Schlafly

It’s
More
Than
Just
Beer
at
Schlafly
Schlafly Tap Room and Bottleworks are
St. Louis hot spots for food, friends and culture.
And of course, beer.
Schlafly Tap Room is a registered landmark in historic St. Louis
32
2
Fall
Fa
all ‘16
FOR ANY BEER LOVER, a stop at Schlafly’s
fl Tap Room or Bottleworks
is a must. And it’s not just because of the beer, although the brand has fans flocking
fl
to
each site for signature stouts, ciders and pale ale. Since its birth 25 years ago in
downtown St. Louis, Schlafl
fly has built its reputation as a pioneering, innovative beer
brand that has endured — no small feat for a brewery that lives in the same town as
Anheuser-Busch. Craft beer is still growing, capturing 12 percent market share in 2015,
and Schlafly
fl is at the forefront of the beer boom. “Vibrant doesn’t even begin to describe
it,” says Stephen Hale, who moved from Maine to Missouri to help start Schlafly
fl as an
assistant brewer.
When Schlafly
fl opened the doors to its Tap Room in 1991, it was the first brewpub in the
state since Prohibition. Twenty-five
fi years later, there are more than 70 craft breweries in
Missouri, according to the Brewers Association. With its craft beers, cultural offerings,
such as art and live music, and food that raises the bar, the local institution has helped to
not only revolutionize the beer scene but also revitalize the community.
ABOVE: The Schnucks Brand Marketing Team - Stephanie Tolle, Angela Pepper, Kelly Kraemer and Isabel Major talk
beer and business with Stephen Hale at the Schlafly
fl Tap Room.
schnucks.com
33
A RICH HISTORY
fly Tap Room is housed in a former
printing plant that dates to the early 1900s. After the Swift
Printing Company moved out in 1969, the building was
abandoned, falling into decline for 20-plus years. A fire engulfed
the building in 1976. Its dilapidated appearance led to its casting
in the Kurt Russell fl
flick “Escape from New York,” which
highlighted the site as a part of a post-apocalyptic Big Apple.
After the founders made the building Schlafl
fly’s home, the 2100
Locust site is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
34
Fall ‘16
As demand for Schlafly’s
fl beer grew, the company opened
Schlafly
fl Bottleworks. Just like they did with the original
building, it was important for Schlafl
fly to rehab another
building. This time, they took a former supermarket in
Maplewood, Mo., and renovated it to suit their needs. Opening
in 2003, it’s St. Louis’ fi
first new production brewery to open
since the end of Prohibition.
CHEERS FOR BEERS
Every year, Schlafl
fly brews scores of different styles of beer,
whether it’s bottled, canned or available on draft exclusively at
PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE: Schlafly
fl Bottleworks, St. Louis, MO
the Tap Room or Bottleworks. The staple beers include Grapefruit
IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Hefeweizen, Kolsch and Pale Ale, one of
their more well-known beers. There’s also a Core Seasonal Series,
six styles chosen to complement their respective season’s
availability, including the Coffee Stout, Summer Lager, Raspberry
Hefeweizen and Oktoberfest.
Over the years, Schlafl
fly has been committed to brewing the core
classic styles while also placing a big emphasis on “continued
innovation and experimenting with new styles,” says Hale. Over
the years the beer has evolved, such as its hop trial beers that
experiment with different hops from around the world and
newer styles like the Mango Hefeweizen.
Both sites offer tours. Bottleworks features the popular Beer
School, a fun and educational experience that guides guests
through the brewery’s history and the brewing process. On the
weekends, brewery tours are available that end with free beer.
The tour was cited as one of Men’s Journall magazine’s best
brewery tours in the country.
FOOD MECCA
“The Tap Room and Bottleworks have their own food
personalities,” Hale says. At the Tap Room, the menu leans
heavily toward European fare, with staple dishes such as fi
fish
PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE: Schlafly
fl Tap Room, St. Louis, MO
schnucks.com
35
ABOVE: Stephen Hale, Ambassador Brewer,
The Saint Louis Brewery™
and fries and poutine. The rarebit
(goat cheese dip) and pretzels are popular
picks; dishes such as mahi mahi tacos and
vindaloo curry satisfy the craving for
something different.
Bottleworks focuses on local food, not just from
local farmers but also from its own garden, Schlafly
fl
Gardenworks, which produces thousands of pounds of produce
such as tomatoes, beets, herbs, greens and peppers every year. One of
the most popular dishes is the chorizo nachos, boasting house-made
chorizo and all the fi
fixings.
Schlafly
fl has truly embraced the local food philosophy with its
farmers market at Bottleworks featuring local, farm fresh eggs,
pork, lamb, beef, cheeses, herbs, mushrooms, artisanal bread, flowers,
fl
pasta, chocolate and more. During the winter, the farmers market
turns into the winter market, moving indoors. Even in January,
thanks to farmers extending their growing season, greens, turnips,
scallions and other fresh produce are available alongside meat and
cheese, baked goods and locally made specialty food.
The one constant at both places is the Sticky Toffee Pudding. This
decadent dessert is pudding in the Scottish sense with a moist, dense
cake enveloped in warm caramel sauce and whipped cream.
36
Fall ‘16
CULTURAL HOT SPOT
Aside from the beer and food, Schlafl
fly offers
a wide array of cultural events that appeal to
all, not just beer drinkers. The Tap Room hosts
live music every Friday and Saturday, while
Bottleworks has the tunes going throughout the
week. Everything from country to blues is represented.
Annual festivals make Schlafl
fly a destination; art lovers will want
to check out the Art Outside Alternative Art Fair, a three-day affair
featuring works from more than 50 local artists. One of the more
unique events is the Burns Night Celebration at the Tap Room.
This free event features haggis,
neeps and tatties, shepherd’s pie
and a host of other Scottish
delights with the Parade of Pipers
and co-founder Tom Schlafl
fly
conjuring the spirit of poet Robert
Burns. Later this year, they will
have perhaps one of their biggest
parties – the 25th anniversary bash
to mark 25 years of good food,
beer and friends.