Sauce Magazine // March 2022

MARCH 2022 • VOLUME 22, ISSUE 3

PUBLISHER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

MANAGING EDITOR

DIGITAL EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

EDIBLE WEEKEND EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR

SENIOR DESIGNER

PROOFREADER

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Allyson Mace

Meera Nagarajan

Liz Wolfson

Lauren Healey

Adam Rothbarth

Lauren Healey

Meera Nagarajan

Michelle Volansky

Heather Hughes Huff

Julia Calleo, Virginia Harold, Izaiah Johnson, David Kovaluk, Rolf Ringwald, Carmen Troesser, Adam Rothbarth, Michelle Volansky

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lauren Healey, Justin Harris, Katie Herrera, Kelsey McClure, Meera Nagarajan, Adam Rothbarth, Liz Wolfson

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

EVENTS COORDINATOR

LISTINGS EDITOR INTERNS

Vidhya Nagarajan

Allyson Mace

Angie Rosenberg

Amy Hyde

Amy Hyde

Nicky Althoff, Sophia Liu, Kennedy Morganfield

To place advertisements in Sauce Magazine, contact the advertising department at 314.772.8004 or sales@saucemagazine.com.

To carry Sauce Magazine at your store, restaurant, bar or place of business, contact Allyson Mace at 314.772.8004 or amace@saucemagazine.com.

All contents of Sauce Magazine are copyright ©2001-2022– by Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. The Sauce name and logo are both registered to the publisher, Bent Mind Creative Group, LLC. Reproduction or other use, in

whole or in part, of the contents without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While the information has been compiled carefully to ensure maximum accuracy at the time of publication, it is provided for general guidance only and is subject to change. The publisher cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information or be responsible for omissions or errors.

Additional copies may be obtained by providing a request at 314.772.8004 or via mail. Postage fee of $2.50 will apply.

Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.

EDITORIAL POLICIES The Sauce Magazine mission is to provide St. Louis-area residents and visitors with unbiased, complete information on the area’s restaurant, bar and entertainment industry. Our editorial content is not influenced by who advertises with Sauce Magazine or saucemagazine.com.

Our reviewers are never provided with complimentary food or drinks from the restaurants in exchange for favorable reviews, nor are their identities as reviewers made known during their visits.

French fries at Platypus

Mixed nuts

Mozzarella sticks

If you’re not already thirsty when you arrive at Perennial on Lockwood, the salt-crusted, perfectly browned and chewy pretzel monkey bread is a great way to prime your palate for sampling some of the brewery’s delicious house beers. A cluster of soft and fluffy pretzel balls is served in an adorably miniature cast-iron skillet with silky beer-cheese sauce and grainy, slightly fruity mustard for dipping. For the ideal bite, we recommend a one-two dunk into both condiments; the warm, creamy cheese pairs beautifully with the mustard’s sharp spiciness.

list 2 new places to try this month

From pop-up to pizza shop, the new Pizza Champ is now open for drivethru or walk-up service in Maplewood. Place an order online and head to the drive-thru, where you can easily get your order. The grilled broccoli Caesar salad is a great starter, hefty with grilled broccoli and finished with a Caesar dressing that has a bright, lemony finish. The pizzas are huge and barely fit through the pick-up window. Classic extra cheese, triple pepperoni and the supreme with bacon and veggies are solid, classic options with a chewy, salty and tangy dough. But go for the unexpected, like the grilled kale and ricotta that had preserved lemon, chile flakes and tomato; the bold flavors work in harmony for a delicious result.

2657 Lyle Ave., Maplewood, pizzachampstl.com

clockwise, from top: dishes at westchester, cocktails at westchester, from left: adam altnether and chris kelling of pizza champ, triple pepperoni at pizza champ

WESTCHESTER

Westchester, the latest restaurant to join St. Louis’ fine dining scene, hits the mark with its rotating menu of seasonal fare. The Westchester onion soup is rich and flavorful with chives, sourdough croutons and a massive, melty mound of Gruyere. The beet salad is another excellent choice with tender, balsamic-dressed kale, Lucky Dog Farm roasted beets, chunks of Fuji apple, goat cheese and candied pecans. The tender Newman Farm pork rib chop is served atop sweet potato puree and long-cooked greens, which offer a perfect melding of flavors. The fruity, not-too-sweet Broken Spoke cocktail is a great accompaniment to your meal with two styles of rum, blood orange cordial, pineapple gum syrup, lime juice and tiki bitters.

127 Chesterfield Towne Center, Chesterfield, 636.778.0635, westchesterstl.com

PIZZA CHAMP

DRINK THIS

BY JUSTIN HARRIS

After Dark, a new Munichstyle dark lager from Modern Brewery, showcases notes of roasted malt and mild nuttiness. It pours a beautiful, dark amber color with an almond-flesh colored head. Brewed with German malt, yeast and hops, this 5.5%-ABV lager is designed for chilly weekend evenings around a fire with friends. It would pair perfectly with a nice burger or a skillet-cooked sausage.

Four-pack: $11. Modern Brewery, 5231 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, modernbrewery.com

Justin Harris is co-owner of Saint Louis Hop Shop.

