Discover your Main Street USA beer experience in Southern Illinois

Enjoy a trip to these breweries within a 90-minute drive of St. Louis

Hopskeller Brewing Company

Situated in the town square that is downtown Waterloo is a story in of itself. Located in a pre-Civil War home, the brewery was severely damaged by fire, but re-opened a year later. Their beer menu is influenced by English styles as well as the Pacific Northwest. You'll find a full menu to accompany your beer of choice. Not-tomiss beers include their Bluegrass Breeze American Wheat (4.5%) and the Across the Pond IPA (7.2%).

The city of St. Louis may be in Missouri, but when it comes to beer, no river or state line can separate us. In St. Louis, beer flows east to west and back again because beer lovers know that breweries east of Mississippi are doing great things. Area breweries in Illinois also share a different feel and vibe.

There is something pretty special about drinking beer in a small town, surrounded by the aesthetics of a historic building, on a street that feels like Main Street USA. That is the experience you'll find at nearly every one of these Illinois breweries.

creating really tasty brews. The town of Millstadt has a historic link to water, and Schubert uses this as the muse for a special “body of water” series of New England-Style IPAs and pale ales. When in the brewery, ask what is available from the series. If you're a fan of that style, you'll be trying some of the area's best.

OLD HERALD BREWERY & DISTILLERY

Lieferbr U Brewery

When you pull into Red Bud, you’re reminded of the charm of Main Street America, as the brewery is located in the small four-way intersection of historic old buildings downtown. Lieferbräu has 12 full taps featuring a well-rounded beer menu that ranges from pilsners to IPAs to stouts. If you can, visit them in warmer months to enjoy their amazing back patio. Check out the 20th Century Hops and Red Bud Light (4.2%).

MILLPOND BREWING & INCUBATOR

When creating the Millpond Brewing & Incubator, owner Bryan L. Schubert wanted the brewery to be “a gathering place” for everyone. Many would agree that Schubert has succeeded. That, plus

This brewery/distillery is located in a 100-plus year building that once housed a small town newspaper. The decor in its full-service restaurant pays homage to the past, but is all about the present. A robust beer and spirits menu is available daily with eight taps rotating often, and a full line of their spirits is available for tasting and bottle purchases. Put the Brew Fest Brown (4.0%) and Late Edition IPA (6.3%) on your must-try list.

Opera House Brewing Company

This is a classic American experience. When you’re visiting Opera House Brewing Company, you’re enjoying a brew in a historic building that could be in any small American town. The fun of going to this brewery is trying new things. They make unique beers and flip their inventory quickly. The best way to keep up with this brewery is through social media. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Schlafly Highland Square

Schlafly Beer opened its first Illinois expansion in December 2021. The fourth Schlafly brewpub features an 80-seat restaurant and three-season patio that seats 100 guests. Schlafly’s signature beer styles and pub fare are on the menu, as well as specialty beer brewed just for the Illinois location. There also will be an on-site retail experience for Schlafly gear, growlers, brewpub-only special releases, and more. Don’t miss their famous Pale Ale (4.4%) and their renowned Coffee Stout (5.7%).

Scratch Brewing Company

This is perhaps one of the most unique brewing experiences in the nation, much less southern Illinois. Scratch Brewing Company is a farmhouse brewery and has been named one of the most beautiful places to drink beer in the world by All About Beer Magazine. Most everything they make is brewed with homegrown and locally farmed and foraged ingredients. The beers on tap are always a unique surprise, featuring ingredients not usually found in beer such as elderberry, ginger, dandelion, maple sap, and chanterelle mushrooms.

Shoehorn Brewing

One of the newest breweries to open in southern Illinois is Shoehorn Brewing. Co-owners Mike Johnson and Jeremy

Hall opened their brewery right on Main Street in Belleville, Illinois. The team came up with the moniker as they tried to add a nano-brewery inside Hall’s homebrew store, Down the Hall Homebrew. Look for “beers with a twist,” including sours, lagers, and New England–style IPAs. Consider their Gose the Goserian (5.8%) and Darmstadt Lager (4.2%).

Stubborn German Brewing Company

Located in downtown Waterloo, Stubborn German has been an anchor for the beer scene in Illinois for years. Also known for its robust whiskey selection, Stubborn German specializes in true German and American beer styles. If you have the opportunity, plan to visit in October around the time of their annual Stubbornfest. Their Oktoberfest beer during Stubbornfest is so popular it's made all year long!

The Old Bakery Beer Company

The Old Bakery Beer Company was born in early 2015 in the old Colonial Bakery building in downtown Alton, Illinois. It's the only certified organic brewery in the St. Louis area. Aside from the beer, Old Bakery features a full restaurant menu and has become a top destination along the Great River Road. Among their popular beers is the flagship Citrus Wheat (4.7%), brewed with Illinois-grown wheat, lemon peel, and orange peel. Another popular beer to try is their Carrot Cake Brown Ale (6%). U

