Sauce Magazine // March 2019

the egg rick muffin at grace meat + three, p. 26

BRICK RIVER CIDER, P. 24 FRISCO BARROOM, P. 19 OUR ANNUAL GUIDE TO BEER

March 2019ST. LO U I S’ I N D E P E N D E N T C U L I N A RY AUTH O R IT Y // S AU C E MAGA Z I N E .C O M // saucemagazine.com MAGAZINE I 1 F R E E , MA RI SAUCE C H 2019

M ARCH 2019 • VOLUME 19, ISSUE 3 What’s your favorite breakfast sandwich in town?

PUBLISHER ART DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL STAFF WRITERS ASSOCIATE EDITOR EDIBLE WEEKEND EDITORS SENIOR DESIGNER PROOFREADER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS I regret to inform you: the bacon bagel sandwich from McDonald’s

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES I get the Tree House EVENTS COORDINATOR burger any time of day. I get it at LISTINGS EDITOR 10 a.m., so how is INTERNS it not a breakfast sandwich?

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The classic breakfast

sandwich at Kitchen Allyson Mace Kulture with a Meera Nagarajan drizzle of honey. It's Heather Hughes magnificient.

Catherine Klene Adam Rothbarth, Matt Sorrell Lauren Healey Lauren Healey, Catherine Klene Michelle Volansky Megan Gilmore Jonathan Gayman, R.J. Hartbeck, Izaiah Johnson, David Kovaluk, Rolf Ringwald, Greg Rannells, Carmen Troesser, Michelle Volansky, Jen West Vidhya Nagarajan Glenn Bardgett, Matt Berkley, James Boeckmann, Taylor Coutain, Ryan Griffin, Justin Harris, Lauren Healey, Katie Herrera, Heather Hughes, Jamie Kilgore, Ted Kilgore, Catherine Klene, Meera Nagarajan, Michael Renner, Adam Rothbarth, Stacy Schultz, Matt Sorrell Allyson Mace Matt Bartosz, Angie Rosenberg Amy Hyde Amy Hyde James Boeckmann, Taylor Coutain

whole or in part, of the contents without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While the information has been compiled carefully to ensure maximum accuracy at the time of publication, it is provided for general guidance only and is subject to change.

The publisher cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information or be responsible for omissions or errors.

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Our reviewers are never provided with complimentary food or drinks from the restaurants in exchange for favorable reviews, nor are their identities as reviewers made known during their visits.

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St. Louis, MO 63103 March 2019

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contents M A R C H 2 019

editors' picks 7 EAT THIS Pizza Knotchos

by heather hughes 9 HIT LIST 6 places to try this month

by catherine klene, meera nagarajan, adam rothbarth and matt sorrell 14 MEALS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

last bite 36 STUFF TO DO by james boeckmann and taylor coutain

features 26

SHORT LIST

Breakfast sandwiches

38 WHAT I DO

by matt sorrell

Libby Crider

30

by catherine klene

ROLLING WITH A CAJUN QUEEN

40 LANDMARK

by lauren healey

angus burger at mike's hot dogs p. 22

Diner's Delight

by adam rothbarth

Simone Faure

by meera nagarajan 17 A SEAT AT THE BAR Five experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

by glenn bardgett, justin harris, ryan griffin and ted and jamie kilgore

reviews 19 NEW AND NOTABLE Frisco Barroom

by michael renner 22 LUNCH RUSH Mike’s Hot Dogs, Soups & Sandwiches

by matt berkley

PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

24 NIGHTLIFE Brick River Cider

by stephanie zeilenga

March 2019

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 FM March 4 when Sauce joins St. Louis on the Air to discuss this month’s must-try new restaurants on Hit List. Then tune in later in the month when local homebrew club members join us to talk about DIY brewing.

COVER DETAILS

GUIDE TO BEER

Rise and Shine Dig into the top breakfast sandwiches in town like the Egg Rick Muffin at Grace Meat + Three on p. 26.

Honey can bring much more than sweetness to the table when used in brewing beer. Learn more about why it's a go-to for modern brewers on p. 8. Flip the magazine over to see the Guide to Beer.

PHOTO BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

PHOTO BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

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Eat This E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER

Pie Guy Pizza, 4189 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.899.0444, pieguystl.com

If you’re sick of cute, fusion-y food, the PIZZA KNOTCHOS at PIE GUY PIZZA in The Grove might just make you believe in love again. This beautiful marriage of pizza and nachos begins with a substantial pile of garlic knots topped with a mess of mozzarella-pecorino cheese sauce, marinara, pepperoni chunks and a dollop of ricotta instead of sour cream. There’s also piquant pesto and a tapenade that serves as a kind of Italian pico de gallo to cut through the richness. Each doughnut hole-sized knot has a soft, tender interior and the crust stays crispy despite being covered in an Italian flag of on-point sauces.

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

hit list

6 new places to try this month

MUSHROOM PIDE AT

PHOTO BY MEERA NAGARAJAN

BALKAN TREAT BOX

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E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

HIT LIST p. 2 of 3

BALKAN TREAT BOX The fare from one of the most soughtafter food trucks in St. Louis can now be found in a corner brick-and-mortar in Webster Groves. We cherished every bite of the pide, a boat-shaped flatbread topped with cheese, ajvar (a pepperbased sauce), creamy, dairy-based kajmak, herbs and a choice of beef, chicken or the daily vegetable (when we went, the veggies were succulent oyster mushrooms). Another veggieheavy dish, the tofu lahmacun is a rolled flatbread filled with parsley, lemon, onion and a tasty signature sauce. The cheese-stuffed pljeskavica – basically an enormous burger – is impossibly juicy.

But there’s a reason the grilled cevapi (beef sausages stuffed inside pita-like somun) sits first on the menu. Get there early, as the restaurant shutters when the food runs out.

BAIT

top: halibut with clams at bait the dining room at bait right: balkan treat box owners edo and loryn nalic somun cooking in the wood-fired oven at balkan treat box

St. Louis has a swank new seafood spot in the Central West End. Chef Ceaira Jackson’s menu showcases her skill with shellfish, fresh fish and a surprising number of vegan-friendly options. Shareable starters comprise half the menu, like the Lobster Fries, a pile of seasoned spuds topped with a generous handful of poached lobster meat, rich aioli and an addictive herb sauce. Don’t miss the Wicked Flaming Prawns, two jumbo head-on prawns split, grilled and served flambéed.

Once you’ve devoured the shellfish, ask for extra bread to soak up all that sherry sauce. Bigger appetites can enjoy perfectly prepared halibut atop clams swimming in Thai red curry, or indulge in the seafood boil. With a monstrous fresh snow crab cluster, perfectly cooked Gulf shrimp, turkey andouille, red potatoes and corn, it’s easily one of the best – and messiest – shareable entrees on the menu.

4239 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, 314.405.2797, baitstl.com

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MORNING GLORY DINER Cherokee Street has more than its share of quality drinking and dining options, but a solid old-school diner has always been a glaring omission. That finally changed with Morning Glory Diner, the latest eatery from chef-owner Ari Ellis, who most recently helmed The Cut inside the Fortune Teller Bar down the street. Morning Glory has a decidedly minimalist vibe, both decor- and menuwise, with straight-ahead greasy spoon favorites like slingers, burgers, tuna salad sandwiches and flaky biscuits and gravy peppered to perfection. Don’t miss the hash browns, impeccably crispy outside and soft inside. There’s even a wedge salad for some roughage. Check out the song selection on the jukebox, and don’t forget to ask about the pie selection.

2609 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.250.6007, Instagram: @morningglorydinerstl March 2019

HALIBUT PHOTO BY LAWRENCE BRYANT; BAIT INTERIOR BY LAUREN HEALEY; BALKAN TREAT BOX PHOTOS BY MEERA NAGARAJAN

8103 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314.733.5700, balkantreatbox.com

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HIT LIST p. 3 of 3

clockwise from top: kimchi guys; dishes at kimchi guys; owner dave bailey adjusts a mirror at pop; tartare at pop

THE CURRY CLUB

Cajun is out and bubbly is in at Dave Bailey’s property in Lafayette Square.

Pop, a sparkling wine bar with mostly shareable fare, took the place of L’Acadiane in February, and it’s a cozy spot for a sip and a snack on date night. Order a shareable board piled with pickled vegetables, housemade crackers, charcuterie, cheese or more, and pair it with a glass of bubbly. The glass wine list ranges in price and region from an affordable $8 Ca’ Furlan Prosecco Cuvee Beatrice from Italy to a $19 Napa Valley Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs.

If cocktails are more your speed, try a classic Airmail or the oddly root beer-like Kvass ‘Vill You Drink?

Until now, there hasn’t been a dedicated Korean fried chicken eatery in St. Louis, but that changed when Drunken Fish owner Munsok So opened Kimchi Guys downtown.

Whether you’re new to this kind of food or a seasoned expert, our recommendation is the same: Get the bone-in Korean fried chicken with the original sauce, a spicy-sweet glaze that finds an amenable home on the chicken’s perfectly crisp skin.

The white radish kimchi and the potato salad sides were also among our favorites. Not a chicken fan? The Kuesadilla is a weird, cilantro-laced fusion option that somehow works well. Nestled in the first floor of the Cutlery Building on Laclede’s Landing, Kimchi Guys is small, but just large enough to house some big flavors.

1635 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, 636.778.7777, stlcurryclub.com

1915 Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.8100, popstlouis.com

612 N. Second St., St. Louis, 314.766.4456, kimchiguys.com

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POP

March 2019

KIMCHI GUYS PHOTOS BY MEERA NAGARAJAN; POP PHOTOS BY ADAM ROTHBARTH

KIMCHI GUYS

The Curry Club is the casual Indian lunch and dinner spot we’ve been waiting for in Chesterfield. At lunchtime, a cafeteria-style setup lines the back wall. Two curries (try the butter chicken and the daal) with naan and flavored rice start at $6. The other lunch special is dosa, fermented dough made of ground rice and lentils (think gargantuan Indian sourdough crepes), griddled on a flattop. It comes with two raw sauces – a green chutney that tastes like mint, cilantro and chilies and a coconut-peanut chutney – along with a cup of sambar, a tamarind and lentil stew. Pick from a variety of dosas: We liked the plain, cheese and the classic masala, which is stuffed with spiced potatoes. At most, it sets you back $8 for a huge plate of food. Bring your appetite, and don’t miss out on the mysore pak dessert, a buttery, doughy sweet with a crumbly texture similar to a Mexican wedding cookie.