BY

// PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

PHOTO

IZAIAH JOHNSON

New kid on the block

COLD IPAS JOIN THE GROWING ROSTER OF IPA STYLES

By Lauren Healey

BY

PHOTO

IZAIAH JOHNSON

There’s a new IPA in town. A fairly recent development in the rapidly expanding world of India pale ales (IPAs), a cold IPA is a crisp marriage of multiple styles, including India pale lager (IPL), West Coast IPA and New England IPA.

Local brewery Narrow Gauge Brewing Co. has hopped on the trend, which emerged in Portland, Oregon, in late 2018. “It’s definitely a pretty new style,” said Jeff Hardesty, coowner and head brewer at Narrow Gauge. “As far as I know, no one else in St. Louis has done one, and I always like to dive into new styles and give our own take on it.”

Hardesty primarily was drawn to the style because it has more of a crisp, dry profile than typical IPAs. “The crisp body is more refreshing,” he explained. “It still has a high hop aroma but is also very drinkable.”

Utilizing lager grain bills (i.e., the particular mix of grains that form the beer’s base liquid), Hardesty hops his cold IPAs in a kettle like a West Coast IPA, then dry hops them like

a New England IPA. To finish, they are fermented with lager yeast at ale temperature, meaning that rather than fermenting at the colder temperatures usually used when producing a lager, he instead heats them to the relatively higher temperatures typically used for ales.

Tasting notes depend on the hop combinations used in each particular cold IPA, but they are typically a bit more resinous than regular IPAs due to a higher hopping rate in the kettle. “They often have high citrus or tropical fruit notes,” Hardesty said.

Narrow Gauge’s first cold IPA, Poles Apart, debuted in May 2021. Subsequently, the brewery released Frozen Flag and Counterpole. Currently, there are no cold IPAs on offer at Narrow Gauge, but Hardesty expects a new batch of Counterpole to become available in mid-March.

Counterpole is brewed with a Pilsner malt base and features a rice adjunct of about 25% to 30%, plus smaller percentages of some

specialty malts, Hardesty said. Bright tropical fruit notes shine through due to the use of Sabro, Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin hops.

Whether the trend will continue to gain traction remains to be seen. “I have a seen a little bit of it, but not a ton,” Hardesty said. “I don’t know if it’s going to be like brut IPAs that kind of came and went pretty quick, or if it’s here to stay.”

Get chilly

Narrow Gauge Brewing Co. Counterpole

Four-pack: $16.50. Narrow Gauge Brewing Co., 1595 US-67, Florissant, 314.501.6108, narrowgaugestl.shop

Mother’s Brewing Co. Stone Cold Helper Cold IPA

Six-pack: $10. Saint Louis Hop Shop, 2600 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.261.4011, saintlouishopshop.com

DAYTRIPPER

Quality beers and the great outdoors are a pairing we’ll never tire of. Here are six hikes within (mostly) short distances of St. Louis with microbreweries close by where you can cool off before heading back to town.

by

Kelsey McClure // illustration by vidhya nagarajan

Don Robinson State Park • Point Labaddie Brewery

Don Robinson State Park is a day-hike paradise that’s great for beginners. The park features multiple parking lots, easy-to-find trailheads and wooded, meandering trails with highlights including sweeping canyon views and a waterfall.

Leaving the park, take state Highway O and Robertsville Road to Point Labaddie Brewery. Give yourself enough time to get settled in before sundown as the brewery sits atop a hill perfect for sunset viewing. And if you’re not one to miss a Sunday show, you can catch live tunes every Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m.

Don Robinson State Park, 9275 Byrnesville Road, Cedar Hill, 636.257.3788, mostateparks. com/park/don-robinson-state-park

Point Labaddie Brewery, 1029 Thiebes Road, Labadie, 636.742.2861, pointlabaddiebrewery.com

St. Francois State Park

Main & Mill Brewing Co.

Located on Old Main Street in Festus, Main & Mill Brewing Co. is your stop on the out-and-back trip south to St. Francois State Park. Start with Mooner’s Hollow trail, and if you’re feeling like more exploration, take your time meandering by the Big River. St. Francois is all about steep rolling, wooded hills and charming river valleys. Main & Mill knows how to work both ends of the spectrum, from crispy lagers to malty stouts to dank American Pale Ales. Don’t be afraid to roll up the jeans and wade out into the water – you just might find yourself a turtle or the perfect skipping rock.

St. Francois State Park, 8920 U.S. Hwy. 67 North, Bonne Terre, 573.358.2173, mostateparks.com/park/st-francois-state-park

Main & Mill Brewing Co., 240 E. Main St., Festus, 636.638.0130, mainandmill.com

Maramec Spring Park

Public House Brewing Co.

Just across the highway from Public House Brewing Co. is Maramec Spring Park. It’s an easy stroll to the mouth of a spring where you’ll see water so blue, you’d think it was an Instagram filter. While the pathways around the spring are all paved, you’ll want to show the same care you do walking on city sidewalks near the river as the occasional overgrown tree root and washed out sections are commonplace. The brewery’s St. James Taproom opens at 11 a.m., so if you’d prefer to start your day with a beer and not worry about leaving the trails before closing time, grab a sixpack before heading off to the springs.

