Saint Louis Brewery – Schlafly

Saint Louis, Missouri is famously associated with one of the most well-known breweries in the world, Anheuser-Busch. However, a short Uber ride away from the massive Anheuser-Busch complex is where the true Saint Louis Brewery is located. Saint Louis Brewery beer is marketed under the Schlafly brand, named after their co-founder Tom Schlafly. I learned of Schlafly when I attended an Oktoberfest celebration at Tyson’s Biergarten in Northern Virginia and tasted samples of Schlafly Märzen. After sipping some brews and chatting with their beer ambassador, I knew this brewery would be on my list when I visited St. Louis.

Schlafly was born out of ashes, literally. The story begins with a firestorm that broke out in 1976 in the building that housed Heyday Shoe, a woman’s clothing manufacturer. The fire spread quickly down Locust Street, consuming the buildings in its path. Eventually, it reached an abandoned building, previously occupied by Swift Printing Company, and the future home of Schlafly. Surprisingly, the building foundation survived, likely due to the heavy-duty construction of wood and posts that were used to support heavy printing presses. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this was no exception. The fire-damaged, gritty, wasteland caught the eye of the movie producer, Jon Carpenter. Here, he filmed the 1981 movie Escape from New York starring Kurt Russel, with a perfect post-apocalyptic NYC setting. The vacant and dead architecture met the movie’s needs and was even encouraged by city officials who let Jon “trash it up.”

Schlafly’s history was apparent as we approached the brick building and entered through an outdoor beer garden, which was previously an old loading dock. The entrance led through a merch shop, which was flanked by a bar and restaurant area on each side. We walked to the bar on the left and grabbed a seat. Taking in the tap-room, we immediately noticed that much of the wood and floor was original, and if it wasn’t, it was modeled to blend in seamlessly with the original wood. Saint Louis Brewery obviously brews, sells, and bottles their own beer, but there was also a variety of other drink choices including a full bar with wine and liquor.

We decided to try a flight. Why have just 1 when you can have 5?! Our favorites were the Hop Trial Cashmere, the Kölsch, and the White Lager, of which we purchased a six-pack. The Kölsch had a wonderful golden color and used the same strain of yeast as a famous Kölsch brewer in Köln, Germany, making it unique and original. Schlafly’s kept that strain of yeast alive for this Kölsch, an example of how dedicated the team is to the history of beer. The Kölsch has a delicate fruity aroma with a mild hoppiness in the flavor. It was perfectly refreshing on a hot St. Louis day.

The Cashmere Hop Trial is part of a SMaSH (single malt and single hop) series that Schlafly is producing to showcase the fine ingredients in their beer. The Cashmere Hop Trial was made with Cashmere hops, a cross between Cascade and Northern Brewer varieties. The trial beer was available on draft and on nitro, each delivering a unique experience. My mom preferred the smooth finish of the nitro, while I preferred the more bitter taste of the standard draft. Paul, our bartender, taught us how to duplicate this effect at home by using cold and hot glasses. Pouring beer into a hot glass will allow the beer’s flavor to open up, imitating the effect of the nitrogen. Paul demonstrated this with the White Lager, described as a hoppier Hefeweizen, a style that dates back to the middle ages. His experiment was spot on, you should try it for yourself!

While enjoying the amazing beer, we started chatting with Paul, who has been with Schlafly since it was born in 1991. Noticing our interest in the brewery, Paul introduced us to Stephen, one of the ambassador brewers, who taught us that Schlafly was the first new brewpub to open in Missouri since Prohibition. He also introduced us to Babs, a brewer who was concocting Schlafly’s next delicious beer. She explained Schlafly’s mantra, which is sticking with the basics, but doing a damn good job. They don’t just make a beer varietal to check the box. Instead, they strive for perfection in crafting a solid beer. The tasting room we visited puts out 2,000 barrels per year. This is nothing compared to their second location, Schlafly Bottleworks, which is where most of the mass production occurs. Bottlesworks alone can house 3,100 barrels at a time.

Stephen led us down to the basement and through a tunnel to the Ibex Cellar, where they produce an exclusive series of beers, most of which are barrel-aged. They also produce their sour beers here to prevent the bacteria from contaminating other beers. An Ibex is a mountain goat from the European Alps that they adopted as their symbol and can be found on the Schlafly crest. The Ibex doesn’t have a name, but we made the modest recommendation that it should be named Becks! (After me of course…) If you decide to take a tour (offered on Fridays and Saturdays), make sure you ask to see the murals. It’s a treat!

After our tour, we stuck around for a bit taking in the surroundings while enjoying the quality brews accompanied with beer bread. We couldn’t get over the murals by Andy Cross. While they say a picture is worth a thousand words, I think it’s safe to say, Schlafly beer is as well. Each year, they brew over 50 unique styles of beer, so there is bound to be something different each time you visit. If you are in the area, you absolutely have to stop by. It is a must-see for any beer or history lover in St. Louis.