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La Patisserie Chouquette, 1626 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7935, simonefaure.com

MEALS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

SIMONE FAURE

Simone Faure, owner and pastry chef at La Patisserie Chouquette, knows good food when she sees it. Her cakes and pastries at the shop are beautifully detailed and delicious – it’s no wonder many sell out daily. Don’t let her upscale aesthetic fool you, though. This New Orleans native doesn’t discriminate, whether it’s low-country cooking or her French husband’s gourmet fare. Here, three meals that changed her life. – Meera Nagarajan

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“My husband, the first time he cooked for me, I’d had his food on the line before at work, but this was an intimate meal. He was in the kitchen the whole time, and I pulled up a chair and watched him cook. He goes, ‘I’m gonna make for you scallops in three ways.’ So he’s got these scallops that are the size of my coffee cup, and he slices them. He had three pans on the stove, and he takes this mustard and coats the outside of the scallop and seasons it and rolls it in coriander. Then he starts to sear it, and the apartment is just wafting in this beautiful aroma. I could tell that he was trying to be all cute and sexy. And with each one that he finished, he plated it on this beautiful plate. He put either polenta down or some puree, so each one came with its own little sauce and a posh little fork. I’m eating this like, ‘Oh, my God. This is so great.’ We get to the last scallop, and he goes, ‘Eh? What did you think?’ I was thinking, ‘I’m going to marry this dude; I have so much to teach him.’

He’s hilarious! He just served me three scallops and thought that we were done. Does this work on French women? I am not that! But that was his first time inviting me into his kitchen at his table, so I was very grateful for the meal – very surprised by how short it was, but very grateful. And I’m still here all these years later, so you know those scallops were banging.”

Paris, France 2008 “I was in France, it was my first trip, and my best friend, Jackie, was with me. She was homesick after three days, and she said, ‘I have to have McDonald’s.’ I said, ‘Look,

there’s this cafe over here; it’s next to McDonald’s. We’re gonna try this place, and if you still want McDonald’s after this, we will go.’ … Long story short, we ended up going to McDonald’s but not before we went to this nondescript place.

But we sit down, and they only serve breakfast. Jackie orders scrambled eggs, and the guy comes back and goes, ‘We don’t make scrambled eggs.’ He goes, ‘I could put some sauce on the eggs.’ So he brings it out, and it’s fried eggs with hollandaise, and then there were tomatoes on the side like real old school. I ate her eggs; I ate my eggs. It was perfect. I thought, ‘I could eat this for breakfast every day.’”

Patois New Orleans, 2010 “There’s a restaurant in New Orleans – it’s in an old house – called Patois on Laurel Street. I ordered grits and grillades. It’s meat they stew, and it’s in this brown gravy with tomatoes and onions and spices and wine … you put that over grits. The dish came, and I take that first spoon and I was done. I literally put my spoon down because I’m in my 30s. … Why is this just happening? I’ve been in New Orleans my whole life. What did my family do to deserve being excluded from this dish?

Every bite of that plate was better than the last bite. This is the kind of dish that needs to be savored. It goes into a glass box with a mallet and a sign that says, ‘Break open in case of emergencies,’ like a last-meal-on-earth type thing.

I considered ordering another to-go to the point where I’m staring at my waiter in the back of his head, and he turns around and goes, ‘Did you need something?’ He must have felt my presence; my soul left my body.”

March 2019

ILLUSTRATION BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

Palm Beach Florida, 2008

E D I T O R S ' P I C K S

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A SEAT AT THE BAR

Five experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

TED AND JAMIE KILGORE USBG, B.A.R. Ready, BarSmart and co-owners/bartenders at Planter’s House

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re enjoying Tullamore D.E.W. XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish, which is truly unique from other Irish whiskeys. Aged in a rum cask, it offers a full-bodied, creamy sip with warm spice, deep caramel and tropical banana notes. We love drinking it neat, but it also pairs nicely with an IPA. $28. Total Wine & More, 90 Brentwood Promenade Court, Brentwood, 314.963.3265, totalwine.com

RYAN GRIFFIN AND JUSTIN HARRIS Co-owners at Saint Louis Hop Shop

2nd Shift Brewing has created an exquisite blend with Casual Experimentation No. 4. At 5.5 percent ABV, this dry-hopped American pale wheat ale is the definition of balance with a sweetly malted body showcasing two of craft beer’s most popular hops: Cascade and Centennial. Accompanied by fragrant notes of pine and dried fruits, it finishes with a crisp and hoppy polish, making your taste buds water for more. Four-pack: $14. Saint Louis Hop Shop, 2600 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.261.4011, saintlouishopshop.com

ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

GLENN BARDGETT Member of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board and wine director at Annie Gunn’s

March 2019

The 2017 Sokol Blosser Pinot Gris from Dundee Hills in Oregon conjures aromas of springtime rains and budding flowers. The excitingly crisp white has a big apple and pear backbone with notes of citrus and a nice combination of minerality and acidity.

It’s nearly the perfect all-purpose white – great on its own but with enough weight to handle the whole table, including spicy foods. $17. Grapevine Wines & Spirits, 309 S. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.909.7044, saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 17 grapevinewinesandspirits.com

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reviews All Sauce reviews are conducted anonymously.

hunter's board at frisco

NE W A ND N OTA B L E

frisco barroom

BY MICHAEL RENNER PHOTOS BY IZ AIAH JOHNSON

Frisco Barroom has been packing in patrons since it opened in Webster Groves eight months ago. It’s just the type of place my father, a former bar-andgrill owner, would have aspired to if upscale, new American gastropubs (or whatever we’re calling them now) were in vogue during his four decades of business. Dad said a good neighborhood tavern selling wellmade, affordable food will pack ’em in every time.

n e w a n d n o t a b l e F R I S C O B A R R O O M p . 1 9 // l u n c h r u s h M I K E ' S H OT D O G S p . 2 2 // n i g h t l i f e B R I C K R I V E R C I D E R p . 2 4

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NEW AND NOTABLE p. 2 of 2

From the century-old, two-level building (previously Natural Way Grocer), to the equally sprawling menu and live Americana music on the weekends, nearly everything Frisco offers sets it apart from its competition.

The main level consists of the Barroom and the Dining Hall, named after owners John Barr and Kelley Hall, the husbandand-wife team behind neighboring home and lifestyle store Civil Alchemy and K. Hall Studio, the wildly successful home fragrance company they sold a few years ago. The second floor has another bar, more dining space and an enviable corner lounge – complete with brick fireplace, mounted game heads and leather seating – that feels like nestling into a mountain cabin to watch the snow fall. Outside, a rooftop deck between taller buildings offers a streetscape view from the front while the back overlooks a stunning patio.

There are burgers and sandwiches on the menu, including a fine Reuben on grilled, house-made rye (all the breads are baked on-premise) piled with house-cured corned beef and nutty Gruyere in place of generic Swiss cheese. But there’s also hearty fare like poutine, pierogies and pasties, all hallmarks from Hall’s native northern Michigan.

Those pierogies, crisped and finished in browned butter, consisted of dough delicate enough not to detract from the velvety-smooth mashed potato and caramelized onion filling (a sweet farmer cheese filling is also available).

Think of the substantial Cornish pasty as Sunday dinner neatly wrapped in a flaky pastry. The savory filling includes ground beef, rutabaga, potato and onion, and you can drench the whole thing with an accompanying rich, thick beef gravy. Also from way up north, the smoked whitefish dip is chock-full of the flaked fish and herbed cream cheese – just right for spreading on housemade flatbread crackers.

That luscious dip showed up on the Fisherman’s Board, one of several boards laden with everything from Italian

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the bar at frisco barroom

Park, which is really saying something.

The mild fish – skinned, deboned and gratineed with breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic and parsley – arrived from the broiler buttery soft with a bit of crunch.

No less impressive: a plate of jumbo tailon shrimp, marinated in white wine, butter and lemon, then grilled flawlessly.

rainbow trout at frisco barroom

sausage to mushroom and walnut pate, cheese, pickled vegetables, nuts, breads and dried fruits, perfect for sharing with friends when the evening begins.

Our table chose the Hunter’s Board, a bold assortment of smoked venison sausage, smoked trout and duck rillettes with hints of sage and black pepper, all based around a heady, geranium-infused raspberry jam so irresistible we would have spread it on cardboard.

The French onion soup, however, was more atypical than classic with a lack of savory depth and scarcity of bubbling Gruyere on top. In addition to soups and salads, six entrees round out Frisco’s menu, all straightforward and well-prepared.

Frisco’s rainbow trout is just as raveworthy as the horseradish- and pecancrusted salmon at Frazer’s in Benton

I love that the kitchen gives simple roast chicken a Peruvian touch with cilantro-lime marinade and traditional green sauce made from cilantro, lime, hot pepper and mayonnaise, but I was hoping for more pronounced flavor from the warm spices and citrusy brightness that make pollo a la brasa so alluring. Somewhere along the way of roasting, grilling and serving, the bird got a tad dry and tepid. A choice of two sides comes with each entree. I found it odd that they weren’t served on the same plate, making for a lonely looking half-chicken, but the ones I tried were fresh and substantial, including glistening green beans sauteed with pieces of garlic.

The fat and juicy house-made kielbasa with coarse-ground pork is now on the menu full-time due to its popularity as a dinner special. Even though it’s a comforting winter meal, served with mashed potatoes and kapusta (housemade sauerkraut), I’d eat it every season.

