Hey BAers Ive done a little Research but looking for some Local advice to my tentative plans. http://stlhops.com/st-louis-beer-guide/ is a site i got some info on. Alright so I am the Best man for my buddy. We live in muncie IN but I am throwing the bachelor party in St. Louis. This will be a very Chill bachelor party no strippers no clubs. Just basically craft beer,Board games(settlers,Resistance,Ticket,etc.) and listening to records.I want to have him check out as many new breweries as we can. Not just going for ticking them Want to def check out quality ones with good beer. Vibe of the group Groom- loves craft beer and has a small cellar of Sour(upland) and BA beers(KBS,BCS etc.) -Other 7 guys. 6-7 love craft beer. the other 1 will be 21 for only 3 weeks before trip so he is new to good beer(hahaha) -of the 7 guys 4 of us are pretty serious craft beer drinkers. we go to DLD and have visited 15+ breweries in Indiana and surrounding states went to other festivals of the such and have cellars. So Here are some details of the Trip. Arriving to our place Friday may 13th approx 4pm Leaving our place Sunday May 15th at approx Noon -we are staying at a Air Bnb which is on Ringer rd. just south of 255. About 15-20 min to downtown. Below is what i need advice on Activity (This is the only Activity outside of breweries and food we are most likely doing for the bachelor party) -IMPROV SHOP COMEDY CLUB.. -Anyone been here?? Is it good? Its Only $5 a person so unless it absolutely sucks it doesn't seem bad for the price even if we only laugh half the time. - Let me know your thoughts and if there is any where else better Breweries Perennial ales- Is food good? What is parking like? Schlafly tap room- I know the beer is just ok(except their pumpkin ale) But we might eat here. Ive been here before but no one in our group has. Thoughts of this brewery compared to others The Side Project - The Bachelor loves sours/wild ales. He is a member of Uplands barrel society(Yes I know Upland Sours have the rep for being over the top sour). ANyway I know he will love this place as it is one of the best sour programs in the US. So I have read the FAQ on SIde projects site but here are my questions. - Parking What is it like? - What are the average price of draft beer? Do they do half pours or flights? - I am really the only one in the group with a beer cellar. So what are my chances of them having Fuzzy or something rarer like that available for purchase? -What is the average price of bottles to be shared in house or to go? - What is the best time for a group of 8 plp to go? I have deduced its a small operation and not much space. Would hate to go and our group not have anywhere to enjoy the beer. This is the main reason we are going to St. Louis is to go to SIde project so any and all info will be greatly appreciated. What other breweries are a must hit. -4 Hands looks decent. -Urband chestnut seems to not get great ratings - ??? Beer bars - looks like BRIDGE is the Draft Magazine top beer bars every year. Is this the best in the area? The website makes it look fancy. Thoughts on this beer bar. -Itap Soulard Looks to have a ton of beers as well. Thoughts on this place. Any other beer bars with good selection of beers.? Bottle shops -Craft beer cellar in clayton looks to have a good selection. prices good? -what other shops have beers that i might not see in Indiana.? Food -Pappys smokehouse me and my wife went before ..WOW this BBQ is amazing. had to line up at like 9am to get in for lunch. What time on a saturday morning should a group of 8 arrive to wait in line to get a table and some tasty meat? -we only need 1 other meal out and that would be a dinner on saturday night. Any suggestions of local great food? might do breakfast sunday morning but also might not. Tentative schedule Friday Arrive at Air Bnb.. Make Dinner and then Head to Improv shop. Then Check out a brewery or two Saturday Prob line up at pappys in the Morning so we can eat lunch there. Go to a few breweries after lunch.Head back to place and chill. Then head back out to some more breweries and dinner Sunday Get up and Head home.. Maybe eat breakfast Somewhere Thanks for any advice you can give. I wont have a ton of room in my vehicle but would bring some FFF or 18th street or any other local IN beers to some good BAers if interested.
