple I’m really excited about.”

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Get It

These St. Louis breweries offer a range of experiences.

Get Sun-dazed: Ferguson Brewing’s brunch includes an omelet bar, skillets, sandwiches, sliders, and (of course) beer and mimosa flights. 

Get dinged: Two Plumbers, in St. Charles, features an arcade.

Get spiritual: Cathedral Square’s retail brews include Hail Mary IPA, Repent Rye, and Peaching to the Choir. 

Get smashed: At Petrichor, the menu includes a noteworthy Double Smash Patty Melt.

Get after it: An offshoot of Friendship Brewery’s owners, After Hours’ menu has big beers—sours, wild yeast and Belgian ales, stouts, and barrel-aged offerings. 

Get fried: Third Wheel’s menu includes a sandwich of smoked fried bologna topped with fried onions, white cheddar, and Carolina mustard on Texas toast.

Get real: “No crap on tap” is the slogan at Exit 6, which offers five house-made brews and 24 more options on tap.

Get ribbed: At Missouri Beer, acclaimed chef Vito Racanelli’s Big V’s Craft BBQ features smoked prime rib on Saturday nights.

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How low can brew go?

As low-calorie and non-alcoholic beer options have surged, local breweries have responded. WellBeing Brewery Company’s Heavenly Body Golden Wheat and Hellraiser Dark Amber are now staples across town. Schlafly’s low-cal IPA just hit shelves, and 4 Hands Brewing and WellBeing are collaborating on Liquid Rain, a zero-alcohol IPA.

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The Brew Crew: Cory King

This January, Cory and Karen King received some outstanding news: RateBeer had selected their brewery, Side Project, as the second-best brewery in the world, an accolade that put them at the pinnacle of their field and, under normal circumstances, would be cause for celebration.

But the Kings were in no mood to celebrate. Though Side Project was coming off a record-breaking year in terms of sales, the husband-and-wife team was in the midst of the most difficult year of their professional lives. Not only did the COVID-19 pandemic turn their world upside down and force them to rethink the very essence of who they are as brewers; it also devastated many of their friends and colleagues in the hospitality industry. The Kings credit their customers for supporting them throughout the year.

Thanks to robust sales on a new online platform, Side Project has been able to not only stay afloat but also enlarge its operation. The Kings have invested in their business, purchasing the building and land across the street from the Maplewood brewery with plans to open an additional concept this summer. Cory describes the new space as akin to a winery, with a family-friendly atmosphere, expansive patio, pizza, and, of course, beer.

“We have the brewery, which does big releases, and the Cellar with wine and whiskey, which is more for date nights,” Cory says. “The location across the street will be relaxed and chill. There will be pizza and pints of IPA; it will be kid- and dog-friendly… If restaurateurs can have seven different restaurants with seven different concepts, why can’t breweries?”

The Kings will also use the new space as a command center for their online operation. “I learned a lot about having beer online,” Cory says. “I have so many families able to enjoy our beer by driving through curbside with their kids in the car on the way home from day care… It’s opened my eyes to all of the things we were missing, and I want to accommodate that. I still love the experience of going to places, but I can’t be blind to the fact that this way of doing things is important to people, too. We’re trying to figure out what tomorrow brings and how we can do all of this in a way that is true to who we are.”

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A Beginner’s Guide to Home Brewing

If you’re a beer enthusiast, this part art, part science endeavor may be the perfect kitchen project for you.

Preparation To get started, procure an equipment kit from a home-brew store, such as Design2Brew or Steampunk Brew Works, which offers a basic kit for less than $100. Next, get your hands on a beer recipe kit from your local brewery. The kit has the grains, yeast, malt extract, and hops you’d need. Steampunk has kits for such recipes as amber beer, blonde ale, and American pale wheat. Sanitize thoroughly before you begin!

Brewing A typical process involves mashing (steeping grains in hot water), lautering (separating wort from grain), and then boiling to destroy unwanted enzymes and microbes.

Fermentation This involves cooling the wort, adding water, taking a gravity reading with a hydrometer, and adding the yeast.