Like Dad also said, “Always have something that brings ’em back.”

frisco barroom

Where 8110 Big Bend Blvd., Webster Groves, 314.455.1090, thefriscostl.com Don’t-Miss Dishes Rainbow trout, Hunter’s Board Vibe Handsomely designed multilevel space combining cozy pub, casual restaurant and live music venue that can get as deafening as a soccer stadium.

Entree Prices $15 to $24 When Tue. to Thu. and Sun. – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri. and Sat. – 11 a.m. to midnight

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LUNCH RUSH

Mike’s TexasStyle Chili This chili is a heavy, stick-to-your-bones meat sauce speckled with pinto beans. The combination of ground chuck and sirloin is pure heaven on a chili dog or smothered on crispy house russet fries. Sprinkled with Monterey Jack and fresh chopped onions, the chili is likewise fantastic as a rich and hearty standalone dish.

Angus Burger The burger is not to be missed. Thin, quarterpound Angus beef patties are cooked to a crisp char diner-style on a flattop under a hot weight and dressed with thick dill pickle slices and a heap of salty-sweet caramelized onions on a buttery, toasted brioche bun.

The result: a hefty, juicy burger that tastes like it was delivered to your car window by a waitress on roller skates.

LUNCH RUSH

mike's hot dogs

BY MATT BERKLEY | PHOTOS BY DAVID KOVALUK

With a steady thump of blues and rock setting the vibe, visiting Mike’s Hot Dogs, Soups and Sandwiches in University City feels like stepping inside an old jukebox. The fire engine-red interior is decorated with vintage music prints and black-and-white photos, along with a handful of tables and metal chairs. The comfort food throwback menu of burgers, hot dogs and fries is thoughtfully prepared with absolutely zero pretense by owner Michael Eagan.

Here are some standouts from the kitchen.

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Old Mexico Hot Dog Mike’s has serious prowess in selecting fresh ingredients to complement quarterpound Red Hot Lou all-beef links. The Old Mexico is dusted with southwest seasoning before a quick boil, then it’s seared and dressed with a delightfully spicy jalapeno aioli, black beancorn salsa and a light sprinkle of queso fresco.

Kansas City Hot Dog The Kansas City dog is an outright battle of barbecue flavor. A snappy

the dining room at mike’s hot dogs

polish sausage

buffalo chicken sandwich

old mexico hot dog and kansas city dog

Mike’s Hot Dogs, Soups & Sandwiches 7293 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.776.9225, mikeshot dogsstl.com

Angus link is joined by a generous layer of juicy, slow-roasted pulled pork, sweet and spicy housemade barbecue sauce and complementary tanginess from dill pickles and chopped white onions.

Polish Sausage The smoky, quarter-pound Angus beef Polish sausage is a thing to be adored.

Loaded with traditional toppings of sauerkraut, hot brown mustard and caramelized onions, the sausage finishes with a salty crunch from deepfried russet potato straws on top.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich Crispy, juicy fried chicken is the centerpiece of one of Mike’s bestselling sandwiches, topped with crisp apple wood-smoked bacon, Monterey Jack and a thick tomato slice. Tangy, fiery-hot Buffalo sauce mingles with creamy ranch dressing to calm the flames on a buttery, toasted brioche bun.

The Downside The meat on the porkcentric Cuban sandwich, which substituted Jack cheese for Swiss, was overwhelmed by the unnecessary addition of barbecue sauce and would have benefitted from a more substantial bread than brioche. The fried cod sandwich was likewise a letdown. Though the ample cod fillet was nicely fried, the simple dressing of jalapeno aioli, lettuce and tomato did little to lift up the forgettable fish sandwich.

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NIGHTLIFE

a variety of cider

pub standbys that pair nicely with the ciders.

The list of shareables includes a variety of flatbreads, including the Ozark Forest Flatbread, which was savory, woodsy and sweet with mushroom, sage and red onion.

Another winner was the cider-brined wings.

Tossed in Red Hot Riplets seasoning, they were succulent with just enough salty heat to make things interesting.

mac and cheese at brick river cider

fish and chips at brick river cider

brick river cider

The second flagship, Cornerstone, is semi-dry with subtle earthy notes.

The Brewer’s Choice is the driest cider available, with a hoppy bitterness that offsets the fruit’s sweetness, while the Firehouse Rosé offers a unique twist on rosé wine, with sour cherries and hibiscus tea balancing out the apple. I don’t enjoy sweet drinks, so the Sweet Lou, with blueberry and lavender, was the only cider I didn’t care for. The rest were on the sweet side, but still enjoyable.

NIGHTLIFE

brick river cider

BY STEPHANIE ZEILENGA | PHOTOS BY DAVID KOVALUK

The first cidery in a craft beer town, Brick River Cider is attempting to educate St. Louisans on this very American beverage. We’re in good hands with founder Russ John – apples are in his blood. In the 1860s, his family settled in Nebraska, where they’ve been growing apples ever since.

Brick River Cider is located in a large, renovated 1890s fire station that feels historic, but bright and not a bit stuffy. It’s a balancing act, and one the cidery does well: Large black-andMarch 2019

white historical photos of St. Louis pop against vintage cream-colored tiles, while the high, dark wood ceilings and refurbished garage doors breathe plenty of air into the space. Additional seating can be found on the second floor, where the old firemen’s dormitory is now an attractive gathering space with large windows overlooking a quaint row of Tudor-style buildings downtown.

A wall of windows behind the bar provides a peek into the ciderworks.

Anyone who appreciates the atmosphere at

St. Louis’ many craft breweries will likely feel at home here too. It’s a laid-back scene ideal for hanging with friends.

Live music plays Fridays starting at 8:30 p.m. One of the nights I visited, the musician played a mellow mix (think Neil Young) that provided a nice, unobtrusive background to conversations.

Five ciders are currently on tap, all fresh-pressed from Midwestern fruit.

The Homestead, one of two flagship brews, is an unfiltered, semisweet farmhouse-style cider that packs a ton of tart and clean apple flavor.

Brick River Cider 2000 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.224.5046, brickriver cider.com

In the spring, Brick River plans to debut a rhubarb cider with additional seasonal releases to follow.

Hopefully there will be a few drier options added to the mix. For those not so keen on cider, Brick River also offers a handful of local beers.

The kitchen at Brick River isn’t exactly revolutionary, but it produces solid

Among the bigger plates, the mac and cheese may be some of the best I’ve had in St. Louis, thanks to a creamy blend of three cheeses coating a generous mound of cavatappi noodles. There’s an option to add pulled pork and barbecue sauce. Do it – it adds a delightful sweetness and sharpness. The fish and chips were another standout, the fish crispy but not overpowered by batter, and the fries crisp and blanketed with a dusting of salty Parmesan, garlic and parsley. Service was on the slow side, which wasn’t a problem while planning to hang out a bit, but is something to keep in mind if you’re hoping for a quick dinner.

Craft cider has been gaining in popularity, and with Brick River, St. Louisans can explore the world of apples while supporting a local business and Midwestern farms. With its solid (and growing) list of ciders and delicious pub fare, Brick River feels like a natural addition to this city of craft beverage lovers.

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SHORT LIST

grace meat + three owner rick lewis (center) enjoying breakfast with his staff.

The modern breakfast sandwich hasn’t strayed far from its humble beginnings as the egg and meat “bap” sandwich popular with hungry 19th-century London factory workers. Simple though it may be, this a.m. icon can slide into the sublime when given the proper attention, as it certainly does with this trio.

BY MATT SORRELL // PHOTOS BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

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March 2019

Grace Meat + Three

Grace Meat + Three’s weekend brunch highlight, the Egg Rick Muffin (named after chef-owner Rick Lewis), might be an homage to the golden arches, but it certainly transcends the source material. It boasts two house-made sausage patties, a bright and sunny duck egg, white American cheese and piquant pepper jelly ensconced in a toasted English muffin dusted with cornmeal. We’re lovin’ it.

4270 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.533.2700, stlgrace.com

March 2019

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Nathaniel Reid Bakery

You might hesitate on Nathaniel Reid Bakery’s breakfast sandwich – the menu is short on description and it’s pre-made, wrapped in paper and heated on request, fast-food style.

Any misgivings will disappear once this beauty is unwrapped, revealing scrambled eggs, ham, bacon and cheese gloriously layered inside one of the bakery’s flaky, superbly laminated croissants. 11243 Manchester Road, Kirkwood, 314.858.1019, nrbakery.com

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March 2019

Yolklore

Yolklore’s Slinger Sandwich attempts to contain the St. Louis diner classic in a hearty, house-made ciabatta bun. Good luck with that – chances are you’ll end up crushing this sandwich open-faced thanks to copious amounts of chili slathered over a house-made peppery sausage patty, fried egg and cheddar cheese.

8958 Watson Road, Crestwood, 314.270.8538, yolklore.com

March 2019

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March 2019

St. Louis chef Candice Poss shares Southern comfort recipes from the heart

B Y L A U R E N H E A L E Y // P H O T O S B Y C A R M E N T R O E S S E R March 2019

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“This is my mama’s recipe and was my favorite meal growing up.”

– Candice Poss

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March 2019

• Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, to taste.

• Serve immediately over grits garnished with green onion.

CREAMY SOUTHERNSTYLE GRITS

Any combination of water, stock or milk works in this recipe, as long as there are 4 cups liquid to 1 cup grits. Just save the heavy cream for the end, or the grits will be crunchy.

6 SERVINGS

orn into a small-town Mississippi family, Candice Poss has Cajun cooking in her blood. “My mother and grandmother were both great cooks,” she said. “Everything we do in our family largely revolves around food.”

Poss has been sharing those Southern traditions with St. Louis for seven years. Aficionados may remember her killer shrimp and grits at Eclipse in the Moonrise Hotel on Delmar Boulevard, her fried green tomato BLT at Cork & Barrel Chop House and Spirits in St. Peters or her superb fried catfish at 909 Public House in Wentzville.