Driving home now from St louis now. I can comment on a few questions you had.... Side Project - ample parking lot next to the space. We had a group of 5 and had no problem finding seating at 8 pm Saturday. It got busier as the night went on, so I suggest getting there earlier rather than later. No to go bottles this trip, but in the past they have had them (SdB and Grissette IIRC - 20 each I think? ). On site bottle last was good, though expensive. (25-40 for SP bottles, plus a lot of other bottles available). They update their list daily I believe on their website. No real rhyme or reason to the "big" bottles being available. Schlafly had good food and a nice patio area. Beer was ok. You should check out chicago for their Eleventh Labor though - it was fantastic and I heard you can still get it out there. Craft Beer Cellar is great. Ask for Justin. Half & Half is a great brunch spot right by the Craft Beer Cellar. Long wait, but worth it. Get the doughnuts. Check out Cuginos for a good cellar list. Also a food option but I haven't eaten there.
I agree with @Centinela but here are a few more considerations I'm not familiar with the comedy club, which I guess could be considered bad or good. Based on its location on google, it is very close to ITAP's Central West End location. Also, there is a nearby restaurant called Dressel's which is awesome for food and beer (I drank Blue Label Maman there last Sunday actually) Food at Perennial is great, but the menu is very small Don't underestimate Schalfly, they do some excellent beers. Also, the food at tap room is really good The Wine and Cheese Place is located near Craft Beer Cellar and is also an excellent shop. I think their annual Beer Fest might be that Saturday but I'm not certain. If it is then you should go, cheap but awesome beers will be poured (I had Framboise du Fermier there last year among many others) I'd suggest trying Sugarfire or Bogarts over Pappy's if you're after BBQ. Definitely use Uber or consider getting a limo/party bus. Also, I'd seriously think about finding a different place to stay. Its not very close to any of the places you'll be going
I'll be honest, I stopped reading halfway through your questions. That being said, you are staying within .5 miles of my house, so here's my advice. Perennial is only 3.5 miles north of you on Telegraph/Broadway. Go there and drink good beer on Friday night or Saturday (open at noon). Then on your way to 4 Hands, stop and eat at Stacked Burger bar (about 1 mile north of Perennial) or Bogart's Smokehouse in Soulard (about .5 miles south of 4 Hands). Bogart's will be the best barbeque you have ever had, trust me, I'm from Indiana too (and it's better than Pappy's, no matter what people say, check tripadvisor rankings). The line is also way more manageable, and if you have a group, just call ahead and they will work with you. By about 1-130, the line should calm down. Then go to 4 Hands, and then go wherever you want. You could go to Maplewood and hit up Side Project and then Schlafly bottleworks for dinner. Their food is actually pretty good (get the carnivore pizza). Overall, my main points. Hit Perennial, 4 Hands, and Side Project for beer at least, and don't count out Schlafly. For food, Bogart's is just as good, if not better than, Pappy's and en route and the line is way more manageable. If you are ok with eating outside at 4 Hands on their tables, you can call in take out at Bogart's and skip the line entirely. Mission Taco is also in Soulard right next to Bogart's and iTap, so those are options as well.
If you go to Bogarts, I suggest getting it to go and walking over to ITAP Soulard. They let you bring your own food in as they do not have any
"Schlafly tap room- I know the beer is just ok(except their pumpkin ale)" Wow, tough crowd! Schlafly nails traditional styles and is killing it with their specialty releases. While Side Project always has good beer on draft...if you are thinking you are going to walk in there and carry out a bundle of bottles to go, you might just end up very disappointed.
Uhhhhh, so the groom has a cellar, 4 out of 7 people have cellars, and you are the only one with a cellar. What is going on here??
Do I not live in America.. I'm entitled to my own opinion and so are you! I think there beer is OK... You think it's better.. We both can be right. I asked for advice.. Not looking to be critized for what I post. Your not helping this thread at all.. Please move along unless u really have advice
