Boy two of those guys at that table in the pic for The Stable review sure look familiar! Must get around alot cuz that’s not Oakville!

i agree with the article on the stable, the website needs to have an up to date beer list. my weekend planning would be much easier.

I want to know what’s up with the hair-splitting going on with the “#1 Publicly Traded Brewery” thing I’ve seen going on since the AB/ Inbev thing.

Pabst Brewing sells around 5 Million barrels of beer a year in the U.S. Sure, they no longer own a brewery, but they do still employ a Brewmaster and other production/ QC folks at the Miller Milwaukee plant. Their 5 M barrels has to count for something, no?

Believe me, I there’s no love lost between me & Pabst. I just don’t care if a brewery is publicly traded or not.

Just had some Schlafly APA this evening–currently $6 a sixer at Schnuck’s. Very tasty, but I tasted it against a Bell’s Two-hearted Ale and it didn’t quite measure up.

Ah, was just at the 141/Big Bend Schnucks and the APA was 7.99 a sixer.

The O’Fallon was up to 7.99 a sixer as well.

We are running the Bells Two Hearted at $7.99 a sixer right now. Probably just until Monday when I switch the specials. Unless I get too busy, it might be til Wed.

Paul
The Wine and Cheese Place

As a brewer I enjoy reading comments about our beers. I try not to read too much into comparisons between beers. In Europe all beer labels must show the abv and stronger beers are taxed at higher rates. I am not advocating a change to our tax structure but the flat structure is part of the reason that American craft brewers are pushing abv’s higher and higher, with some brewers making their “session” beers at over 7%. it is interesting to note that at Young’s in London our Old Nick Barleywine was just over 7% abv. Comparing this to one of the new generation American barleywines…

New regulations that are coming in the next few years will really help retailers and consumers to make better comparisons. For example, the comparison between Schlafly Dry Hop APA and Bells Two Hearted can be made but there is over 1% difference in abv. I would expect someone looking for “more” or “bigger” to draw the same conclusion. The Schlafly abv equivalent would be our Export IPA. However, the Bell’s is a showcase for some specific American hop varieties and the Export IPA is made to showcase UK East Kent Golding hops. Again the comparisons are difficult.

Once the new regulations are in and the “serving facts” have to go on the label this will benefit the retailers and consumers. Once they are in and consumers think more about abv in relation to price it will be interesting to see if brewers adjust recipes to meet “category expectations”.

Keep the comments coming.

I did not mean to diss the Schlafly APA. I think Dan might be right about ABV comparisons in that the higher ABV will result from more malt. What I really like about the Bell’s Two-hearted is the balance between the malt and hops. Maybe I’m not enough of a hophead to drink APAs!

Dear Paul,
If you picked up Schlafly for $6/ 6 pk at Schnucks, it must have been a special buy that the store manager had over-ridden in the system. I believe that Schlafly is $6.99/ 6 pk currently at Schnucks, with the exception of their Special Release beers.

And Sam is right that we are $7.99/ 6 pk this month at Schnucks. Of course, you can get get us at Shop N Save for $7.39. Look for us to be $6.99 next month at all three local chain stores.

Currently, though, everyone can get us on sale at both Whole Foods locations and at Lukas Liquors for $6.99–for a limited time, of course!

ive always viewed the APA and 2 hearted as totally different. two hearted is VERY hoppy where as the APA is lighter, however the scent is amazing. APA is more sessionable IMO and when i am BBQing, i would rather sit and drink APA’s. they are great all around. two hearted is when i want that hop bomb in my mouth.

what i would LOOOOOOOOOVE to see from schlafly is an imperial american ipa. something to rival the imp stout and barleywine. hell, even barrel aged would be nice.

overall, between buffalos rye ipa, o’fallons cask ipa and 5 day, and schlaflys APA and export IPA – st louis is doing good!

Wow, how refreshing to read a beer article in the mainstream press written by someone who’s done their homework! Thank you Lauren Chapin and the KC Star!

Derek, Schnucks runs the Schlafly 6 pks often at $5.99 (just grabbed 2 of APA 10 minutes ago). I seem to have gotten there system down that when the 6Pks are on sale the 12pks are regular price. When it is 12pk time to go on sale they run the 6pks at I believe $7.99. Now if I could get them to sell the APA in 12pk.

The thing is, Schlafly seems to focus on English style beers, and authentic interpretations of classic styles, thus comparing them to a lot of American-style breweries is not quite fair.
Either way, I think they make a solid product.
Would I love to see an American IIPA from them? Sure. But, that doesn’t fit their style though.

Just bought an Oktoberfest and APA of the Schlafly myself for $5.99.