Now Poss is preparing to open her own place: Graffiti Grub, a food truck she’s planning to launch with former 909 sous chef Katie Sheets this month.

Here, she shares some of her favorite Cajun and Southern comfort recipes, from her mother’s red beans and rice to her grandmother’s coconut pie.

Graffiti Grub, 314.304.3257, Facebook: Graffiti Grub STL

March 2019

SHRIMP AND CREAMY GRITS 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced 1 small onion, finely diced 5 to 6 strips bacon, fully cooked and chopped (optional) ½ lb. andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch pieces 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 to 4 Tbsp. Cajun spice (recipe follows) 1½ lb. medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 cup chicken stock, plus more to taste 4 Tbsp. butter, cubed Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Creamy grits, for serving (recipe follows) Green onion or chives, chopped, for serving (optional) • To a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the oil, then the green and red bell peppers and onion and saute 3 to 4 minutes.

• Add the bacon, andouille, garlic and Cajun spice and saute 1 minute. Add the shrimp and chicken stock and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, flipping shrimp to ensure even cooking.

3 cups whole milk, plus more to taste 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup stone-ground or regular grits (not instant) 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste ½ to 1 cup heavy cream, plus more to taste 4 Tbsp. butter Cheese, for serving (optional) • In a heavy saucepan over high heat, bring the milk and stock to a boil. Add the grits and salt, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring back to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low.

• Cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour for stone-ground grits or 25 to 30 minutes for regular grits, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick. When the grits become smooth instead of crunchy, they're ready. If the grits become too thick, add cream to thin them out.

• Stir in the cream, butter, salt to taste and cheese, if using.

CAJUN SPICE ¾ CUP

4 Tbsp. paprika 2 Tbsp. kosher salt 1 Tbsp. cayenne 1 Tbsp. onion powder 1 Tbsp. dried oregano 1 Tbsp. dried thyme 1 Tbsp. white pepper

RED BEANS AND RICE

“This is my mama’s recipe and was my favorite meal growing up.”

– Candice Poss 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

2 Tbsp. olive oil 2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced 1 green bell pepper, finely diced 1 onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1½ Tbsp. dried basil 1½ Tbsp. dried oregano 1 Tbsp. paprika ½ Tbsp. cayenne pepper 3½ quarts plus 2 cups water, divided 3 bay leaves, divided 1 lb. red beans, soaked at least 8 hours or overnight 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 lb. andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch pieces 1 cup white rice • In a 7- to 8-quart soup pot over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the jalapeno, bell pepper and onion and saute 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, paprika and cayenne and saute 1 minute.

• Stir in 3½ quarts water, 2 bay leaves, beans and 1 tablespoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer until the beans are soft enough to mash, about 1 hour.

• Transfer 2 cups beans to a large mixing bowl, mash them with the back of a spoon and return to the pot.

• Add the andouille, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 1 hour.

• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

• In a small casserole dish, combine the remaining 2 cups water, rice, the remaining bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover with foil and bake until all the liquid is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.

• Discard the bay leaf, fluff the rice with a fork and serve with the red beans.

• Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 33

CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE GUMBO 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

5 celery stalks, divided 3 yellow onions, divided 4 garlic cloves, divided 1 4-lb. chicken, rinsed, dried and cut into pieces 2 bay leaves 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 green bell peppers 1 cup butter 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour 2½ Tbsp. dried basil 2½ Tbsp. dried oregano 2½ Tbsp. dried thyme 2½ Tbsp. paprika ½ Tbsp. cayenne pepper 1 lb. andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch pieces 2 12-oz. packages frozen okra 1 Tbsp. gumbo file* White rice or cornbread, for serving • Roughly chop 2 celery stalks, cut 1 yellow onion in half, leaving the skin on, and smash 2 garlic cloves. Place all the vegetables in a 7- to 8-quart soup pot and add the chicken, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Cover with water by 1 inch and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

• Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer gently until the chicken is falling off the bone, adding water if needed to keep the chicken submerged, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

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• Meanwhile, finely dice the remaining 3 celery stalks, 2 yellow onions and 2 green bell peppers and set aside.

Mince the remaining 2 garlic cloves and set aside.

• Remove the chicken from the pot. Strain the broth, discarding the vegetables, and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken, discarding the bones and skin.

• In an 8-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour. Once the flour is incorporated, continue to stir constantly with a wooden spoon so the roux doesn’t stick or burn, reducing heat if necessary, until the roux reaches the color of peanut butter, about 15 to 20 minutes.

• Add the reserved celery, onion and bell pepper and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved garlic, the basil, oregano, thyme, paprika, cayenne and remaining 1 tablespoon salt. Stir to toast the spices, 1 to 2 minutes.

• Add the andouille and stir to combine.

Add the cooled stock 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Cook, stirring to make sure the roux doesn’t stick to bottom and burn, 25 to 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently another 45 minutes. Stir in the chicken, okra and gumbo file, and simmer 20 minutes.

• Serve over white rice or with cornbread. * Gumbo file is a powder made from sassafras leaves used in Creole cooking.

COCONUT PIE

“This is my grandmother’s recipe and a family favorite. The base is an oldfashioned buttermilk pie recipe with coconut added, giving it a perfect sweetness to complement the tang of the buttermilk.” – Candice Poss

sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat with an electric mixer until medium-to-stiff peaks form, being careful to not overbeat. Refrigerate while waiting for the pie to cool.

• Top the room-temperature pie with the whipped cream and sprinkle with the reserved ½ cup toasted coconut.

8 SERVINGS

3 cups coconut flakes, divided 3 eggs 1½ cups plus 3 Tbsp. sugar, divided 1 cup buttermilk 3 Tbsp. flour 3 Tbsp. melted butter Juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided 1 9-inch pie crust (recipe follows) 1 cup heavy cream • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

• Spread ½ cup coconut flakes evenly on a baking sheet and bake 5 minutes. Stir to ensure even toasting, then bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1½ cups sugar. Add the buttermilk, flour, butter, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Stir in the remaining 2½ cups coconut flakes.

• Pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake until golden brown and the center is set, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Let cool completely.

• Meanwhile, make the whipped cream topping. In a cold bowl, combine the cream, the remaining 3 tablespoons

BUTTER PIE CRUST 1 9-INCH PIE CRUST

1¼ cups flour ½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed 1 tsp. kosher salt 2 to 6 Tbsp. ice water • In a food processor, pulse the flour, butter and salt until a coarse meal or small pea-sized balls form.

• Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough just comes together, being careful not to overwork.

• Roll the dough into a ball, pat it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours.

• Working quickly so the dough doesn’t get too warm, roll it out into a 13-inch diameter circle. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate and gently press it into the bottom and sides. Trim so it’s even and flute the edges by pressing the dough between your thumb and index finger. Prick the bottom of the pie crust evenly with a fork, 4 or 5 times. Refrigerate 20 minutes before filling.

March 2019

“This is my grandmother’s recipe and a family favorite. The base is an oldfashioned buttermilk pie recipe with coconut added, giving it a perfect sweetness to complement the tang of the buttermilk.”

– Candice Poss

March 2019

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L A S T B I T E // S T U F F T O D O

MARCH

BY JAMES BOECK M ANN AND TAY L OR COU TAIN

Cuba, Culture and Cuisine March 2 – 6 to 9 p.m., Saint Louis Science Center, 5050 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, 314.289.4400, slsc.org Pair an Omnimax experience of Cuba with a film-inspired dinner buffet featuring picadillo and yellow rice pilaf among other Cuban dishes. Dinner follows a screening of “Cuba: Journey to the Heart of the Caribbean” and is accompanied by cocktails, a special presentation by film director Peter H. Chang and a performance by the University of Missouri-St. Louis Afro-Cuban Ensemble. Tickets available online or at the box office.

Slipping into Darkness March 9 – noon to 4 p.m., 1220 S. Eighth St., St. Louis, 314.436.1559, 4handsbrewery.com Celebrate more than 25 4 Hands Brewing Co. stouts like Chocolate Milk Stout, Madagascar Chai and Single Origin Imperial Stout, while enjoying food pairings like fried shrimp, fried oyster baskets and grilled cheese-crab sandwiches from Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. There’s also live music by My Posse in Effect outside and DJ Makossa is spinning inside. Tickets available online.

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Spirits of St. Louis Wine Tasting March 9 – 6 to 8 p.m., Randall’s Wines & Spirits, 14201 Manchester Road, Manchester, 636.527.1002, Facebook: Spirits of St. Louis Wine Tasting Kick back and relax while sampling organic French wine as Cristophe Coste, wine producer at Domaine de la Charite, walks you through each varietal. Several Domaine de la Charite wines are available for sampling and purchase, including Dame Noir, Dame Blanche and Altitude 150. Light appetizers are provided. Tickets available online.

4204 Main Street Beer Dinner at HopCat March 19 – 7 to 10 p.m., HopCat, 6315 Delmar Blvd., University City, 314.582.3201, hopcat.com Join 4204 Main Street Brewing Co. to sample five beers, including Assaulted Caramel Brown and Chocolate Coconut Stout, while enjoying a four-course meal with items like stuffed, bacon-wrapped jalepenos and chicken Parmesan. Tickets available online.

Beer & Grilled Cheese Night March 22 – 6 to 10 p.m., Cedar Lake Cellars, 11008 Schreckengast Road, Wright City, 636.745.9500, cedarlakecellars.com Try unlimited samples of Cedar Lake Cellars’ grilled cheese, including the Fruitful with brie, apple and cranberry, the Trainwreck with bacon, onion, mustard, Gouda and maple syrup and more while enjoying beers provided

by O’Fallon Brewery and Schlafly. Get in the groove and burn off some of the cheese and brew with live music by Pure Nectar. Tickets available online.

