Edition: St. Louis Breweries & Wineries
St. Louis Breweries
Author: Amy S. Debrecht
There's more than one beer in St. Louis.
Anheuser-Busch Brewery (800-DIAL-BUD, 12th and Lynch)
traces its roots to 1852 when the Bavarian Brewery was founded.
Eberhard Anheuser purchased and renamed the brewery in 1860, and soon his son-in-law Adolphus Busch joined the company. During Prohibition, AB sold a variety of products and was still standing when the smoke cleared in 1933. Since then, it has perfected a beer-making process that produces the best-known and most popular beers worldwide. The company operates 12 breweries in the U.S. and St. Louis is the flagship. The company has also diversified such that it has become an international household name for all ages. Complimentary tours of the brewery—with samples—are available year-round; hours
change by season, however.
The Saint Louis Brewery is the second largest in St. Louis, and has two locations dedicated to serving their Schlafly microbrews. The original brewpub, Schlafly Tap Room (314-241-2337, 2100 Locust St.) opened downtown in 1991. To meet the increasing demand for their microbrews and to bottle their own beer, Schlafly Bottleworks (314-241-BEER, 7260 Southwest Ave.) opened in Maplewood in 2003. Complimentary brewery tours are
offered at the Bottleworks, where you can also get a meal made with locally grown ingredients. The kitchen even gets its vegetables and herbs from an on-site garden. Don’t forget to check out the display of historical memorabilia from all of St. Louis’s breweries in the foyer of the Bottleworks.
On Historic Main Street in St. Charles, Trailhead Brewing Company (636-946-BREW, 921 S. Riverside Dr., St. Charles) has been serving its microbrews and a full restaurant menu since 1995. Owner Bob Kirkwood—who also owns Lewis and Clark’s Restaurant, which serves Trailhead brews, too—fills a delicious niche on Main. In addition to the regular microbrew menu of Trailblazer Blond Ale (their most popular), Trailhead Red, Missouri Brown Dark Ale, Riverfront Raspberry, and Old Courthouse Stout, the brewery also offers a seasonal choice.
This fall the seasonal brew is Pumpkin Spice, the most popular of the seasonal offerings. Tours are available upon request.
The goal of Square One Brewery (314-231-2537, 1727 Park Ave.), is to pair the right beer with the right food. To satisfy that aim, many of the menu items are listed with a suitable beer complement. There is a revolving selection of up to fourteen beers on tap, and their 4-glass sampler “paddles” are the perfect way to try them all. Light Squared is their most popular brew. The Double Pilsner is incredibly sweet—beware! Open 7 days a week; also offering a Sunday brunch.
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
2800 S 12th St, St Louis, MO 63118
The famous Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis is the company's world headquarters and the largest of its 12 breweries.
Trailhead Brewing Company
921 S. Riverside Drive, St. Charles, MO 63301
St. Louis may be a Budweiser town, but historic St. Charles is all for Trailhead Brewing Company, maker of such fine microbrews as “Old Courthouse Stout” and “Riverboat Raspberry Fruit Beer.” Even the kids are sure to enjoy watching the brewing process while enjoying a diverse menu that includes wood-fired pizzas, tasty sandwiches, and eclectic entrees.
Square One Brewery
1727 Park Ave., St. Louis, MO 63104
Local micro brewery brews everything from Belgian Pale Ale to Imperial Stout, with many brews on tap. The menu includes entrees like smoked bratwurst, grilled salmon, and brew house smoked beef brisket. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, plus brunch on Sundays.
The Stable Brew House
1821 Cherokee St., St. Louis, MO 63118
The Stable is a local brewhouse dedicated to finely-crafted beers in a warm, inviting, local atmosphere.