Breweries

The Old Bakery Beer Co. Alton, IL www.oldbakerybeer.com

Good News Brewing Company Augusta www.goodnewsbrewing.com

4204 Main St. Brewing Co. Belleville, IL www.mainstreetbrewingco.com

Good News Brewing Company Defiance www.goodnewsbrewing.com

Crafty Chameleon Ellisville www.craftychameleonbar.com

Melvin Brewing Eureka www.melvinbrewingeureka.com

Ferguson Brewing Co. Ferguson www.fergusonbrewing.com

Narrow Gauge Brewing Co. Florissant www.narrowgaugestl.shop

Bastard Brothers Brewing Co. High Ridge www.bastardbrothersbrewery.com

Sandy Valley Brewing Co. Hillsboro www.sandyvalleybrewingco.com

Point Labaddie Brewery Labadie www.pointlabaddiebrewery.com

Side Project Brewery Maplewood www.sideprojectbrewing.com

O’Fallon Brewery Maryland Heights www.ofallonbrewery.com

Six Mile Bridge Maryland Heights www.sixmilebridgebeer.com

Good News Brewery O’Fallon www.goodnewsbrewing.com

Shortleaf Brewing O’Fallon www.shortleafbeer.com

Exit 6 Brewery St. Charles www.exit6brewery.com

Good News Brewing Co. St. Charles www.goodnewsbrewing.com

Two Plumbers Brewery + Arcade St. Charles www.twoplumbers.com

4 Hands Brewing Co. St. Louis www.4handsbrewery.com

2nd Shift Brewery St. Louis www.2ndshiftbrewing.com

Alpha Brewing Co. St. Louis www.alphabrewingCo.com

Bluewood Brewing St. Louis www.bluewoodbrewing.com

Brick River Cider Co. St. Louis www.brickrivercider.com

Cathedral Square Brewery St. Louis www.cathedralsquarebrewery. com

Well Spent Brewing Co. St. Louis www.wellspentbeer.com

Civil Life Brewing Co. St. Louis www.civil-life-online.square.site

Earth Bound Beer St. Louis www.earthboundbeer.com

Griesedieck Bros. St. Louis www.gb-beer.com

Heavy Riff Brewing Co. St. Louis www.heavyriffbrewing.com

Modern Brewery St. Louis www.modernbrewery.com

Perennial Artisan Ales St. Louis www.perennialbeer.com

Rockwell Beer Co. St. Louis www.rockwellbeer.com

Schlafly Beer St. Louis www.schlafly.com

Square One Brewery St. Louis www.squareonebrewery.com

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. St. Louis www.urbanchestnut.com

Third Wheel Brewing St. Peters www.thirdwheelbrewing.com

Steampunk Brew Works Town and Country www.steampunkbrewworks.com

Mackenzie Brewing Co. Valley Park www.mknzbrewing.com

Stubborn German Brewing Co. Waterloo, IL www.stubborngermanbrewing.com

Friendship Brewing Co. Wentzville www.friendshipbrewco.com

Wineries

Augusta Winery Augusta www.augustawinery.com

Balducci Vineyards Augusta www.balduccivineyards.com

Montelle Winery Augusta www.montelle.com

Mount Pleasant Estates Augusta www.mountpleasant.com

Noboleis Vineyards Augusta www.noboleisvineyards.com

Persimmon Ridge Vineyards Barnhart www.persimmonridgewinery.com

Old Farm Winery Catawissa www.oldfarmwinery.com

Chandler Hills Vineyards Defiance www.chandlerhillvineyards.com

Defiance Ridge Winery Defiance www.defianceridgevineyards.com

Sugar Creek Winery Defiance www.sugarcreekwines.com

LaChance Vineyards De Soto www.lachancevineyards.com

Blumenhof Vineyards & Winery Dutzow www.blumenhof.com

Sand Creek Vineyard and Winery Farmington www.sandcreekvineyard.com

Twin Oaks Vineyard and Winery Farmington www.twinoaksvineyard.com

Wild Sun Winery Hillsboro www.wildsun.com

Villa Antonio Winery Hillsboro www.villaantoniowinery.com

Holy Grail Winery and Vineyard Marthasville www.holygrailwinery.com

Lake Creek Winery Marthasville www.lakecreekwinery.com

Lost Creek Vineyard Marthasville www.lostcreekvineyardmo.com

White Mule Winery Owensville www.whitemulewinery.com

St. Francois Vineyards and Winery Park Hills www.stfrancoiswinery.com

Bardenheier Wine Cellars Richwoods www.drinkwine.wine

Small Batch Winery Wentzville www.smallbatchwinery.com

Cedar Lake Cellars Wright City www.cedarlakecellars.com

Distilleries

Naked Spirits Brentwood www.nakedspirits.com

Distillery of Defiance Defiance www.judgmenttree.com

Crown Valley Distillery Genevieve www.crownvalleybrewery.com

Mid-Best Distillery Gravois Mills www.midbestdistillery.wordpress.com

Samuel Berton Distilling Labadie www.sbdistilling.net/ Edelbrand Pure Distilling Marthasville www.edelbrandpuredistilling.com

Pinckney Bend Distillery New Haven www.pinckneybend.com

St. Louis Distillery St. Charles www.stldistillery.com

1220 Artisan Spirits St. Louis www.1220spirits.com

Spirits of St Louis Distillery St. Louis www.spiritsofstlouisdistillery.com

Soulard Island Spirits St. Louis www.soulardisland.com

Still 630 Distillery St. Louis www.still630.com

Switchgrass Spirits St. Louis www.switchgrassspirits.com