Taco Bar Crawl March 30 – 2 to 7 p.m., downtown St. Louis, 520.358.6811, Facebook: Taco Bar Crawl St. Louis Taste a variety of tacos on a downtown crawl with beer, tequila and margarita specials.

Participating bars include Tin Roof, Start Bar, Wheelhouse and more. There are also raffle prizes, as well as taco-themed merchandise for sale. Tickets available online.

March 2019

March 2019

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L A S T B I T E // W H AT I D O

2nd Shift Brewing, 1601 Sublette Ave., St. Louis, 314.669.9013, 2ndshiftbrewing.com

LIBBY CRIDER

“ I N B E E R , the people were so welcoming. They didn’t care that I didn’t know anything.

They wanted to show me what they knew, what they liked, their experiences in beer. …

You never see anything really like that in wine.” “ W E L O O K E D for three years before we found this spot [on The Hill]. I like to tell the story that I was more excited about finding this spot than I was about my wedding dress – because it had drains!” “ B L U E C O L L A R is honestly how I try and describe [2nd Shift]. We’re definitely quirky. Steve is definitely eccentric, and I adore it. … We want to be

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approachable. We want to be that place where you feel like you’re hanging out in your friend’s garage.” “ I W O U L D notice when I first started using social media, we’d get five, six, seven likes on [a beer photo], but all the cats were getting like 500, 600, 700 likes.

People paid attention to the cats, and, well, if you’re going to pay attention to the cats, I’m going to incorporate our beer into the picture so you pay attention to the cats and our beer.” “ T E C H N I C A L E C S T A S Y Pilsner is my favorite. It’s just crisp. It’s the right amount of hoppiness, the right amount of bready

toastiness. It’s just quenching. …

If I’m feeling a little sassy, I’ll go for an Art of Neurosis, but two of those and I’m usually drunk.

But I’ll drink Pilsner all day long.” “ I WA S D E F I N I T E LY scared to share some of my experiences [in the beer industry], because I felt like maybe I was complaining or whining, and then I started talking and realized I wasn’t the only one. … [People judge] us women on our beer knowledge or our gender without knowing anything. Having the conversations, particularly online, has opened up a lot of the opposite sex’s eyes to being more inclusive. Now if we could only tackle racism next, that would be great.”

“ I H AV E A G L A S S or two or three of wine every night. It’s usually different. I like to switch it up.

Sam from Claverach Farms – we did a bottling of one of his wines last year, and he gave me this box of super esoteric random wine.

I’ve been treating myself. Once a month, I’ve been opening one.” “ T H I S I S W H A T I WA S M E A N T T O D O . I turned 30 the year I met Steve, and I had this existential crisis over what I was going to do with my life. Would I always be working in wine? Would I own my own wine shop? What did I want to do? Everything became very sharply clear the moment I started working with Steve.”

March 2019

PHOTO BY JEN WEST

Libby Crider met her future husband on her first day working at 33 Wine Bar. She didn’t just fall for 2nd Shift Brewing owner Steve Crider; she also became enraptured with the St. Louis beer scene.

She took over the business side of the brewery as coowner, and today the Crider family (which includes two toddlers, a dog, five cats and one African gray parrot) turns out top-notch brews on The Hill. Here’s how Crider went from a sommelier struggling to find her way to one of the leading voices in the local beer community.

– Catherine Klene

March 2019

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L A S T B I T E // L A N D M A R K

DINER’S DELIGHT

BY A DA M R OTH BA R TH

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Diner’s Delight, a hallowed soul food joint tucked away just south of Midtown.

Camouflaged by a totally ordinary exterior, the kitchen quietly turns out some of the best soul food in the city. Since opening in 1969, the Houston family has served customer favorites like Salisbury steak and an original fried chicken recipe that has never changed.

Other winners include hard-fried wings, with sauces ranging from a spicy honey glaze to straightahead Buffalo, and a tasty peach cobbler. Jo Houston ran Diner’s Delight for decades, but her sons, Greg and Markeith, are in charge now. “It’s a struggle, like any business. But if you can make it in the restaurant business, you can probably do anything,” Greg said. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but the Houstons have made it work for half a century.

PHOTOS BY DAVID KOVALUK

1504 S. Compton Ave., St. Louis, 314.776.9570, Facebook: Diner’s Delight

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March 2019

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find out why we're sweet on honey beers, p. 8

GuideST. to Beer I SAUCE LO2019 U I S’ I N D E P E N D E N T C U L I N A RY AUTH O R IT Y // S AU C E MAGA Z I N E .C O M // F Rsaucemagazine.com E E , G U I D E TO B E EMAGAZINE R 2019I 1

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Guide to Beer 2019

Guide to Beer 2019

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Lagers We Love

Lawnmower beers.

Crushers. Patio pounders. Lagers have a reputation for being cheap, sessionable and often for being far from the “craft-ness” of styles like IPAs, sours and Imperial stouts.

Easy to drink but hard to make, it takes a lot of skill to brew a good lager. Luckily, in the shadow of the biggest producer in the world (Anheuser-Busch InBev), there are a lot of breweries turning out superb local lagers.

By Adam Rothbarth

Logboat Brewing Co. Bobber

Herbal and floral notes give Logboat’s Bobber a tremendous balance. This unfiltered lager is rich and flavorful, but still flows comfortably with a familiar texture.

O’Fallon Brewery Big Walt

Black Lager, a smooth, mildly bitter beer that bears notes of something roasted or baked.

Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. Stammtisch and Black Lager

4 Hands Brewing Co. City Wide Pils

St. Louis’ king of German styles, UCBC has a number of fine lagers. A couple favorites are the Stammtisch, a friendly, German-style Pilsner with a big, hoppy middle, and the

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Skating a fine line between being crazily smooth and having an aggressive, malty vibe, this cloudy beer is endlessly drinkable and works any time of year.

2nd Shift Brewing Technical Ecstasy

Named for the owner’s beernerd satisfaction in making this difficult-to-brew beer (and also for the Black Sabbath album), Technical Ecstasy is a magical lager. It has a robust, big base equally pleasant when sipped in a tasting room or slammed during the big game.

Anheuser-Busch Budweiser

There’s no getting around it: Budweiser is one of the highestselling beers in the world for good reason. Even craft brewers get behind Budweiser. It’s made with delicate yeast, beechwood chips and multiple fermentations. Turn up your nose if you like, but we’ll ride for it.

All beers are widely available at local bottle shops.

Guide to Beer 2019

PHOTO BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

O’Fallon’s Big Walt feels like a loving tribute to your classic macrobrew lager, but still has a bit of craft crispness. This golden-pouring iteration goes down like water.

Guide to Beer 2019

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Rockwell Beer Co. Stand By Look for a palate dominated by floral and herbal Noble hop characteristics, a nice minerality and a drier finish in this dry-hopped Pilsner – the first in the new brewery’s lager series.

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The Civil Life Brewing Co. Irish Red Ale Look for a mellow citrus and herbal hop character, bready and mildly sweet malt and just a touch of roasted barley in this lovely new release from the brewery that does perfect so well.

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2nd Shift Brewing BarrelAged Liquid Spiritual Delight with Maple Big, boozy and barrelaged, this roasty Imperial stout gets extra complexity from the addition of Vermont maple syrup.

The highly sought-after beer from the cool cats on The Hill sees two whiskey barrel iterations: Pinckney Bend and Heaven Hill.

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Wellspent Brewing Co. Barrel-Aged Soirée Privee Celebrate Wellspent’s first anniversary with one of the first in its barrel series. The raisin, plum and spice notes of this Belgian-inspired Quad play nice with mild tannins and light oak presence from red winebarrel aging.

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Earthbound Beer Mint Julep Gruit Just in time for the greatest two minutes in sports, this cocktailinspired beer is made without hops, but explodes with citrus, spice and an underlying herbaceous character from the interplay of rye, jiggery, lime zest, kefir leaves and mint.

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Guide to Beer 2019

JONATHAN MOXEY PHOTO BY GREG RANNELLS

“In terms of beer, I love going to Wellspent and Civil Life, and getting back down to Perennial.

I stop in at Side Project as well.

I used to live a block away from Tick Tock Tavern; now I live like eight blocks away. It’s probably better that it’s more than a block away from me. It feels like you’re drinking in your grandpa’s bar, or somewhere much smaller than St. Louis. It’s new-ish, but well-worn. I usually get a can of DAB in there, that Dortmunder export, which is really hard to find. And you can get a Manhattan for five bucks or whatever. It’s really comfortable and low-key. It’s a good place to disappear for a bit and not go too far.” – Jonathan Moxey, Rockwell Beer Co.

Get out this spring for these trendy, classically inspired or oak-aged local brews.

A lot are brand new and all are exceptionally made. – Katie Herrera

p ri

4 Hands Brewing Co. Brut IPA This on-point, extradry IPA is light and refreshing while bursting with flavorful tropical fruit, incessant effervescence and an abundance of mostly Citra and some Mosaic hops.

“I worked at the iTap in Columbia, so all of the iTap locations have a special place in my heart. For date night, my fiancee and I like to go to The Royale. It’s never super populated, and the beer selection is constantly changing.

Great whiskey selection too.”

– Rob Abell, Ferguson Brewing Co.

ly s

SPRING FORECAST //

“I like to stop at White Rooster because I haul beer back and forth between our Chester location and our St. Nicholas location. I convince myself that it’s on the way, but it’s like 15 minutes off the route. The guys are always there – the owners – they’re always hanging out, ready to talk with people. Their beers are excellent. I usually get whatever they dumped a bunch of fruit into – their nice, fruited, sour, barrel-aged thing.” – Paul Plett, St. Nicholas Brewing Co.

WHITE ROOSTER PHOTO BY JULIA CALLEO; ROYALE PHOTO BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

“I love Urban Chestnut’s Midtown location. They’re open two hours later than we are, so I can always go there and have a glass of lager before I go home from a bar shift. If my wife and I actually get to go somewhere, we go to Reeds American Table in Maplewood or Olive + Oak. At Reeds, their cocktail menu is awesome, and their bar manager makes a mean Sazerac. At Olive + Oak, they have a new one on their winter cocktail menu.