Maramec Spring Park, 21880 Maramec Spring Drive, St. James, 573.265.7387, maramecspringpark.com

Public House Brewing Co., 551 State Route B, St. James, 573.261.3333, publichousebrewery.com

this page: scratch beer in ava, illinois; opposite page, from top: scratch beer, the taps at scratch brewing co., goats at scratch brewing co.

Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve

White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery

This 1.5-mile loop trail may be quick, but completing it will earn you the StairMaster badge. You’ll ascend 383 feet as you hike – that’s a little more than halfway up the Gateway Arch. The top of the trail is relatively treeless, so your hard work will be rewarded with unencumbered views of the surrounding area. Fewer trees also mean more wildflowers, and the soundtrack is a greatest hits to the birdwatcher’s ear.

After earning your steps, head to White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery. While the focus here is on Belgian farmhouse-style beers –think spontaneous fermentation processes, saisons and barrel-aged sours – you can expect to find a variety of styles both in bottles and on tap.

Fults Hill Prairie Nature Preserve, 509 IL-155, Prairie Du Rocher, Illinois, 618.826.2706, www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Pages/ FultsHillPrairie.aspx

White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery, 113 W. Jackson St., Sparta, Illinois, 618.449.2077, whiteroosterfarmhousebrewery.com

Paddy Creek Wilderness

Piney River Brewing Co.

For the distance badge, you’ll need to get an early start because you’ll want to spend as much time at Piney River Brewing Co. as you do in Paddy Creek Wilderness. While Roby Lake is just one of the three trailheads leading to the 17-mile Big Piney loop trail, we recommend this approach because there’s a nice picnic area alongside the lake. Some of these trails are not well marked so be mindful of your surroundings – if you can’t get back to the car, how will you ever make it to the brewery? If you’re into mossy rocks, trickling

streams and bountiful ferns, Paddy Creek will exceed your expectations.

At Piney River Brewing Co. you’ll find a bustling barn and an incredible tap list, and you’re almost guaranteed to make a fourlegged friend as dogs are welcome (as long as they’re leashed). The porch is legitimately panoramic, offering Missouri Conservationistesque views of the nearby family farm.

If a five-hour round trip drive is too much for a day, Piney River does have a renovated farmhouse for rent located a quarter-mile from the brewery. Stay for the weekend and get the locals’ insight on even more hikes, canoeing and fishing. Planning ahead is required because, as you might imagine, a bed and brewery is quite the popular destination.

Paddy Creek Wilderness, Plato, fs.usda.gov/ recarea/mtnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=74385

Piney River Brewery Co., 15194 Walnut Grove Drive, Bucyrus, 417.967.4001, pineyriverbrewing.com

Giant City State Park • Scratch Brewing Co.

Scratch Brewing Co. boasts a rotating draft list with beers brewed with locally foraged ingredients. You’ll find your taste buds truly branching out as you work your way through the draft list. Giant City State Park has eight trails to choose from, with the Post Oak trail being designed specifically for disabled visitors. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on your feet when hiking, but with over 75 varieties of trees, we strongly recommend stopping on occasion to simply look up.

Giant City State Park, 235 Giant City Road, Makanda, Illinois, 618.457.4836, www2. illinois.gov/dnr/Parks/Pages/GiantCity.aspx

Scratch Brewing Co., 264 Thompson Road, Ava, Illinois, 618.426.1415, scratchbeer.com

Moving On Up

BY ADAM ROTHBARTH

Four St. Louis microbreweries that are growing up and building out

WE USUALLY THINK ABOUT BREWERIES AND BREWPUBS IN TERMS OF OUR EXPERIENCES AS CUSTOMERS, FROM THE FOOD AND BEER WE’RE SERVED TO THE AESTHETIC AND VIBE OF THE BUILDING. PLAYLISTS, FIRE PITS AND BATHROOMS ARE IMPORTANT TO US. BUT FOR BREWERS, THERE ARE MANY MORE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING OUT THE PERFECT SPACE. WHETHER THEY’RE FOR A LARGER BREWING AREA, A NICER TAPROOM OR A MORE ROBUST STOREFRONT, EXPANSIONS ARE OFTEN AN INDICATION THAT A BREWERY HAS BECOME MORE SUCCESSFUL. THAT’S CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE, BUT IT ALSO CREATES A LOT MORE WORK FOR THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE BEER.

For Jeff Hardesty and Narrow Gauge Brewing Co ., an upcoming expansion is simply the product of needing more brewing space. “Essentially, our reasoning for relocation is more for us to get our operations out of a basement,” Hardesty explained. “Given our current space, there’s quite a bit of limitation that we have, and the work that comes along with it is quite a bit more difficult than being above ground.” For years, the brewery’s been operating out of 1595 N. Highway 67, a small storefront in a strip mall in Florissant, but later this year, they’ll add space a few doors down at 1545 N. Highway 67. “[Being in a basement] adds a lot of physical labor and isn’t necessarily sustainable,” Hardesty said, laughing. “We’re excited to get out of the basement.”

of our barrel-aged products were really well received when we started, but we had extremely limited room to do those things,” said co-owner Denny Foster. “This really fell in our lap, to be honest. Now we’re canning and distributing with Craft Republic in St. Louis. Just kind of doing slow growth, trying to get our stuff out there and have fun.”