See, I have to disagree with scottyp here. I see 2 hearted as a more balanced IPA that while does have a lot of hops, i tend to get more malt in the mouth and aftertaste. The APA (and 5 day) are hop bombs in my book (drinking an APA as I type), both have that nice citrus hop aroma and taste, the malt are second thoughts.

Schlafly does tend to follow english styles, but I think a lot of that has to do with Dan K’s previous work with Youngs.

Maybe we should have a “St Louis King of the Hops” where we put the 5 Day against the APA or Export IPA and see who comes out on top.

I’d actually like to see a IIPA from both O’Fallon and Schlafly, but with the shortage as it is, I doubt I see this until the crop stabilizes or a local hop farmer shows up.

wait, isn’t there a local farm showing up…………

I guess I stand corrected on the current Schlafly pricing. I must admit, I don’t pay too close of attention to their pricing. I know I saw them for $6.99 today at Dierberg’s. Usually, Dierberg’s beer sale pricing is very similar to that of Schnucks; so, maybe I assumed.

Anyway, to Marc’s comment about wishing to see an American IPA from Schlafly, isn’t that exactly what their APA is? I mean a dry-hopped APA and an American IPA are the same thing in my book. Especially, considering that both of these styles are fairly recent “created” styles.

one of the schlafly guys said that the APA is an IPA but they chose to call it an APA. that being said, i want some. im going to lukas to build a sixer of APA’s and 5 days.

If you are going to have a St. Louis IPA contest you have to let Hoptimistic throw its hat in the ring. That beer is more complex than most if not all of the hoppy beers that come out of St. Louis area.

After reading a few posts, I went to my Schnuck’s. They had both O’Fallon and Schlafly sixers for $5.99. I only picked up the Oktoberfest, but I might have to go back for a 5-Day and APA. I support both!

Bill,
Could you please tell me what Schnucks you went to? As far as O’Fallon Beers go, I can tell you assuredly that Schnucks has us for $7.99 this month. Sorry, but the $5.99 tag is probably a mistake–left over from last month.

However, if you’re anywhere near Lukas or a Whole Foods, they currently have us on sale for $6.99. Then, for the month of September, Schnucks, Shop N Save & Dierberg’s will all have us for $6.99.

As always, thanks for the support!

I just got some 5-day at Straub’s in Clayton for $5.99. Unfortunately, when I got home I noticed a date of January. Still tastes pretty good though.

Dear Matt,
Being a small brewery that still hand-labels all of our 6 packs with a stamper like you’d buy at Office Max, sometimes our guys will forget to move the year part of the stamper, and you have what we had a few weeks ago–fresh, very fresh IPA & Unfiltered Wheat going out into the market with a January 2008, instead of 2009 date on the six pack! Rest assured, we run out of stock on our IPA nearly weekly, trying to keep up with production. Therefore, there should be virtually no out of date 5-Day in the market. Also, that Straub’s in Clayton just started selling our Wheach and 5-Day in mid-July; so, again, it is fresh, very fresh beer. Btw, our dates are a pull-date and not a packaging date. Lastly, Straub’s should have raised their retail price to $7.99 starting August 4 (chain wide); so, if you bought it there this month for $5.99, you’re getting a hell of a deal!

*Message to Dave: next time Brian goes on vacation, check the freakin’ year on the stamper before you send fresh beer out into the market with “old” dates!!! People are watching!

Derek,

I am glad you addressed the date situation on the 5 day. I have bought several 6 packs over the past few months and many of them had a January 08 stamp. I suspected that something was amiss, but part of me thought that maybe the 5 day was not selling as well as I thought it should.

Thanks for clearing that up, but keep in mind that not everyone that buys beer in town realizes that it was a simple oversight. In the land of “born on dates” it looks like old beer.

Hi Derek,

I went to the Schnuck’s off of Dorsett and they had the O’Fallon for $5.99. I hope they don’t make a price adjustment before I get there tonight for some cheap 5-Day.

Dear JP,
Thanks so much for the message. I totally understand and completely agree.

This is why I e-reprimanded Dave in the earlier post! Again, DAVE, look at what people other than me are saying on here; and, please make sure to put the right year on our 6-packs next time Brian goes on vacation!!!

Bill, believe me, I am all for you and anyone else picking up our beer as least expensive as you can, as long as you can. I just want you all to know that the stores should probably catch their mistake pretty soon and change it. The weird thing about it all is that the way chain-store pricing is set up, it is nearly always chain-wide in a given market. And, in order to extend a sale price longer, the manager would have to go in to his store’s system and manually over-ride the chain’s pricing. Incorrect sale tags and price signs can remain up after the sale is over, but usually the beer will still ring in at the correct price. All I can say is, enjoy it while it lasts!