There’s bourbon in it. It lists three ingredients, but I’m sure it’s much more complicated than that. It expanded my palate as a brewer.” – Kyle Kohlmorgen, Wellspent Brewing Co.

We asked some of our favorite brewers where they drink when they aren’t on the clock. All of them spoke passionately about their most beloved watering holes, and most lamented how little time they have go to out.

– Adam Rothbarth

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WHERE BREWERS DRINK

Guide to Beer 2019

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HONEY & HOPS

By Matt Sorrell

While it may conjure up saccharine associations, honey can bring much more than sweetness to the table when used in brewing beer. It’s one of the earliest ingredients ever used to make fermented beverages, and it continues to be a go-to for modern brewers.

Honey is often used during fermentation to accentuate texture and color, or added after the boil for enhanced aromatics. It only sweetens beer when added after brewing. But it’s tricky to work with. Honey can be damaged by the heat of the brewing process, and the viscosity makes it a mess to use, according to Earthbound Beer brewer-co-owner Stuart Keating.

Too much or the wrong hops can overwhelm honey’s inherent nuances.

But the results are worth the effort.

“The complexities [honey] offers you can’t get anywhere else,” said Side Project Brewing brewer-co-owner Cory King. “It brings a real delicateness to the table.”

With spring on the horizon, area breweries are bringing a variety of honey brews to market. Earthbound recently released its annual lavender braggot, a mead variant brewed with malt as well as honey, and will release Space Dream, a braggot with blackberries, in September.

Side Project is set to brew a yetunnamed tripel with honey for the National Honey Board’s annual Honey Beer Summit to be held in St. Louis this August. Perennial Artisan Ales recently brought Ancient Names, a Belgian saison made with Spanish rosemary honey, back to its tasting room, while Contentious Matters, an extra porter made with melter honey, is still available. Here are a few more honey brews available to try now.

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Six Mile Bridge Beer Irish Red Ale With Honey

This smooth red ale has a good amount of butterscotch and toffee on the nose and the palate, thanks to the honey in the mix.

It finishes long and dry with just the right touch of bitterness. Craft Beer Cellar, 8113 Maryland Ave., Clayton, 314.222.2444, clayton.craftbeercellar.com

Side Project Brewing La Ruche Blend No. 2

The second incarnation of this oak-aged Missouri saison utilizes alfalfa honey (the first employed orange blossom honey) to create a grassy, tart brew with just a bit of effervescence. The Side Project Cellar, 7373 Marietta Ave., Maplewood, 314.224.5211, thesideprojectcellar.com

Recess Yellow Buzz

This fruity and floral Imperial pale ale is a hot-rodded version of Recess Yellow Buss Pale Ale. Honey is added during fermentation to ramp up the booze level to a hearty 8.6 percent and produce a subtle depth of flavor. Recess Brewing Co., 307 N. Main St., Edwardsville, 618.692.5101, recessbrewing.com Guide to Beer 2019

Guide to Beer 2019

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T H R E E

C H E

main & mill coowners denny and barry foster

10 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

Guide to Beer 2019

E E R S F O R B E E R Denny Foster’s career has been a story of threes. It was three years and a day that he worked at a finance job he hated before he left to see if he could turn his homebrewing hobby into a career. He spent the next three years at Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling Co., climbing the ranks to eventually become manager of brewery operations. And when he and his dad, co-owner Barry Foster, bought a collapsing building at the corner of Main and Mill streets in Festus to make his dream a reality, it took them – you guessed it – three years to rehab the place. Now, just over three years since Main & Mill Brewing Co. opened its doors, it’s considered one of the best-kept secrets in local brewing. Here are more than three reasons to change that.

By Stacy Schultz

Photos by Rolf Ringwald

Guide to Beer 2019

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THEY STARTED (AND STAYED) SMALL When Denny Foster began experimenting with brewing, he worked with a 10-gallon system that let him try as many different styles as possible. These days, he’s upgraded to a 7-barrel system, which is still much smaller than an average craft spot.

The bad news: The taps go fast. The good: With nothing on tap for more than about a month, you always get a crazy-fresh pour.

THEY DO WHAT THEY WANT For example, the Ale of 1,000 Suns, a lemon-laden summer wheat, hit the tap around when the polar vortex crept into our seasonally depressed souls. “Myself, and [head brewer] Brandon [Bischoff] and Steve [Rusnack] were just like, ‘This is what I want to drink right now.’ So we just decided to brew that.”

THE GREEN CHILE BEER NEVER LASTS LONG Main & Mill’s Green Chile Ale has become a cult favorite, made with fresh serrano and Anaheim chilies and brewed a barrel at a time so the peppers don’t develop funky flavors – not that they have time to.

With deep, smoky notes and a heat that hits the back of your throat,

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customers have been known to fill six growlers at a time, clearing the brewery of its entire batch. “It’s a good problem to have,” Foster acknowledged.

THERE’S A BEER FOR EVERYONE Foster’s wife is more of a rum-andDr. Pepper drinker than a beer drinker. “It still makes me tear up inside a little bit,” Foster said with disbelief. So when he brewed

Clyde’s Ale, he tweaked it until his wife said she’d drink it all day. So will your craft beer newbie.

OH, AND FOOD Running a business is hard. Brewing beer ain’t easy, either. So why did Foster decide to do both and open a restaurant? It was all about knowing his customer base. “This is a Busch community,” he explained. “There wouldn’t be a conversion of those Busch drinkers to our beer without

offering them food to come in and then just be like, ‘I guess I’ll try it.’ We’ve had a lot of ‘I guess I’ll try its.’” These days, those craft beer converts come in to tell Foster other local beer spots they’ve tried.

“It’s not only good for us,” he said, grinning. “It’s good for the St. Louis beer community.”

THE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM HAS A 300-PERSON WAITLIST Frustrated by endless renovation but Guide to Beer 2019

Main & Mill 240 E. Main St., Festus, 636.543.3031, mainandmill.com

clockwise from left: the main & mill dining room, a selection of beer at the brewery, fish and chips, the carpathian imperial stout

Guide to Beer 2019

committed to keeping his customers happy and to brewing for festivals, Foster started a membership program that offers discounts, behind-the-scenes info and even a say in what they brew next. Once they opened it up to bottles, it really took off, as Main & Mill started pulling in high trade values at bottle shares, led by its ever-popular stouts. Suddenly, 400 members across 28 states and three countries were enjoying Foster’s bottles.

THERE’S ROOM TO EXPERIMENT Because Main & Mill doesn’t package and sell beer in retail, it isn’t locked into any styles. Foster guessed they’ve brewed about 250 to 300 beers in 100 different styles, rarely brewing the exact same beer twice (besides a few faves, like the perfectly balanced Red Rye).

Upcoming? A Berliner Weisse brewed with lactose that tastes of peaches and vanilla.

THEY’RE WORKING WITH FAMILIAR FACES Foster is teaming up with Libby and Steve Crider of 2nd Shift Brewing and Jeff Hardesty of Narrow Gauge Brewing Co. for an ongoing collaboration series that will, among other things, showcase each brewer’s twist on a similar recipe. First up was an Imperial stout; next will be a saison available at Main & Mill in the spring. The name they chose for the collaboration: Cuvee de Tois, which translates to the Blending of Three. Well, of course it does.

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FIELD TRIP 11 ILLINOIS BREWERIES TO TRY NOW

BY CATHERINE KLENE, ADAM ROTHBARTH AND MATT SORRELL

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Guide to Beer 2019

PHOTOS BY R.J. HARTBECK

the dining room at hopskeller, opposite page: a flight at hopskeller

Guide to Beer 2019

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T H E O L D BA K E RY B E E R C O. 400 Landmarks Blvd., Alton, 618.463.1470, oldbakerybeer.com Eco-conscious beer nerds should flock to Alton, where the former industrial bakery-turnedbrewery and restaurant showcases a dedication to sustainability. Old Bakery’s entire portfolio, from its everyday Citrus Wheat to the Gentle Giant Double IPA, is USDA-certified organic, and its food menu boasts a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan fare. The cavernous brewery is also family-friendly, with plenty of space for kids to explore and play games while the adults settle in with a few pours and a flank steak banh mi or vegetarian Reuben. –C.K.

RECESS B R E W I N G C O. 307 N. Main St., Edwardsville, 618.692.5101, recessbrewing.com

Recess Brewing Co. harkens back to brewpub days of old. A cozy brick building nestled in the heart of downtown Edwardsville offers respite from unpredictable early spring weather. Locals pop in for a pint on their way home from work, bellying up to the small bar for a friendly chat and a few pretzels, bags of Billy Goat Chips or cheese curds. Snag a seat by the cheery fireplace with a view of the tiny brew works, and order a flight of constantly rotating beers. Darker brews like the low-ABV Pedagogical Porter and the bold Hussies in Space stout should make an appearance on your board (bonus points if you can also try them on nitro), as well as the easysipping, 7.4 percent 2211 IPA. – C.K.

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O L D H E R A L D B R E W E RY A N D D I ST I L L E RY

stubborn german brewing co.

115 E. Clay St., Collinsville, 618.855.8027, oldheraldbrewing.com

This 2-month-old brewery is the new kid on the Illinois block, but don’t let its age fool you.

Brewer Tor O’Brien knows a thing or two about beer. Eight taps pour a color spectrum of styles from a hay-hued, refreshing Miner’s Coalsch to the golden Exclusif, a French/ Belgian-style saison. Printer’s Ink, a black ale doing its best impression of a bold stout, is dark and rich enough to serve as its namesake, but that’d be a waste of great beer. A menu of indulgent comfort food pairs perfectly with your beer pick; don’t sleep on the mammoth, spent grain-breaded jalapeno poppers or the house-made corndog nuggets with an addictive IPA mustard. – C.K.

