Stopped in for a pint and to watch the Blues. It was pretty slow the night I was in so the service was good and the noise level was low. I prefer the Bottleworks location but the beer was cold and there was plenty of it.
Stopped in for a pint and to watch the Blues. It was pretty slow the night I was in so the service was good and the noise level was low. I prefer the Bottleworks location but the beer was cold and there was plenty of it.
We had been here once before to sample their amazing craft beers on tap. This time we decided to go for dinner. We started off with delicious poutine. The Cuban & the prime rib sandwich were outstanding. Washed it down with a kolsch & raspberry hefeweisen. Really good!
We came for just happy hour to try some beers. They have 16 beers on tap including a Apple cider and pumpkin seasonal. It was crowded on a Friday night but we were able to find a table.
We'll start with the finish- Sticky Toffee Pudding. The portion was huge; certainly too much for one, probably just right for 3. The wild caught salmon on basil potatoes with asparagus and tomatoes was very flavorful. My wife chose the reuben, sans bread. The corned beef was very most and the portion generous.
We went to Schlafly's Tap Room for the Schlafly Brewery Tour. The Tap Room is located near downtown St. Louis and is not the one in Maplewood. The Brewery Tour is well worth the minimal expense and effort. Schlafly's is a craft brewery and creates some wonderful beers and ales. The tour begins with a detailed explanation of how beer is made and the many, many variances that can be done in the creation of beer. They explain the different barleys, wheats and hops and how they are fermented and flavored. They explain how the barley and wheat can change the flavor and color of the beer based upon roasting time and they let you taste the barleys. During the tour you stand right next to the huge stainless steel vats in which the ingredients are mixed and explain how they are transferred from one vat to another. They also explain how the yeast is added to the mixture to ferment the beers.
You are then taken down the steps to the basement and shown the HUGE storage vats where the beer is aged and are provided with a sample of ale or beer directly from one of the vats. You also see the wooden barrels where other beer is aged and flavored by the wood. There is a real art to tasting beer and the guide explains how to taste and evaluate beers and ales. I learned a lot in the process. Then you proceed to another section of the basement where they provide pitchers of beer for your group and you can then taste 4 or 5 different types of beers and ales in a small glass with the Schlafly logo that you can take with you at the end.
The fascinating history of the Schlafly brewery was related and explained.
It was a wonderful tour which took about one hour. I learned a lot about beers and ales and the brewing process and how the process can affect the multitude of flavors of beer and ale. The Schlafly beers and ales are wonderful and it was good to get a discount on purchasing beers at the end of the tour.
A colleague from the conference turned me on to this place. He'd been eating all his meals here, and I wish I had too.
Great atmosphere, good food, solid service and decent prices. Didn't have the beer as it was lunch and I still had work to do. However, most folks were imbibing, so I'll bet it was good.