rock & run brEwEry and pub
renovations to join the two spaces and expand the kitchen, with more construction planned on its brewhouse later this year.
rEbuilds and Expands
Rock & Run Brewery and Pub, established in 2013 at 110 E. Kansas St. just off the historic square in Liberty, missouri, is named for the passions of co-owners gene DeClue, a bassist in a local rock ‘n’ roll cover band, and Dan hatcher, a long-distance runner. In may 2016, the 130-year-old Bedinger Building next to Rock & Run unexpectedly collapsed. After the collapse, Rock & Run temporarily ceased operations as authorities assessed the damage. however, The Bell restaurant and bar, located on the opposite side of Rock & Run, had been vacant since november 2015. DeClue and hatcher negotiated a deal in may to transfer Rock & Run’s kitchen, restaurant and taproom into the former restaurant. The brewery gained a patio and prime corner location, as well as the chance to reboot its brewing operations. In September, the co-owners began
Shortly after reopening, Rock & Run announced plans to open a production brewery in Kearney, missouri, located just 15 minutes away, moving Rock & Run’s existing 3-barrel brewhouse to the former J & K Automotive Service building. The production brewery features a small taproom and beer garden, but its primary function is to increase production for both locations, with the eventual hope of installing a canning line and expanding distribution within the next few years. In the meantime, fans of the brewery’s popular Liberty² golden ale and 5K IPA (two of five flagship beers) can get their fill at the taproom in Liberty. Be sure to also seek out Rock & Run’s seasonals, including Saminator quad IPA, Choc-o-Wheat and Cherry Bomb Wheat. –P.D. 816.415.2337, rockandrunbrewery.com
whitE rivEr brEwing co. rEbrands
old bakEry bEEr co. cans organic bEEr
In January 2015, husband-and-wife team James Rogalsky and Lauren Pattan opened old Bakery Beer Co. in a unique space in Alton, Illinois: a 120-plus-year-old bakery. The brewery’s beers range from the classic (porter, golden oat, citrus wheat) to the creative (hibiscus Tart, Timor Coffee Red Ale), but they all have one thing in common – they’re uSDA-certified organic. old Bakery has been brewing organic beers since day one, but it wasn’t until the brewery started distribution in April 2015 that it received its official organic certification through midwest organic Services Association. (This winter, old Bakery also began canning its beers and expanded distribution to St. Louis.) Brewing organic beer is by and large the same process as brewing conventional beer, but Rogalsky says the key difference is in sourcing organic ingredients. “organic malt, raw grains and spices are easy to get, but organic hops are a bit of a challenge,” he says. Rogalsky says there’s also a lot of paperwork required to maintain certification, but at the end of the day, it’s something he and his wife believe in. –H.R. 618.463.1470, oldbakerybeer.com PhoTogRAPhy By JILL hEuPEL
White River Brewing Co. opened in the historic C-Street district of Springfield, missouri, in 2013. From the start, the production brewery has done things a little differently: Instead of releasing traditional six-packs, White River filled 750-milliliter bottles with extra-boozy European-style beers like Tavern Creek Tripel, which has a whopping 9.2-percent ABV. As word spread about the new brewery, so did demand. The tasting room, which was once only open by appointment, now fills up Wednesday through Sunday, and beer is now available in smaller, single-serving cans as well as bomber bottles. The latest switch came this march when the brewery gave its branding a modern makeover and reduced the ABV of its beers. The updated look arrived with new head brewer Stacey uchtman, after brewing at Piney River Brewing Co. The original labels featured imagery of ozarks waterways and a color palette of earthy oranges, greens, reds and browns – but that color scheme, although meant to reflect the local wilderness, was also lacking shelf appeal, uchtman says. The new labels feature brighter, bolder colors with more pops of white to make the cans stand out on store shelves. In march, the beer roster was also refined when three of White River's flagship brews – Copper Creek IPA, Tavern Creek Tripel and The Prongs Pale Ale – were retired. In their place, White River introduced Spring Fed golden ale, C Street Pale and gravel Bar IPA, and with distribution up 30 percent from last year, it looks like the brewery’s new approach is paying off. –E.B. 417.869.1366, whiteriverbrewingco.com
Visit feastmagazine.com for more top beer picks, big brewery news and new brewery profiles, including stories on Springfield Brewing Co. in Springfield, Missouri, Modern Brewery in St. Louis and Scratch Brewing Co. in Ava, Illinois.
Earthbound bEEr Expands
St. Louis’ smallest microbrewery will get a whole lot bigger this year. Earthbound Beer, which opened in 2014 in a 1,000-square-foot shotgunstyle space on Cherokee Street, is in the midst of a major expansion. Known for its “weird” beers, the brewery – run by Stuart Keating, Rebecca Schranz and Jeff Siddons – is moving its tasting room and all of its production to a new space just a few doors down. Located in the former Cherokee Brewing Co. stockhouse at 2724 Cherokee St., the new space clocks in at 8,000 square feet. “We realized very quickly that 1,000 square feet is charming, but we needed space to work and grow,” Schranz says. A new 7-barrel brewhouse will allow the team to do just that. Scaling up from 1½ to 7 barrels will allow Earthbound to introduce flagship beers for the first time, but a variety of styles will continue to rotate weekly in the tasting room, slated to open by the end of the year. Twenty to 24 taps will feature a more robust selection of Earthbound’s beer in addition to housemade sodas and a monthly beer cocktail. The team also plans to collaborate with local vendors – including baked goods from neighboring Whisk: A Sustainable Bakeshop – on a small food menu. In early 2017, a brand-new canning line will allow Earthbound to release seasonal favorites like the Thai Basil IPA and Slam Dunkel outside of its tasting room, and a biergarten is set to open next spring. –H.R.
314.769.9576, earthboundbeer.com PhoTogRAPhy By EmILy SuzAnnE mCDonALD