42 04 M AIN ST REET BREWING C O. 4204 W. Main St., Belleville, 618.416.7261, mainstreetbrewingco.com Whether you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive steak dinner or a basket of fried pickles while you watch the St. Louis Blues game at the bar, 4204 Main Street Brewing Co. has you covered. We can’t wait for warm weather so we can experience 4204’s real gem: the expansive biergarten with more fire pits than a campground, cornhole, giant Jenga and hammocks slung between trees. The beer list also ranges from light, crisp lagers and blonde ales to rich stouts. Explore with a four-beer flight and make sure one pour is 4204’s Chocolate Coconut Stout, with notes of baking chocolate and a lingering but not overpowering coconut finish, or the roasty porter on nitro. – C.K.

H O P S K E L L E R B R E W I N G C O. 116 E. Third St., Waterloo, 618.939.2337, hopskeller.com Hopskeller is the kind of brewery you wish was a block or two away from your home.

For a lucky few in Waterloo, Illinois, it is – but it almost wasn’t when the brewery

suffered a major fire a month after opening in 2016. About a year later, Hopskeller reopened and joined its neighbor Stubborn German Brewing Co. in making Waterloo a required stop on this list. The bar-style kitchen with a separate ordering register is deceptively small, but turns out exceedingly tasty pizzas, pretzels and more. The beer spans a wide range, from the light, High Life-esque Clair de Lune to the bold Across the Pond IPA. The fact that there’s something here for everyone rounds out the communal vibe of this rustic-feeling, twostory brewery. – A.R.

ST U B B O R N G E R M A N B R E W I N G C O. 119 S. Main St., Waterloo, 618.504.2444, stubborngermanbrewing.com

Another small-town Illinois Main Street gem, Stubborn German has a classic bierhall vibe.

The interior boasts community tables, a lively bar area and the brewhouse on full display, and there’s a covered biergarten out front for warm-weather sipping. The Fade to Black oatmeal stout, with its toasty, chocolatey notes and dry finish, makes for a comforting pint as winter slowly gives way to spring.

Food isn’t available, but folks are encouraged to bring in their own eats. – M.S. Guide to Beer 2019

WHITE ROOSTER PHOTOS BY JULIA CALLEO; STUBBORN GERMAN AND HOPSKELLER BREWING PHOTOS BY R.J. HARTBECK

From Belleville to Waterloo, the Illinois brewery scene is booming, and it’s time to explore past the river. Try to hit them all in a day at your peril, but since you’re not one to shy away from adventure, we organized our list north-to-south for easy traveling. Most breweries are 20 to 40 minutes apart, and some are right around the block. Select a few to visit together, or plan a well-organized weekend with a designated driver. Just make sure to refuel with water and cheeseburgers on the pastoral drive between small-town gems.

from left, kairos berliner weisse and gold rush IPA at white rooster

L I E F E R B R ÄU B R E W E RY 118 E Market St., Red Bud, 618.967.0804, lieferbrau-brewery.business.site

German-style beers are the name of the game at this brewery and tasting room.

Located in a historical building circa 1888 in downtown Red Bud, this operation has 12 brews on tap, along with a lengthy whiskey list, cocktails and a few wines.

There’s no kitchen, but guests are welcome to bring their own food, and on most Wednesdays, the Burnt End barbecue joint across the street hauls over specialty wings for purchase. It’s quite convenient as barbecue is a solid pairing for sippers like Lieferbrau’s crisp and smooth Double Crop cream ale. – M.S.

W H I T E RO O ST E R FA R M H O U S E B R E W E RY 113 W. Jackson St., Sparta, 618.449.2077, whiteroosterfarmhousebrewery.com

Until recently, the biggest claim to fame in Sparta was arguably the World Shooting and Recreational Complex. Now it’s become a beer nerd destination thanks to the work of White Rooster Farmhouse Brewery owners Chris Van Horn, Eric Ogilvie and Michael Deutschmann. From the tasting room, you can see towering racks of barrels on one side of the cavernous space. Taps rotate frequently, but you can usually try a signature farmhousestyle beer on draft. The bold, barrel-aged stouts also are worth a sip if you’re lucky enough to find one. Other tasty offerings are the Citra pale ale or variation of Bellman, a porter. They’re just as worthy as their boozier counterparts. – C.K.

S C R AT C H B R E W I N G C O. 264 Thompson Road, Ava, 618.426.1415, scratchbeer.com

Scratch Brewing Co. is not on the way to anything. In fact, it’s incredibly out of the way, but the red-roofed barn tucked in the Guide to Beer 2019

woods on the edge of a southwest Illinois cornfield is absolutely worth the trip. The farmhouse-style beers are made only with what brewer-owners Marika Josephson and Aaron Kleidon source locally, forage or grow on-site. You’ll find brews made with cherry bark, paw paws, wild grapevines, clover and hickory leaves, each more surprising and delightful than the last. The same attention to local detail is paid to the food. A roaring, wood-fired oven turns out 12-inch pizzas topped with cheese and meats from neighboring farmers. There’s no telling what you’ll find on any given weekend at Scratch, but one thing is certain – you won’t find it anywhere else. – C.K.

ST. N I C H O L A S B R E W I N G C O. 12 S. Oak St., Du Quoin, 618.790.9212, stnicholasbrewco.com

Located just off Du Quoin’s picturesque Main Street in a reclaimed historical building, St. Nicholas Brewing Co. is a true neighborhood joint. The brewery has a bicycle theme, belied by details like the sprocket that forms the brewery logo to the bikes of various types hanging from the ceiling to the bicycling-inspired names of some of the beers, like the bright and fruity Peloton Pale Ale. The kitchen puts out a hearty pub menu with favorites like loaded fries, burgers, pizza and sandwiches, perfect for soaking up all that beer. – M.S.

hopskeller owner matt schweizer

the tasting room at white rooster

B I G M U D DY B R E W I N G 1430 N. Seventh St., Murphysboro, 618.684.8833, bigmuddybrewing.com

If it weren’t for the logo-ed fermenter out front, Big Muddy Brewing would look like the other industrial buildings along North Seventh Street. The interior is similarly austere – just a bar, some picnic tables, a row of shiny tanks and a corner for swag sales. Food is limited to beer nuts, chips and a popcorn machine. The focus at Big Muddy is squarely on the beer, with unique brews like Hempy Galaxy, an IPA that’s dry “hemped” with Hawaiian Haze CBD, and PBC, a milk stout with subtle peanut butter and bitter chocolate notes. – M.S. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 17

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Guide to Beer 2019

SO GOOD

YOU WON' T EVER KNOW

how STL hops helps homebrewers master their craft

BY ADAM ROTHBARTH PORTRAITS BY IZAIAH JOHNSON

homebrewer sean gemoules

Guide to Beer 2019

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It’s a cold, windy night in South City as I enter Perennial Artisan Ales’ tasting room to attend a monthly meeting of the local homebrew club STL Hops. The familiar space begins to transform into something completely new as brewers enter one by one, walking past me with their various growlers, unlabeled carafes and washedout 2-liter soda bottles filled with dark liquid. I feel like an outsider.

They set up and start pouring drinks.

Everyone seems to know each other, and as I talk with a few of the brewers, the camaraderie begins to rub off on me.

“Anybody need beer?” rings out over the buzz of alcohol-infused chitchat.

Glasses are filled; some of the brewers nod in approval as they drink, while others appear deep in thought. At least a dozen different brews are flowing. A stranger walks over and, without a word, fills up my 2-ounce tasting glass with a German-style lager. I find out later this was Dave “Davo” McWilliams, who won first place at Anheuser-Busch’s BrewFest competition in 2014.

Over the next hour, I try a number of wild creations made by people more than happy to share. Doc Brookman’s blackberry Berliner Weisse is beautifully sour with an incredible ruby hue; Sean Gemoules’ rye IPA is sharp and hoppy, every bit as tasty as 4 Hands Brewing Co. Divided Sky Rye IPA, which I buy weekly as my house beer. McWilliams’ Trappist single and Scottish Wee Heavy are both excellent.

I also try a magnificently murky New England IPA and a fragrant, roasty schwarzbier, both of which are just sitting on the bar unattended. Tasting each beer, I wonder why none of these guys work in the industry.

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These beers are, to be sure, among the best you can drink in St. Louis – and you can’t buy them anywhere. Why is such quality kept so private, only shared at meetings and among friends? Is it a question of resources, or do these people just want beer to remain a hobby? The more brewers I talk to, the more it seems their reasons for homebrewing are all different. The common denominator, of course, is a love of beer.

Troy Meier, a former president of STL Hops, has competed in homebrew circuits throughout the country, from Texas to California, but after pursuing competitive glory, he decided to take a step back to really look at the beer he was making. In the competition scene, he tells me, judges give good assessments based on categories like aroma, mouthfeel, visual and taste, but he found he never learned much from their feedback. The judges’ notes always left him wanting a more concrete direction for his recipe and process – there just wasn’t enough to help him improve.

“I’m talking about detail detail,” Meier says. “What’s making a beer really good – the difference between that and a great beer. That’s when I started to get frustrated, trying to get feedback on my recipes.”

The Beer Judge Certification Program style guideline book is 93 pages long, with encyclopedic-level entries for every beer under the sun. Yet, one rule of some competitions is that you can’t share your recipe with the judges, which means it’s difficult to get an idea of exactly where you’re going right or wrong. What was lacking in the circuit, Meier found in the local homebrewing scene.

“My little group that I run my beer by, I can tell them the recipe. I’ll show it to them after they blind taste [the beer],” Meier says. “They can go, ‘Oh, maybe you should do this, this or this.’ And then we’ll have a discussion about it, which is way better than any feedback you’re going to get out of a blind competition.”

Meier feels like his beer has only improved since he’s stopped competing. Though he seems near the

top of his game, he’s happy to keep brewing for fun while continuing in the IT field, where he’s worked in project management for over a decade.