Bottling and Kegging Almost there! Transfer your beer to sanitized containers, securely store for at least two weeks, et voilà!

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The Saga of Sandy Valley

How a home brewer became a brewmaster

A self-described “gin guy,” Jason Stamp never developed a fondness for beer until a job took him to Belgium, where he tasted his first farmhouse beer. Instantly obsessed, he researched the style and began homebrewing (“five years’ worth and one floor of my house”). Villa Antonio Winery wanted to expand into beer, Stamp’s beers were deemed the right fit, and he became the first brewmaster at Sandy Valley Brewery, producing his inaugural batches in old milk cans, finishing the wild yeast ales and saisons in wine barrels, and often re-fermenting them with different types of grapes. Buoyed by a delivery of new brewing equipment, Stamp hopes to supply select restaurants with specialty kegs to help build the fledgling brand. 

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Day Trips

The Outdoor Enthusiast

Pair a scenic hike along the 3-mile Little Grand Canyon Trail in Shawnee National Forest with a stop at  Scratch Brewing, which Outside proclaimed one of the top four breweries for foraged beer.

The Angler

With its emerald waters, Meramec State Park is a serene escape. Just 15 minutes away, in St. James, The Gardens at Public House Brewing offers another alfresco escape, where you can sip a Dry Fly Session IPA.

The Literary Buff 

After visiting the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum in Hannibal, toast the legendary author while overlooking the Mississippi atop Mark Twain Brewing.

The Wine Lover

While in Hermann, take a detour from all the wineries with a stop at Tin Mill. Situated in a grain processing plant, the brewery follows the German Purity Law of 1516.

Small-Town Sightseeing

Rural Illinois offers all sorts of hidden gems. There’s Hopskeller and Stubborn German in Waterloo (the former located in a building erected in 1854), Lieferbrau Brewery in Red Bud (with an impressive back patio), White Rooster in Sparta (specializing in farmhouse ales), and St. Nicholas Brewing in Du Quoin (in the historic St. Nicholas Hotel). And farther north, sip a Backstage Jibbers brown ale at Opera House Brewing in Hillsboro, Illinois.

Soda & Then Some

You might know Excel for its sodas, but the Breese-based bottler also makes beer, including its award-winning Flash Bang wheat ale. 

Summer Break

With fewer students at Mizzou during summer, it’s a good time to visit Columbia’s popular breweries. Try a Bobber at Logboat Brewing, a Honey Wheat at Flat Branch Pub & Brewing, an 11 Point IPA at Broadway Brewery, and a Big Tree double IPA at Bur Oak Brewing.

Closer to Home 

After taking a trip to Shaw Nature Reserve, stop at Point Labaddie Brewery. Heading to Castlewood or Lone Elk Park? Just a short drive south, there’s Bastard Brothers in High Ridge, Melvin Brewing in Eureka, and Mackenzie Brewing in Valley Park. In the Metro East, where bike trails abound, check out Old Herald Brewery & Distillery in Collinsville, Recess Brewing in Edwardsville, and Old Bakery Beer in Alton.

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The Brew Crew: Natalie Johnson

When Natalie Johnson walked through the doors of St. Louis’ Anheuser-Busch brewery as an intern, she was set on using her undergraduate chemistry training to work in the lab. Twenty years later, Johnson is the brewery’s first Black female brewmaster and helping Anheuser-Busch develop the next generation of talent through a scholarship program that bears her name.

For Johnson, AB’s brewing director for North America, her trajectory is nothing short of a dream. A chemistry major in college, Johnson applied for internships at several local companies, but she didn’t hesitate to sign on with Anheuser-Busch when they offered her an opportunity. Though she wasn’t initially attracted to the internship because of brewing, she gained an appreciation for the brewing process once she began the program—and then returned for a second and third internship.

Johnson’s first opportunity brewing for Anheuser-Busch was in the St. Louis research pilot brewery, which combined her analytical expertise with the craft of beer-making. Eventually the company promoted her to lead a team of brewers at the brewery in Newark, New Jersey. That role led her to the position of senior brewmaster in Columbus, Ohio, where she worked until she was promoted to head brewmaster in St. Louis before taking on her current role.

