Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. - St. Louis, Missouri

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!

WSET - II news! I passed!

 A quick note here - got my results back from my recent Wine & Spirits Education Trust level II exam in spirits, and I passed with a 98% - that's "with distinction." This industry certification is another feather in my cap and will increase my standing within the industry. 

Next stop - Sommelier level 1 in the spring!

Wine Makes the World Go 'Round - a Trip to Slate Wine Bar

Nestled in Glover Park, just west of the National Observatory, is a pair of restaurants that are somewhat hidden away; in fact, I passed right by twice before finally stepping inside. Slate, a wine bar, and Xiquet, a high-end Spanish concept, share this building on Wisconsin Ave. Xiquet, the brainchild of Chef Danny Lledó, received a MICHELIN Star in the 2021 DC Guide. This year, both Slate Wine Bar and Xiquet were nominated for best wine program at the RAMMYs, the annual Washington restaurant industry awards.

Xiquet’s menu, inspired by Chef's hometown of Dénia in the Valencian region of Spain, features a tasting menu experience including paella, as well as innovative preparations of other traditional items from Valencian cuisine. The menu changes monthly, and is in fact adjusted daily depending on what's fresh. A meal at Xiquet offers 22 takes on modern Spanish cuisine, including ingredients like octopus, tomatoes, cheese, caviar, anchovies, and even Wagyu beef. The blues, yellows, and earth tones in the painting in was commissioned and inspired by Dénia. 

I'll try the food another day, as I'm here for the booze. 

Betsy, the head bartender, graciously whips up a cocktail for me - the "Ferdinand", a lovely mix of brandy washed in Wagyu fat, Lillet rose wine, and pink Port. The ingredients are built in a mixing glass, added with cracked ice, and stirred with a barspoon then strained through a julep strainer. Add a big ol' ice cube and topped with a dried orange peel.

I really like it - it's my first fat-washed cocktail, and I think that aspect provides a savory balance to the sweetness of the Lillet and the Port wine. It's not super complex, but it's definitely a curious libation that demands focus and attention. 

One observation I have about the bar, and the service, is that Slate is not as technical as other cocktail places. This isn't a bad thing - here I'm noticing high-end service and traditional mixology, with little use of complex gadgets or acrobatics. While they do make their own garnishes, purees, and such, they don't use gimmicks or anything - just good, classical mixology. They've got a commendable list of spirits, and a selection of Sherry and Madeira that's wider than most places I've been to, and high-end Spanish vermouths (and vermuts) like Yzaguirre, so these classic European ingredients mirror both the old-world charm of the drink menu and the skill of Betsy and crew.

These olives are awesome - made with a house-blend of spices and oil.

But how does a sommelier put together a wine program? I was able to spend a few minutes with Chef himself to discuss.

"We have an obligation to educate, and provide great things...not just show off how great our wines are, or how great they work with food," Chef told me, "and we [like having] guests understand what they're drinking." To help accomplish this, Slate and Xiquet offers sommelier nights, introductory wine pairings with food, and themed dinners to help guests connect these dots. Chef also notes that it's about challenging pre-conceived notions...let's say a guest says they don't like Chardonnay. It could be because they had a bad experience once and decided to judge all examples of Chardonnay on that one particular glass. 

Chef actually travels around the world, talking to producers and distributors to bring the best wines to DC to help realize his creative vision. And there are some *great* wines on this list, for sure. It's separated out - the everyday and the rare, including introductory pairings and flights for guests to try new things. As much as I'd like to dive into the rare, I'm sticking with a by-the-glass menu. 

I spot "Arbui", a 2018 Monastrell from Bodegas Alejandro. I love Monastrell - you may see it by its French name, Mourvedre, and often appears in red blends but not as commonly on its own. This Monastrell is, as luck would have it, from Chef's home province of Valencia. As soon as I order, Chef Lledó turns to me and goes, "it's awesome." He should know, he picked it out. 

And he was right. Off-dry, well-structured, and deliciously savory, I'm picking up notes of earth, leather, and dry wood. There's a touch of sea salt at the end which is awesome, and as much as I wished I could try with the Wagyu beef burger, it went just fine with the olives. Betsy says wines like these "change with each sip" and I would agree - as oxygen mixes with the wine, new flavors come out and the glass of wine can change slightly. It's a fun journey and this wine shows that off pretty well. 

I caught sight of Chef ordering a bottle of bubbly, and being a fan of sparkling wine, I lustfully watched as he served a bottle of Bollinger 2007 (!!!!) to the guests adjacent. Wow! That's a pricey bottle for sure. Betsy, sensing that I was jonesing for a glass of sparkles, kindly arranged for me a glass of Dom Perignon 2012 brut...not at all a consolation prize, but in fact a wonderful glass of sublime, cool, low-dosage bubbly.  It's quite soft with low tang and low acidity, and has nice crispness and balance. Great for sipping and a perfect conclusion to an evening of exceptional food, drink, and service. 

Slate is a place I'll definitely recommend and return, especially when I'm seeking an intimate atmosphere, a high-end & refined wine list, and a level of service to match.