Meier is interested in eventually setting up a tasting room, but is also wary of the economic reality of operating a brick-and-mortar.

“I know what it takes to start out, and what you’re not going to make in the first three years. Even if you’re successful after that – and our market’s kind of saturated now – I’d have to come up with a business plan. The economics of it just really don’t make sense for me, to quit my job and all that.”

The more brewers I talk to, the

more it seems their reasons

for homebrewing

are all different.

The common

denomina t or, o f

course, is a love o f b e e r.

For Sean Gemoules, a National Homebrew Competition (NHC) silver medalist whose day job is in mechanical engineering, the choice is simple. “I love my job as an engineer,” he says. “You think about [brewing professionally], of course. It’s a lot of homebrewers’ dream to be able to share beer with the public at large on a scale that you can’t do as a homebrewer.” But after brewing for six years and competing for almost as long, Gemoules understands his commitments and priorities.

Homebrewing is about toeing the

line between freedom and limitation.

“If you own a brewery, you might be inclined to be concerned with greater public perception or a drinkability that’s favorable to a lot of people. But if you make your own beer, you can make it how you want to make it,” he says.

And it’s not just creative freedom; there’s also a financial question when it comes to brewing, Gemoules tells me. “Everyone is making the New England-style IPAs – that’s a trend right now,” he says.

“Oftentimes, homebrewers can do just as good, if not a better job with that, because of the amount of hops you can put into a small batch. It’s a very expensive beer to make because of the quantity of hops, so homebrewers can do it on a smaller scale.” In many cases, smaller, homebrewed batches have an advantage over what a professional brewery can manage, especially when the style is costly to master.

Audio engineer Matt Fitzgerald has been brewing for about 10 years, which is half as long as he’s been working his main gig: running the sound on concert tours for Peter Frampton, Ringo Starr and the B-52s.

Touring with these musicians, Fitzgerald has visited beer communities in all corners of the world and still chooses to make St. Louis his home. “I would say St. Louis is up there in the rankings of some of the big beer towns,” he says. “We have a lot going on here. It’s definitely a great beer community.” And the homebrewing scene is part of that.

“In our club, you learn a lot from other people’s styles and methods. It’s been fun along the way. That’s what a hobby is – it’s fun,” he says. Fitzgerald has done the competition circuit too. He’s won big in local competitions, but with his travel schedule he only brews about a dozen batches a year. He’s made it to the final round of the NHC three years in a row but hasn’t won yet.

Fitzgerald has found a feeling of comfort in St. Louis’ homebrewing scene, where he can relax and make the beers he likes to drink – lately, Altbiers, lagers and blondes.

He took first place in a local competition for his “Bud Light clone,” an American light lager he made for his mother, who loves Anheuser-Busch. He even printed out labels for bottling. It’s called Jan Light.

Guide to Beer 2019

These beers are, to be sure, among the best you can drink in St. Louis – and you can’t buy them anywhere.

Creative people especially struggle with the alienating distinction between work and hobby, labor time and free time. “I work at a cafe,” someone may say, “but I’m really a musician.” Or, “I’m a painter and a graphic designer. Plus, I work a 9-to-5 as a paralegal.”

In an ideal world, artists and artisans could support themselves by doing what they love. However, even though it’s tempting to try to get paid for something you’re good at, not everybody wants to monetize their hobbies. And there’s something to be said for those operating as far outside commercial constraints as they can. These homebrewers have found ways to cultivate their brewing talent while still working in other fields they love, and it shows in their beers.

Toward the end of my STL Hops excursion at Perennial, I end up talking to Doc Brookman, who boils it down to a question of materials. Brewing is about getting as close as he can to his ideal beer.

“Being a homebrewer allows one to be more selective of each and every ingredient that goes into each beer, mead, cider or wine. Personally, I have experimented with many different grains, hops and yeasts over the years to figure out what exactly fits my palate,” he later tells me.

homebrewer troy meier

Guide to Beer 2019

With the taste of his remarkable Berliner Weisse still on my tongue, I think about the amount of control and discipline it must take to create beer like this in your garage or basement, at night and on weekends, how much time and money you’d have to invest in it, and with so little recognition. “The best songs will never get sung,” Jeff Tweedy sings in Wilco’s “The Late Greats.” “The best life never leaves your lungs/ So good you won’t ever know.” It’s not an exact analogy, since these beers get made. But they’ll probably never wind up in your hand.

There is a certain freedom in homebrewing, an opportunity to follow your desire to its natural end, to hone your skill to produce something you love without the constraints of efficiency, profit or customer satisfaction. Whether brewed professionally or not, beer is best enjoyed with people you care about, and the brewers of STL Hops know this better than anyone.

Continued on p. 22

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STL Hops Homebrew Club Perennial Artisan Ales, 8125 Michigan Ave., St. Louis // stlhops.com Over 10 years old, this slightly educational but mostly social organization is the home of Narrow Gauge Brewing Co.’s Jeff Hardesty, as well as New Belgium Brewing’s Troy Bedik (previously at Schlafly and The Civil Life). You can catch this club pouring at St. Louis Craft Beer Week’s kickoff festival, Midwest Belgian Beer Fest on July 27.

STL HOMEBREW CLUBS

St. Louis’ incredible beer community is home to numerous professionals who got their start as passionate STL homebrew club members. The best new brewery in Missouri according to RateBeer – Wellspent Brewing Co. in Midtown – was co-founded

by STL Hops member Kyle Kohlmorgen. With a focus on education and peer evaluation in a fun, social atmosphere – it is beer, after all – club meetings are a great place for brewers to grow. Membership dues and rules vary by club, but there’s one for everyone interested in learning about our favorite fermented beverage. Want to expand your beer knowledge? Check out these five established clubs that meet monthly at bars and breweries in the area. – Katie Herrera Saint Louis Brews Modern Brewery, 5231 Manchester Ave., St. Louis // stlbrews.org With its inception in 1985, Saint Louis Brews is the oldest and largest homebrew club in the metro area. It’s no wonder the club has given rise to industry pioneers like Schlafly’s first brewmaster, Dave Miller, Brew Hub’s James “Otto” Ottolini and Missouri Beer Co.’s Dave Johnson.

Sample this homebrew club at the Centennial Beer Fest every year.

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Brewminati Homebrew Club Six Mile Bridge Beer, 11841 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights // stlbrewminati.com With five years under its belt, Brewminati is defined by its dedication to education and community involvement. Catch this club pouring alongside member-turnedprofessional Abbey Spencer of Third Wheel Brewing or raising money for Tenth Life Cat Rescue and Needy Paws Pet Rescue at the Ales for Tails Festival on March 23.

Garage Brewers Society Missouri Beer Co., 22 W. Industrial Drive, O’Fallon // garagebrewers.com Originally called the First Capital Homebrewers when it launched in 1999, St. Charles County’s homebrew club has been the Garage Brewers Society since 2007. It’s the only club in St. Louis to host a national homebrew competition annually, called Champion of the Pint.

Heavy Riff Brewing Co.’s Jerid Saffell, Friendship Brewing Co.’s Bobby Love and Exit 6 Brewing’s Jeff Britton are a few members who have taken their passions to the next level. The Garage Brewers Society will also pour at the Ales for Tails Festival on March 23.

The OG: St. Louis Women’s Craft Beer Collective Global Brew Tap House, 9578 Manchester Road, Rock Hill // Facebook: The OG: St. Louis Women’s Craft Beer Collective Although not exclusively a homebrew club, the OG seeks to educate on all things beer – including the brewing process – to empower, enlighten and strengthen the role of women in the craft beer industry. This collective is designed for women, by women, for hobbyists and professionals, and can be found pouring alongside STL breweries and homebrew clubs alike. Catch the OG pouring at St. Louis Microfest on May 3 and 4.

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S A U C E

B L A C K O U T

B E E R

B I N G O Play Frogger at Two Plumbers Brewery + Arcade.

Movie night at Wellspent Brewing Co. (Fridays – 7:30 p.m.)

Beer bingo at Global Brew Taphouse in Rock Hill (Thursdays – 7 p.m.)

Pet one of the cats at 2nd Shift Brewing.

Watch a Blues game at Center Ice Brewery.

Catch a longhorn with the ring toss game at Civil Life Brewing Co.

Find something with a llama on it at Rockwell Beer Co.

Yoga at Urban Chestnut Brewery & Bierhall in the Grove (Mondays – 5:30 p.m.)

Beer bingo at Craft Beer Cellar in Clayton (Mondays – 7 p.m.)

Tour Anheuser-Busch

Play a free game of shuffleboard at Heavy Riff Brewing Co.

Get a deal at Ferguson Brewing Co.’s late night happy hour (Tuesday to Saturday – 9 p.m. to close).

Enjoy live music on a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday at Schlafly Bottleworks.

(We like Miss Jubilee Wednesdays.)

Bottomless beer brunch at Twisted Roots (Sundays – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Try the beer cheese soup or beer pretzels at Square One Brewery and Distillery.

Shoot a 10,000 on the Skee-Ball game at 4 Hands Brewing Co.

Get weird – try a gruit (beer made without hops) at Earthbound Beer.

Trivia at Charleville Brewing Co. (Wednesdays – 7 p.m.)

Beer bingo at Third Wheel Brewing (Thursdays – 7 p.m.)

Write a haiku about your favorite local beer.

Bring home a growler from your favorite local brewery.

Try a Narrow Gauge Brewing Co. New England IPA.

Try a 10-beer flight at Kirkwood Station Brewing Co.

FREE SPACE

Get a pizza and beer at Peel.

Bingo is one of our favorite beer trends, so we decided to make our own. Post a photo of yourself completing each square with #saucebeerbingo on Instagram by March 31 (and make sure your profile is public so we can see it). The first person to black out the whole board gets two tickets to 4 Hands Brewing Co.’s Lupulin Carnival beer festival! – Heather Hughes Guide to Beer 2019 24 I SAUCE MAGAZINE I saucemagazine.com

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