Throughout her career, Johnson has had to navigate the realities of working in a field that is primarily white- and male-dominated. She is quick to point out that AB has given her every opportunity she has earned and has a long-standing commitment to inclusion and equity. At the same time, she understands the problems that persist throughout many industries and present an additional challenge to those in underrepresented populations.

To help foster a more diverse and inclusive brewing community, Johnson is thrilled to serve as the face of Anheuser-Busch’s UNCF Budweiser Natalie Johnson Scholarship and Internship Program. Through the initiative, she encourages people to follow their passions, which, she believes, fuels the drive to succeed. It’s what captured her interest in science and what continues to propel her even further in her career—something she hopes can help inspire the next generation of brewers.

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On the Move

Drink trailers and trucks bring the bar to the backyard.

St. Louis has seen a host of mobile bars roll out recently—a particularly timely concept. Offering local beers and handcrafted cocktails in stylish vintage trailers, Wandering Sidecar can be booked for house parties and special events. For an all-inclusive package of snacks, beer on tap, vinyl music, and cigars, there’s the Booze & Snacks mobile bar truck. Tipsy Pony Party Bar is ideal for a trendy pop-up with its custom lights and décor and specialized menus. And for larger events, craft beer trailer Beer Outside visits beer gardens and festivals.

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In Style

St. Louis brewers are putting their stamps on these trending beer styles.

CIDERS

The growing popularity of ciders has led to a surge of openings of local cideries and led breweries to lend their talents to the style. 

Schlafly Proper Cider Raspberry

A solid gateway cider, this 6.8 percent ABV old-fashioned hard cider is a vibrant crimson thanks to real raspberries. 

Brick River Cider Cornerstone and Homestead

One of Brick River’s flagships, Cornerstone is semidry—an apple treat with grainy tones. The Homestead farmhouse cider is made with no added sugars; the unfiltered, non-carbonated brew is a fruit explosion.

Deep Sleep Brewing Stage II Hard Apple Cider

Also featuring apples from the Pacific Northwest, this cider is another example of solid brewing, with a nice balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness.

Urban Chestnut Bushelhead Cider

For this cider, Urban Chestnut uses Washington apples. (Note: It drinks like a much lower ABV than its 7.2 percent, so be wary.)

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NEW ENGLAND–STYLE IPA

Though the style may be from the Northeast, St. Louis brewers have embraced hazy IPAs and started creating even tastier, juicier versions. 

Millpond Help Others

Double dry-hopped with Cardinal and Sultana hops, this 7 percent ABV brew has notes of juicy, ripe pineapple chunks, gooseberry, citrus, and hints of pine.

Bluewood Brewing Crush

One of St. Louis’ most underrated NEIPAs, this 8.3 percent ABV brew pours with an opaque, lasting haze and a natural orange juice–like brightness. On the nose, you’ll get light citric acidity, orange zest, and melon fruits; on the tongue, you’ll get strong orange notes with light earthiness, and honeysuckle.

4 Hands Brewing War Hammer 2021

Remember beer festivals? Well, this 9 percent ABV Imperial, featuring Citra, Mosaic, and Simco hops, was the focus of the annual Lupulin Festival. Though juicy—with hints of pineapple, grapefruit, lime, and berry—it’s more bitter than others.

2nd Shift Sunny Cat

This well-balanced beer is bright, full of rich hop flavors, and juicy beyond compare.

Narrow Gauge Double Dry-Hopped Fallen Flag

Brewer-owner Jeff Hardesty’s rendition of the New England–style IPA is double-hopped with Citra and Mosaic. It drinks like a cool summer breeze on a hot afternoon.

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LAGERS

It’s been said that the hardest beer style to brew is the lager, that popular style that a certain Soulard brewery helped popularize so many decades ago.

Civil Life Oktoberfest

Marrying a few traditional aspects of exported Bavarian brew with good ol’ American brewing heritage, Civil Life uses German ingredients to create this popular amber lager. 