Foster sees the two buildings as separate concepts: one as a brewpub, the other, newer space as more of a taproom and, eventually, an event space. “The taproom there isn’t open at the moment … but our brewpub is still as everybody’s seen it before: a full service, full-on brewpub. This is an entirely different ambiance. There’s a lot of obstacles, but we’re hoping to open by the end of the year.” As far as brewing goes, the new space is letting them focus more on barrel-aged options.

attempted a renovation several years ago, but the project fell through. The pandemic gave them the time they needed to start working. “With the shutdown of the pub on March 16, 2020, the project actually worked out well, in this odd way. I think this would have been really hard to accomplish without the pandemic and remain open during it,” Hafner said.

With this expansion, Civil Life has doubled the size of its patio and added additional restrooms outdoors. They added another parking lot, a patio service bar, a new storefront entrance and a new music system. They redid the floors and repainted the bar. “Every section of the property’s been touched in some way – sidewalks, streetlights, even a loading dock with storage,” Hafner said.

By increasing their tank space, the new location will only expand the brewers’ capacity to experiment and develop their own, unique takes on Old World beer styles. Known primarily for their excellent IPAs, Narrow Gauge will have more latitude to look beyond the ale family. “This will give us the luxury to brew the styles we don’t get to brew as often,” Hardesty said. “Stouts, barrel-aged beers. We’ll have more regular releases in regards to barrel-aged stouts, and we’re going to add some horizontal fermentation vessels, so we’ll have dedicated tanks for lagers.”

In the new space, to-go sales will look a bit different –they’ll have an actual storefront, but no tasting room yet. (Hardesty said the new tasting room is a future endeavor.) “We’re kind of in the beginning stages, about to start construction,” Hardesty said. According to him, it should take around six months to prepare the space, which they purchased in early 2020.

In a very similar move, Main & Mill Brewing Co. bought a building two blocks down from their original space at 240 E. Main St. in Festus three years ago. The new location is allowing them to comfortably continue doing things their way. “A lot

Later this year, 4 Hands Brewing Co . will open its long-awaited second location at 150 W. Argonne Drive in Kirkwood. The main attraction there will be a “huge, expansive outdoor space,” according to owner Kevin Lemp, who recently talked to Sauce for an online story. “We’re going to use that outdoor space to create a couple different environments. An outdoor bar area, a beer garden area, fire pits and Adirondack chairs.” Like the 4 Hands space downtown, the food program will be run by Kevin Nashan in the form of another Peacemaker Lobster & Crab outpost; unlike the smaller station at the flagship 4 Hands however, the new Peacemaker will feature a full menu similar to that of the restaurant’s beloved solo location in Benton Park.

At Civil Life Brewing Co., the decision to expand their original space at 3714 Holt Ave. comes from a more general philosophy of improvement. “What we’ve done is basically looked at every component of the business and tried to make it better,” said owner Jake Hafner. According to him, the brewery

They’ve also added an 850-square-foot commercial kitchen, which will enable the brewery to “do food in a much more dynamic way,” Hafner explained. “To be able to serve people more efficiently, we needed a bigger kitchen. We added a grill, we’ve got a flattop, a broiler, a convection oven and eight burners now.” Civil Life’s beer game will also change up a bit. They’ve added a nitrogenating mechanism to their taps, a device that lends beer a creamy mouthfeel by pumping it full of nitrogen as it’s poured. They’ll use with some current styles as well as a new brew they’re working on, which Hafner described as a medium-bodied English ale. He said that drinkers can look for that release in May.

Like most brewers and owners, Hafner is hesitant to commit to an opening date for his new space – licensing issues and supply chain problems (in some form or another) have plagued most openings for the past year, and being specific with opening dates can be tricky. “You could say, ‘After years of delay, late spring,’” Hafner said, with a small laugh. “That would be fine.”

civil life's ongoing expansion includes the outdoor dining areas, the parking lot and the kitchen.

CHECKING IN WITH WHAT’S NEW WITH ONE OF BEER’S MOST CRUCIAL COMPONENTS

BY KATIE HERRERA // PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

As one of the four main components in beer, yeast is a crucial ingredient when considering a brew’s overall sensory impact.

Whether a brewer chooses to ferment hot and quick or slow and cold is in large part a direct response to what microorganisms – i.e., yeasts –they select to turn their sugar water (aka wort, in beer-speak) into beer; and depending on the temperature and amount of yeast used, the same yeast profile can yield different flavors. Will a yeast profile influence the drinker’s experience? It’s a valid consideration, not only for distinct beer styles like farmhouse ales, sour beers and hazy IPAs, but also for a brewery’s individual style and overall portfolio.

Many ale yeasts, which ferment quickly at hotter temperatures, are hyper-expressive; they lend beer beautiful aromatic and tasting complements known as esters. These fermentation byproducts are what give hefeweizens their banana-forward flavor or Belgian wits a bubblegum note. And that’s just the tip of the ale iceberg!

