Urban Chestnut
A new beer scene is emerging from the shadow of America’s most famous brewery.
By Joe Stange
Urban Chestnut Brewing
Open since January 2011, Urban Chestnut’s tasting room hits many sweet spots at once. It offers wide variety, typically with around 14 of its beers on tap any given day. It offers full-flavored traditional German styles, like its rustic Zwickel, as well as more American-style innovations, including a session-strength IPA and several heavily hopped lagers. And it has a small beer garden out front, complete with long tables imported from Germany. Old school for the new school. 3229 Washington Ave., urbanchestnut.com
Iron Barley
Many St. Louis restaurants are beefing up their beer lists these days, but the first suggestion from many local geeks would be Iron Barley. Owner-chef Tom Coghill’s Midwestern oak-roasted pork and other comfort grub was made-from-scratch tasty enough to get a look-in from both Guy Fieri and Adam Richman. Coghill is also a longtime homebrewer and beer geek, and it shows in a smart list of 10 taps, including a cask selection, with strength in the locally brewed. 5510 Virginia, ironbarley.com
The Civil Life Brewing
After Jake Hafner sold his popular 33 Wine Bar to new owners in 2009 (it remains a local institution), he hit the roads of Europe looking for inspiration for life’s next chapter. He came back with the conviction to open a brewery. The Civil Life’s two-level pub is built into the side of the brew house and has stools that overlook the kit. Hafner designed the pub and its various cubbies to facilitate conversation, while brewer Dylan Mosley has designed the beers—many below 5% ABV—to do the same. 3714 Holt Ave., thecivillifebrewingcompany.com
Schlafly Tap Room
Newcomers get all the buzz, but locals have cemented the Saint Louis Brewery as a Midwestern institution (file alongside Boulevard, Goose Island and New Glarus). Known for its Schlafly beers, its original home remains the Schlafly Tap Room downtown. This is where to taste the latest brewhouse experiments and pub fare—ooh, bacon-wrapped meatloaf muffin?—that has gone from strength to strength over the years. 2100 Locust St., schlafly.com
Bridge
Every major city worth its salt has a taphouse with 40-plus drafts these days. St. Louis has a few, but downtown’s Bridge is the most distinctive. Loft tables overlook the long bar and its Tim Burton-esque tree-branch chandeliers. Beer sizes range from 4-ounce tasters to 64-ounce growlers to satisfy various thirsts and budgets. Nibbles run the gamut from chipotle-honey roasted nuts to a beef-bacon-manchego bolognese. The discerning wine list appeases our less beery friends. 1004 Locust St., thebridgestl.com
Pappy's
4 Hands Brewery
To say brewmaster Will Johnston is doing creative stuff would be an understatement: In the few short months 4 Hands’ tanks have been firing, he’s already knocked out a fresh-hop saison, a dry-hopped rye wine and a few more regulars—oh, and there’s also that vanilla-bean-and-coffee-brewed imperial stout sitting in Elijah Craig barrels. A sustainably-designed tasting room opened in late fall, just blocks from Busch Stadium. 1220 S. 8th St., 4handsbrewery.com
NEIGHBORS: Beer & Barbecue
The St. Louis barbecue scene has gained national attention thanks to a couple of smokehouses that happen to be within easy walking distance of some top-flight beer. The line is out the door at Pappy’s (3106 Olive St., pappyssmokehouse.com) when it opens at 11 a.m. in Midtown Alley, the same neighborhood that is home to Urban Chestnut (above), Six Row (3690 Forest Park Ave., sixrowbrewco.com) and Buffalo (3100 Olive St., buffalobrewingstl.com) breweries. In the historic Soulard neighborhood—still home to Anheuser-Busch—Bogart’s (1627 S. 9th St., bogartssmokehouse.com) serves smoked prime rib a block from the International Tap House (1711 S. 9th St., internationaltaphouse.com) and its 40 beer faucets.