Griesedieck Brothers Brewing Double Mellow

The brewery moniker’s from the original Griesedieck Brothers Brewery of the 1930s and 1940s, though Anton Griesedieck first brewed the lager in South St. Louis in 1880.

Urban Chestnut Brewing Oachkatzlschwoaf

Pronounced “oh-khut-zel-schvoaf” (but you can call it “O-Katz”), it’s translated as “tail of a squirrel.” The malty, well-balanced Märzen (Oktoberfest lager) often makes St. Louis best-beers lists.

Center Ice Brewing Old Arena Lager

In annals of St. Louis beer history, drinking a lager in the old St. Louis Arena was a rite of passage. This beer pays tribute to all of the beer spilled over the years by Blues fans. Old Arena Lager was inspired by a blend of lagers that brewers like to drink: Stag, Firestone Walker, and Budweiser.

Heavy Riff Brewing Old St. Lou

When you’re a rock ’n’ roll–themed brewery, you name your beers after songs. A tune by Mama’s Pride is the namesake, and the beer is a clean, crisp throwback.

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STOUTS

With a dark, rich hue and roasted malt, stouts typically vary based on the ingredients: milk, oatmeal, coffee, chocolate, and vanilla, to name a few. 

4 Hands Brewing Absence of Light

Though 4 Hands’ Madagascar is perhaps its most highly regarded stout, few stouts are more fun than this rich peanut butter–chocolate selection.

Schlafly Beer Coffee Stout

Rich in flavor and silky in character, this beer is perfect around a campfire or at a socially distanced gathering. It’s one of the best-made, best-balanced coffee stouts you’ll find, as well as the most approachable, with its 5.7 percent ABV. 

Perennial Artisan Ales Abraxas

Few local releases are more hotly anticipated than Abraxas, an 11.5 percent ABV Imperial stout brewed with cacao nibs, ancho chilies, vanilla beans, and cinnamon. (It’s the extra little kick from the chilies that makes this beer so good.)

Shared Ambiente 2021

Side Project is renowned for making some of the best stouts in the world—but they’re also hard to acquire. Stouts from Shared, a collective brewing unit made up of employees of Side Project, are equally outstanding but more accessible. This 13 percent ABV stout, for instance, is a masterful take on a Mexican chocolate Imperial stout, brewed with Madagascar vanilla, cinnamon sticks, and ancho chilies. 

O’Fallon Brewery Dad’s Oatmeal Cookie Stout

In this playful tribute to the St. Louis tradition that is a Dad’s Oatmeal Cookie, O’Fallon took the key ingredients and turned them into a remarkably dead-on beer that drinks like a liquid cookie. 

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SOURS, SMOOTHIES & SHAKES

These thicker beers have become instant hits, with many selling out quickly. 

Main & Mill Triple Berry Smoothie

This fruited smoothie sour is brewed with vanilla and a heaping helping of blended blackberries, blueberries, and black raspberries.

Modern Brewery Flavor Matrix #1

The can warns, “KEEP COLD or this could make a mess.” The first of four Flavor Matrix varieties, #1 is finished with Cara Cara orange, tangerine, passionfruit, and mango.

Six Mile Bridge Double Berry Berliner

This sour summer beer is loaded with fruit (in the form of 250 pounds of fresh blackberries and raspberries), producing a pink-hued, juicy-yet-tart glass of joy.

Earthbound Brewing Ozark Milkshake

The brewery known for “weird beer” created this beer, which is brewed with, of all things, cedar branches, as well as a generous amount of Simcoe hops, plus oats, wheat, and lactose, to create a silky-smooth 6.9 percent ABV milkshake IPA.

Bur Oak Brewing Company  Hoppen-Daz Mango Milkshake IPA

This beer, a hybrid of milkshake and smoothie recipes, contains both lactose and a fruit purée. The mango is perfectly balanced in both flavor and aroma. 

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Fill out the form to take a look at the What's New in Brew package as featured in the June issue of St. Louis Magazine.