On the other hand, yeast strains that respond well to lagering – a technique that allows for colder fermentation over longer periods of time – are significantly less expressive. Unlike ale yeasts, yeasts used in lagering play a minor role in the flavor profile of the finished beer.

Due to increased market competition and beer drinkers’ general enthusiasm for novelty, the past several years have seen substantial innovation in the fermentation process leading to greater efficiency and efficacy. One such area is in the use of kveik yeast – kveik being the word for yeast in a particular Norwegian dialect. With strains that ferment out at high temperatures, kveik can work at upward of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (or even higher) – that’s 20 degrees hotter than the average ale yeast. This means a faster turnaround time for brewers, enabling them to get new brews in front of drinkers more quickly. Kveik strains can also produce ridiculously wonderful and juicy, tropical fruitforward esters that pair perfectly with the ever popular, juice-bomb New England-style IPA

A yeast isolate referred to as Lutra kveik has been deemed perfect for creating lager-like crushable beers due to the strain’s low ester profile and clean finish. This allows a brewery to create beers with lager characteristics without having to take the time or tank space to lager their beer. It’s the yeast of choice for local yeast-whisperer Jonathan

Moxey at Rockwell Beer Co. for creating their German-inspired Berliner Weisse due to its ability to ferment at a very high temperature alongside souring agent lactobacillus. This process yields a clean (low ester), non-cooked finish like some kettle sours.

Another innovation is the much newer use of Sourvisiae yeast, a bioengineered, lactic acid-producing ale yeast that sours beer without the risk of cross-contamination. While the Kveik family has had a grand time at the hand of some of the city’s finest brewers, Sourvisiae is still in its infancy in the local beer scene. Recess Brewing, Public House Brewing Co. and Good News Brewing Co. have all introduced this bug into their brewing repertoires.

To experience a brewery showcasing their own house cultures (a mix of yeast and bacteria that’s harvested and selectively propagated) specific to their farmhouse beers, grab a tipple at Side Project Brewing, Perennial Artisan Ales, White Rooster Farmhouse Brewing, 2nd Shift Brewing or Wellspent Brewing Co.

Looking for a fruity, banana-bomb German-style hefeweizen? Schlafly, Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. and Six Mile Bridge Beer do a perfect rendition of this classic style. Or maybe you want a Belgian Wit experience that delivers hints of bubblegum alongside citrus, black pepper and coriander notes? Head to Rockwell for a pour of Passing Clouds Wit. While you’re there, don’t forget to try that Berliner.

If you are looking for tropical fruit-forward esters, head to Bluewood Brewing for an Arch City Haze or their new 2nd Shift collaboration, Get In . Both beers use the Kveik Hornindal yeast strain for its pineapple-rich aromatics.

Want to get in on that sour kick and looking for that Sourvisiae pucker perfect for spring? Head to Edwardsville and go check out what Recess Brewing has been up to with their Brainiac series. We hear there are sweet cherry and blackberry and strawberry and prickly pear variants right around the corner.

Not interested in anything to do with yeast flavor? You can always reach for that Bud Light Lime!

GET IT

2nd Shift Brewing 1601 Sublette Ave. #2, St. Louis, 314.669.9013, 2ndshiftbrewing.com

Bluewood Brewing 1821 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.261.4079, bluewoodbrewing.com

Good News Brewing Co. 330 Sonderen St., O’Fallon, Missouri, 636.294.6593; 2886 S. Missouri 94, Defiance, 636.544.2965, goodnewsbrewing.com

Perennial Artisan Ales 8125 Michigan Ave., St. Louis, 314.631.7300, perennialbeer.com; Perennial on Lockwood, 216 W. Lockwood Ave., Unit B, Webster Groves, 314.682.3823, perennial.oohosp.com

Public House Brewing Co. 551 State Rte. B, St. James, 573.261.3333; 600 N. Rolla St., Rolla, 573.426.2337, publichousebrewery.com

Recess Brewing 307 N. Main St., Edwardsville, Illinois, 618.692.5101, recessbrewing.com

Rockwell Beer Co. 1320 S. Vandeventer Ave., St. Louis, 314.256.1657, rockwellbeer.com

Schlafly Beer multiple locations, schlafly.com

Side Project Brewing

7373 Marietta Ave., Maplewood, sideprojectbrewing.com; Side Project Cellar, 7458 Manchester Road, Maplewood, sideprojectbrewing.com/pages/the-cellar

Six Mile Bridge Beer 11841 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, 314.942.2211, sixmilebridgebeer.com

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. 3229 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.222.0143; 4465 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.222.0143, urbanchestnut.com

Wellspent Brewing Co. 2917 Olive St., St. Louis, 314.696.2919, wellspentbeer.com

White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery 113 W. Jackson St., Illinois, 618.449.2077, whiteroosterfarmhousebrewery.com

Winner, Winner, Beer for Dinner

We St. Louisans like to stay modest, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot to brag about. Our brewery scene high-key features a lot of incredible and internationally known beers, so we reached out to a few spots and asked them to tell us about recent accolades. – Adam Rothbarth

Perennial

Artisan Ales

- Giant Steps Blend 3 received Bronze in Sour Ale at the National Honey Board Beer Competition in 2020

- Giant Steps Blend 2 was honored at the 2020 Good Food Awards

Rockwell Beer Co.

