8 Craft Brewery Destinations Worth a Mini Road Trip

7/29/2014
St. Louis - Restaurants and Dining - Gut Check - Print Version
8 Craft Brewery Destinations Worth a Mini
Road Trip
By Richard Haegele
Published Fri., May 23 2014 at 5:00 AM
T h e gr ou n ds a t Ch a r l ev i l l e Br ewi n g Com pa n y . | T a i t Ru ssel l
All week long we're rolling out content from our Summer Guide 2014. In it you'll find all the best
ways to enjoy the season in and around St. Louis. Click here to read the rest of the guide or pick it
up in print at the red Riverfront Times box nearest you.
While the craft-beer culture has blossomed in St. Louis city, we're not alone: New breweries are
opening up across the bistate region all the time. Though many of them are a bit too far away for a
spur-of-the-moment visit, with a little planning it's easy to make a day out of it. Build a playlist, grab a
beer stein and hit the open road — these destinations are so lovely that even the designated driver will
be happy he volunteered.
See also: 7 Outdoor Dinners You Can't Miss This Summer
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7/29/2014
St. Louis - Restaurants and Dining - Gut Check - Print Version
Destination: Ste. Genevieve
Crown Valley
Brewing: Ste.
Genevieve has
long been
known for its
wineries, and
that's how
Crown Valley
(23589 State
Route WW, Ste.
Genevieve;
866-207-9463
or
Cou rt esy Crown Va l l ey
Cr own V a l l ey Br ewer y
www.crownvalleybrewery.com) got its start before expanding into brewing in 2008. Its core beers
include the "Big Bison Ale" and "Gunslinger Double India Pale Ale." In addition to wine and beer, a
visit to Crown Country also features a distillery, an antique mall, a tiger sanctuary and more.
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"Ha i r y Cow Wee Hea v y " on t h e bot t l i n g l i n e a t Ch a r l ev i l l e. | T a i t Ru ssel l
Charleville Brewing Company: Charleville (16937 Boyd Road, Ste. Genevieve; 573-756-4537 or
www.charlevillevineyard.com) also began as a winery, and today it's known for beers like the
"Hoptimistic IPA" and "Half-Wit Wheat." Be sure to call ahead to find out what's currently available
from its seasonal brews, such as "Box of Chocolate" or the "Ale Mucho Hoppo." For those looking to
make an overnight trip, Charleville has a refurbished 1860s log cabin on the vineyard that serves as a
two-room bed and breakfast. One insider tip: GPS directions to this destination are unreliable. Coowner Joal Russell advises that would-be visitors use the directions on CBC's website instead.
Destination: New Haven
2nd Shift Brewing: Located within the grounds of Cedar Creek Conference Center in New Haven,
2nd Shift Brewing (1401 Olive Road, New Haven; 573-237-3421 or www.2ndshiftbrewing.com) makes
many highly regarded beers, including "Art of Neurosis," "Katy" and "Hibiscus Wit." The tasting room
is run by Cedar Creek, which offers lots of amenities, including a salt-water swimming pool, a golf
course and hiking trails. The brewery is happy to give tours to anybody who calls ahead. Look forward
to 2nd Shift's annual beer festival; this year it's held on Saturday, July 5.
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St. Louis - Restaurants and Dining - Gut Check - Print Version
Ky l e Bu t u sov , a ssi st a n t br ewer a t Fl a t Br a n ch Br ewi n g. | L.G. Pa t t er son
Destination: Columbia
Flat Branch Pub & Brewing: It wouldn't be out of the question to do a brewery crawl in downtown
Columbia (with DD behind the wheel, of course) — the city is home to three breweries located within
minutes of each other. Flat Branch Pub & Brewing (115 South Fifth Street, Columbia; 573-499-0400
or www.flatbranch.com) opened in 1994, making it older than many St. Louis breweries. In addition to
beers such "Oil Change Oatmeal Stout," "Katy Trail Pale Ale" and "Green Chili Beer," it also has an
excellent restaurant to help lay a base beforehand.
Broadway Brewery: Located just around the corner from Flat Branch is Broadway Brewery (816
East Broadway, Columbia; 573-443-5054 or www.broadwaybrewery.com). Be sure to check out its
black IPA and "Wee Heavy." It also has a restaurant, which showcases meats and produce sourced
from organic and local farmers.
Logboat Brewing: From Broadway Brewery, meander the few blocks to Logboat Brewing (504 Fay
Street, Columbia; 573-397-6786 or www.logboatbrewing.com), the newest of the trio. Even though it
just opened in April, Logboat Brewing has already made waves: It was well-received at 4 Hands
Brewing Co.'s Lupulin Carnival and Microfest 2014, where it offered beers such as the "Snapper"
American IPA and "Mamoot" English mild ale. There's also croquet and bocce ball in the yard —
perfect for whiling away a lazy weekend afternoon.
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Su n dr i es a t Scr a t ch Br ewi n g. | A a r on Kl ei don
Destination: Southern Illinois
Big Muddy Brewing: Hop across the river and discover the breweries of Southern Illinois. Big
Muddy Brewing (1430 North Seventh Street, Murphysboro, Illinois; 618-684-8833 or
www.bigmuddybrewing.com) opened just a few miles west of Carbondale in 2009. It doesn't have a
regular pub, but it does offer tours that include samples on Saturday and Sunday. It's a small space, so
call ahead and schedule a time to come by.
Scratch Brewing: Located in Ava, Illinois, Scratch (264 Thompson Road, Ava, Illinois; 618-4261415 or www.scratchbeer.com) brews beer with locally farmed and foraged ingredients. It grows hops
and other ingredients on-site, and it uses goats to keep invasive species of plants at bay. Co-owner
Marika Josephson says she's expanding the outdoor seating this spring, so there will be tons of space
for people to relax in the beer garden. She also recommends trying Scratch's wet-hopped beers after
the harvest in mid-summer.
Follow Richard Haegele on Twitter at @RtodaizH. E-mail the author at
[email protected].
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