I am leaving Grand Rapids, MI, tomorrow morning at 6am driving straight through to Bentonville to see my brother. I will have the wife and a three year old in the car so stops need to be quick. I am looking for recommendations of breweries or bottle shops to stop at on the way between St. Louis and Joplin to grab bottles but not to sit and have a beer. It is an 11 hour drive so any stops need to be quick or the already high likelihood of divorce will go higher. As a follow up, do I need to stop in Missouri or will I find interesting beers in Bentonville. Thanks for the help.
St. Louis is your best bet, but if you're hitting there around lunch and you're on a short clock due to family, you're probably screwed as far as making a quick stop. Looks like you should be able to find a store in Bentonville and find Boulevard, Prairie, Schlafly beers. Just remember you're leaving a beer mecca for Arkansas.
Not sure the exact route you will take but 4 Hands brewery has bottles to go and is right off of 44 highway in Stl. Friar Tucks is a good bottle shop right off of 44 and they also have shops along the route in IL for you too. I would look for 4 hands/2nd shift/Mothers in and around Stl for distribution limited brews. Obviously you can pick up shelf Perennial in Stl or most of MO too, but they dont do bottles to go, nor does Side Project. Dont know too much about Springfield, MO besides Mother's being there. They just released a straggler shipment of MILF this week so you may be able to find bottles of that in Springfield. Highly recommended. Finally, I would have your brother grab Ozark Beer Co BDCS in Bentonville for you if it is still around. They were selling flats at the brewery not too long ago. If he can does and you'd be up for it, I'd love to work something out for 4 or 8 of them from you. Cheers and have a safe trip.
Thanks for the info. I actually called Ozark and they still have BDCS so looking forward to that. Joe, typically I am down for a trade but with the wife and kid and an 11 hour drive non-essential stops are not in the cards.
Macadoodles has a few good stores between Springfield & the AR border. Walton Blvd Wine & Spirits is good. Brown Derby ( the one good store in Springfield, good but pricey, with plenty of stale beer ) & plenty of raves for STL places I've never been
Obviously, the gentleman from Kentucky has not been here lately. Ozark, Core, and Saddlebock are three local breweries producing great beer for retail sale. There are numerous brewpubs producing great beer between Bentonville and Fayetteville. For bottle shops Macadoodles, Guess Who, Walton Blvd. Wine and Spirits and Liquor World in Fayetteville.