- Gold medal for Kazimierz (2021) at the Great American Beer Festival

- Stand By named Top 25 Beers of 2020 by Wine Enthusiast

- Velour Tracksuit named

Top 50 Beers of 2021 by Wine Enthusiast

Wellspent Brewing

- Scored 99/100 for Mister Maraschino (barrel-aged stout with chocolate and Luxardo cherries) in Craft Beer and Brewing in 2020

Side Project Brewing

- Named second best brewery in the world (second year in a row) from RateBeer in 2020

Third Wheel Brewing

- Silver Medal for Sandman Red Ale at Great American Beer Festival in 2021

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co.

- Zwickel was #9 on Wine Enthusiast’s list of the 50 Best Beers of 2021

Earthbound Brewery

- Gold medal for Irish Red at Pura Vida Indie International Beer Cup in 2019

Spring Forecast

We’re ready for warmer weather and the arrival of these new brews. – Liz Wolfson

March 3:

Modern Brewery Oops! All Strata Beer nerds and novices alike are well served by Modern Brewery’s Oops! series. The ongoing project uses a New England-style IPA brewed with a single, rotating varietal of hops to showcase each varietal’s unique characteristics, in this case, shining a light on the dank, strawberry, citrus and passionfruit-forward Strata hop.

March 11:

O’Fallon Brewery

Sandbar Tropical Pilsner

This fresh Pilsner gets fruity notes from the use of Huell Melon hops and orange peel in the brewing process. Look for it packaged on its own or as part of O’Fallon’s warm weather friendly Play Pack multicase, which also features the brewery’s Outboard Key Lime Lager and Sun’s Out Lemon Wheat Ale.

Late March:

Old Bakery Beer Co. 7th Anniversary

A birthday is nothing without cake, so it’s wholly appropriate for Old Bakery to mark their seventh anniversary with a bourbon barrel-aged Imperial stout that tastes like German chocolate cake in a glass. Gift this limited release to the beer lover with a spring birthday who prefers a liquid celebration to blowing out candles.

April:

Ferguson Brewing Peach Wheat Ale

Can’t wait until May for peak seasonality to get your peach fix? Check out this sweet and light wheat ale, which uses peach puree added during fermentation for maximum fruit flavor.

April 15:

Earthbound Beer Blood Dream Braggot

Earthbound’s braggot series showcases other ways honey can be used in fermented beverages besides mead. This latest installment uses wildflower honey brewed with Thai basil, lemon zest, hibiscus flowers and strawberries for a slightly higher octane brew (6.5% ABV) than your typical spring/summer patio crusher.

May:

Old Herald Brewing Raspberry Gose

Salty, tart and a bit herbal, gose-style beers are a great option for those looking for a seasonal, fruity beer that doesn’t trend too sweet. Check out Old Herald’s raspberry gose for a local example of this puckerinducing brew.

PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

Cannabis-infused beer and other beverages make their mark in Missouri

BY LAUREN HEALEY

For medical marijuana patients, a beverage can often be the easiest and most convenient method to medicate. At its five St. Louis-area locations, Swade Dispensary offers an array of cannabisinfused drinks, including some with only THC or CBD, as well as options with both cannabinoids, all in a variety of strengths.

One of the most popular beverages at Swade is MOHI, a non-alcoholic, cannabisinfused beer created in collaboration between BeLeaf Medical Co., Swade’s parent company, and O’Fallon Brewery. The companies utilized innovative technology to produce a great tasting beer by replacing the alcohol with 5 milligrams of THC per can.

O’Fallon Brewery created an Americanstyle, easy-drinking wheat beer infused with natural orange and Madagascar vanilla. Through vacuum distillation, the alcohol is gently removed from the beer and packaged into sterile totes. The beer is then transported to BeLeaf’s facility, where it is infused with a flavorless, neutral THC distillate nanoemulsion, allowing the natural flavors of the beer to remain.

“The nanoemulsion allows the consumer to feel the effects of the cannabis more quickly as opposed to traditional edibles, making it easier to manage the level and duration of the effects,” said Brian Owens, head brewmaster at O’Fallon. “The process is labor intensive and logistically challenging but offers a totally new, yet familiar, way to enjoy a great beer that just so happens to be infused with cannabis instead of alcohol.”

Sarah McChesney, director of marketing for BeLeaf, explained why beverages affect patients differently than most edibles. “Because of the nanoemulsion, the THC is a much smaller molecule and can be absorbed by the stomach lining. With typical edibles, the THC is combined with fat, so it has to go through the liver to be processed,” she said. “That means you’ll feel the onset a little quicker with a drink – anywhere from five to 30 minutes, on average – whereas an edible takes up to two hours to kick in.”

Another crowd-pleasing THC-infused beverage at Swade is the Keef line of sodas, although a few other beverages are

on offer from the brand. “Most of our Keef drinks are for those who need stronger THC content,” McChesney said. “The strength varies from product to product, but most range from 5 to 100 milligrams of THC.”

