Hello from St. Louis! Recently I had the chance to spend a week travelling across Missouri, and of course, had to try the beer and food. No matter where you are in the world, with a few notable exceptions, you’ll find beer being brewed. For this trip, I started in St. Louis, a historic brewing city with well over a century and a half of experience making beer for the masses. Home to Anheuser Busch and Budweiser, the craft beer boom hasn’t skipped STL either...you've probably heard of Schlafly, as well. They're here. Also, Side Project Brewing, which I saw at SAVOR, is right here in St. Louis (and worth a visit! Stay tuned!) And many more! Too many to try in a few days.
First up on my tour: Urban Chestnut. Everyone I spoke to raved about it. They’ve got two locations in St. Louis and one in Germany; the head brewer Florian is German so it’s natural that German styles feature here (after all, it was German immigrants who brought beer as we know it to North America!) So naturally, I expect a lot of German styles done correctly.
Arriving via Uber, I pull up to what I can only describe as a warehouse complex. The place is massive, by the way. Much of the brewing apparatus are visible, out in the open, and available for tours. The industrial interior is well-attended, with long German-style tables forming the seating area. The concrete bar is maybe the longest I’ve ever seen. Truly "yuge."
As per usual, when I’m in a new place, it’s time to try a sampler, which they don't offer per se but I cobbled together on my own:
- (L) - "Konomi" - Japanese lager, 20 IBUs, 5.40% ABV. Nice color, thin soap bubble head with a gentle aroma. It's got a touch of that sake dryness, a bit yeasty, with a good, long, lingering aftertaste. Here I'm getting wild wheat stalk flavors and a little bit more yeast. I like the weight of the beer too, it's light-to-medium and I think balances well the flavors, textures, and delivery.
- (R) - "Balkan" - Helles Lager, 25 IBUs, 4.80% ABV. Nice hay color accompanied by a fine white cap of foam. Mild aroma, as to be expected, and presents an off-dry texture and notable soft grain flavor. Very tasty and refreshing, and a collab between UC and Balkan Treat Box restaurant in Webster Grove, MO.
- (L) - "Fantasyland" - West Coast IPA, 6.00% ABV, 60 IBUs. One of the only IPAs on the menu, so I was curious how they approached the style. It's not as grassy as I was expecting, instead presenting tropical flavors like cantaloupe and mango. 60 IBUs is getting up there in bitterness, but I think the fruit balances that out a bit. Pretty solid and good for those who might not like German styles.
- (R) - "Mercator" - Flemish red, 6.30% ABV, 15 IBUs Flemish sour ale...definitely has the nose! It's got the usual Flemish funk...very tart, no sweetness, tangy and acidic, but this one has more of a cherry angle to it, kinda like Ommegang's "Three Philosophers." It's also lighter than many Flanders ales so that's a plus. If I wasn't going to Side Project Brewing later in the day, I'd have had a second.
- (B) - "Dorfbier" - Munich-style Dunkel, 5.20% ABV, 20 IBUs. Definitely one of my favorites of the night...chewy, malty, rounded, and a touch sweet. Nice showing of malts, a bit of smoke, and very true to the style. I would expect no less from Florian, the brewer, to get this right. I actually went home with a 4pk, and had it with leftover barbeque a few nights later. Perfect for meat dishes, stews, or just relaxing on the deck in the fall!
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