If you’re looking for a microdose beverage with no sugar, the Society brand seltzers are a great choice with 5 milligrams of THC per can and flavors like blood orange-yuzu, cherry blossom and ginger-lime.

For those interested in incorporating cannabis into their routines without the psychoactive effects of THC (or those without a medical card), a CBD-infused beverage like Urban Swade Tropical CBD Seltzer is the perfect entry point.

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. brewmaster Florian Kuplent and his production team have been developing a wide range of non-alcoholic, alternative beverages for several years. “The UCBC Hop Waters, for example, are delicious and refreshing, but mainly consumed on site, mostly by our employees,” said Jon Shine, Urban

us know they were big fans of our NA CBD Hop Water, we knew this was a tremendous collaboration opportunity.”

The production team developed Urban Swade Tropical CBD Seltzer with 25 milligrams of CBD to celebrate and promote its newest neighbors in the Grove, but their hope was to share this exceptional NA beverage with a wider consumer audience. “We love the new partnership and can’t wait to explore more collaboration opportunities with Swade,” Shine said.

For more information, visit swadecannabis.com

This advertisement is intended only for Missouri medical marijuana patients. Medical decisions should not be made based on advertising. Consult a physician on the benefits and risks of particular medical marijuana products.

BRIAN DIX

FOUNDER, CRAFT REPUBLIC

If you appreciate the selection of craft brews at your local watering hole, you should certainly thank that business’ bar manager; but you should also salute their distributors, who select the brands from which bars, restaurants and retailers choose. If you’re drinking in St. Louis, chances are high a good portion of those thanks belong to Brian Dix, founder of Craft Republic, a St. Louis-based distribution company specializing in craft beer and other beverages.

Dix describes beer distribution as a three-tiered system in which suppliers (brewers, distillers and other manufacturers) and businesses with licenses to sell liquor (bars, restaurants, retailers, etc.) compose the first and third tiers, with distributors in the middle. In addition to partnering with breweries to sell their products in an assigned geography, distributors also handle the logistics of getting brews from the point of manufacture to point of sale. This means not only coordinating deliveries with anywhere from hundreds to thousands of businesses, but also effectively storing beers while they’re in transit to ensure they retain their freshness and intended characteristics once poured.

Here, Dix reflects on more than 25 years spent working in the beer industry – over 20 of which he’s spent in St. Louis – and how and why he made the leap to the craft scene. – Liz Wolfson

on p. 39

“I grew up in Kansas and, when I went to the University of Kansas, I basically got lucky and got a job through a mutual connection at the AnheuserBusch distributorship in Lawrence, Kansas. I was 19 and I was working part-time and sweeping the floors and repacking damaged beer and fixing signs and hanging signs and cleaning draft systems.”

“Around 2015 to 2017, a lot of doors were being closed for smaller brands because [of] the natural progression of … beer distributors bringing on a lot of brands early in the craft beer renaissance – say, 2008 to 2013. … [Distributors] had really just got to the point to where they were saturated with what they could represent.”

“You could see and feel, especially in the craftbrewing world from the craft brewery side, this fear of going to a big distributor and getting lost in the mix. You’d hear horror stories of some distributors not even calling small companies back after they signed them to do business with them.”

“I thought, ‘There’s going to be opportunities to bring brands to market. There’s more breweries in Missouri coming online that need access to market.’”

“And there’s all these cool things happening outside of just beer: Distilleries are growing, the non-alcoholic

world in beverages is growing like crazy. And I couldn’t see it back then, but CBD seltzers and cannabis seltzers and these kinds of things were all growing as well.”

“There was an opportunity, basically, to refocus on smaller brands, authentic brands, really – from our perspective as a distributor –really focus on customer service. … Like, ‘Oh, you called us? We’ll call you back.’ If you’re a customer of ours and have an issue, tell me about it. Let’s see if we can fix it.”

“It’s daunting to think about competing against [multi-million dollar]

companies [...] But the thing I kept thinking about was the opportunity with the brands. I knew there were customers out there that would embrace our portfolio if it came together. And that’s what happened.”

“I think we did business with approximately 1,000 customers last year from Kansas City to St. Louis and in between. But that’s still a tiny distribution company. These other places have thousands of customers; think about every rural convenience store and bar and tavern up and down the street, grocery stores and everything. We’re still small. But the thing is, where we’ve come from, where we started five years [ago], it’s way ahead of where I thought we’d be, which is cool.”

SCHLAFLY BEER

Built in 1902, the building that houses the Schlafly Tap Room originally was home to printing businesses – first Lambert Deacon Hull Printing Co. and later the John S. Swift Co. Exploring its basement (now used for brewing) and all of the space’s little side rooms, hallways and dark, dusty corners, one has the feeling that the 32,000-square-foot building is full of secrets known only by owner Tom Schlafly and founding brewer Stephen Hale. Hale likes to joke that the building is so perfectly situated to be a brewery that the Schlafly family actually built it in 1902 and just let the printing companies use it for 90 years.

After a brief stint at Oxford University where he was ostensibly engaged in a continuing legal education program, Schlafly – who works as an attorney in his non-beer life – became obsessed with the idea of bringing an English-style beer to St. Louis. (“I like to say I learned more about English beer than English law,” he said.) Schlafly went ahead with the plan he’d concocted with partner Dan Kopman and bought the building for $137,000 in 1991. “Everyone thought I was out of my mind,” he recalled.

Schlafly might have been a beer fanatic with the means to get something going, but he’s the first to admit that starting a brewery wasn’t solely his idea and that he didn’t do it alone. “It’s important to give credit to Dan Kopman,” Schlafly said, pointing out that Kopman worked for the English brewery Young’s and learned about beer in Edinburgh, Scotland. Though based in London, Kopman would return to the U.S. to help distribute Young’s around the country. On his travels, he learned about a new way people were making beer: the microbrewery.

“It was basically Dan who helped take this crazy fantasy and convince me that it could work as an actual business,” Schlafly said. Their first conversations were in the mid-’80s,

BY

PHOTOS

DAVID KOVALUK

ADAM ROTHBARTH

and Schlafly formed the corporation in 1989. “We had the first microbrewery license issued by the state of Missouri,” Schlafly explained. “Breweries were not allowed to own retail licenses unless it was a sports stadium. We had to get that law changed.”

This was not the only law that needed changing in order for Schafly and Kopman to get their vision off the ground, and, over the years, Schlafly played a significant role in changing numerous alcohol laws in Missouri, helping set the stage for what St. Louis’ beer scene would become. Another legal accomplishment included changes to how beer was sold and distributed; when the business started in 1991, if they opened a restaurant in a microbrewery, they couldn’t legally sell their beer to other bars or restaurants. “I’ve known Tom since he started, and I’ve watched Schlafly grow from the very beginning,” said Fran Caradonna, CEO of Schlafly Beer. “I had been in the beer business on the wholesale side, and our little

company was fortunate enough to partner with Schlafly after Tom got the laws changed. We were able to expand distribution across the state in the ’90s.”

To start making beer commercially, Schlafly and Kopman found a pioneering head brewer in Dave Miller, who had a strong reputation among homebrewers in St. Louis. “He had the expertise and knew the science of brewing – like a lot of brewers, he was self-taught,” Schlafly said. “And Dan had the experience from Young’s.” When asked if Schlafly himself had ever made beer prior to that and whether he’d considered becoming a brewer, he was quick to stay modest.

“I was a homebrewer, but I was not especially accomplished,” he said. Miller’s first official beer for the company was a wheat ale – a filtered version of what would become their famous hefeweizen –followed by a pale ale.

Despite a hugely successful event roster and four brewpubs (Schlafly Tap Room, Schlafly Bottleworks, Schlafly

Bankside and the most recently opened Schlafly Highland Square), at Schlafly it’s ultimately still all about the beer. We’d be remiss not to mention the brand’s pumpkin ale, which is considered by authorities from Thrillist and GQ to Delish, Men’s Health and Food + Wine to be one of the best in the country. The coffee stout is quite popular, and the IPA has received national accolades as well. “The beer that really launched us into the beer business is our pale ale,” Schlafly said, reminiscing on his time drinking and studying English beers. He believes the pale ale is their biggest seller. And after 30 years, the brand is still developing new beers, events and spaces. “We’re always looking at new opportunities,” Caradonna explained. “We listen to the customers and what people tell us they’re looking for. I’m not sure what’s next. More of the same. More great beer, more great parties.”

For Tom Schlafly, the philanthropist and community-minded businessman who brought an abandoned building back to

life 30 years ago and ended up creating one of the Midwest’s most successful and enduring beer brands, his work has made a difference. “I feel tremendously gratified by this. It’s gotta be fun,” he said. “We haven’t saved the world, but three local zip codes are better.” Not to correct the man himself, but it seems to be much, much more than that.

Schlafly Beer, multiple locations, schlafly.com

CHRIS KINAST

PERENNIAL

ON LOCKWOOD

Position: Head Brewer

Married? Kids?

Yes, one son, Joseph, who is going to be two years old in May.

Where are you originally from? St. Louis

How did you get interested in brewing? From home brewing with a couple of buddies, as well as the big craft boom in St. Louis in 2011. I started working at Civil Life in 2014 and then moved over to Perennial in 2015.

What’s your favorite style of beer to brew? I have a lot of fun brewing Saison. I'm always interested in different methods and practices on the brewday, as well as trying different hops, herbs, flowers, or fruits with them as well.

What’s your signature beer? I wouldn’t say I have a so called “signature beer”. I pride myself in being proficient in brewing all styles. The beer I have brewed the most batches of at Perennial on Lockwood is a hazy pale ale called Tidewater Plains. It features

El Dorado and Sultana hops and is 5.2% ABV.

Name three tools you can't live without:

A pocket knife, a spray bottle filled with alcohol, and a flashlight.

A fun fact about you: I enjoy a lot of flat foods. Pizza, quesadillas, flat chicken wings, and the chicken pide from Balkan Treat Box.

Perennial on Lockwood 216 W Lockwood Ave, Unit B, Webster Groves, perennial.oohosp.com