There are few tastier things than a sour beer. But why should you limit yourself to just a single sour beer? Wouldn’t you like to enjoy a large spectrum of the sour beers that St. Louis has to offer? Well, Andy Snead, the Beer Specialist for the Brentwood Galleria Whole Foods is giving you just that chance:

From the Lambics and Flemish Sours of Belgium to the farmhouse tradition of France, join us for a night of wild yeasts and spontaneous fermentations! We’ll sample a wide variety of styles including both Domestic and Imported. These beers will range from fruity and light to bitter and sour, but all have a rolling full palate and a great complexity of flavors. Light snacks provided.

If you’re just getting into sour/farmhouse beers, this event will really open your eyes to the full range of flavors these beers have to offer. The event is happening on August 14th from 6:30-8PM and the cost is $20. You can purchase tickets to this event here.

Schlafly’s Belgian Beer and Mussel Mania is not so much a “festival” as it is an excuse to get together and drink some beer.  I don’t really need an excuse to visit the Tap Room, but having one is always nice.  We didn’t arrive until about 8PM on Friday evening, so not surprisingly a lot of the neat-o beers were depleted.  But, never one to complain, I just enjoyed things like the Wit and the Tripel instead.

I did get to sample the cask Biere de Garde and I have to admit, I’m not a fan.  Part of the reason I enjoy Belgian beers so much is because of their spritzy effervescent nature and the cask just kills that.  It’s missing some of things that make a “Belgian” beer in my mind.  Interesting experiment, but not something I would want to see back.  What did you think of the festival?

The Wine Merchant in Clayton will be holding their first Big Belgian Blowout beer tasting on April 10th from 5:30-7:30PM.  If you’re a big Belgian beer fan (I know I fit all of the requirements) this is an event not to miss, just look at this line up:

Jason Wallace from Merchant du Vin Imports will be on hand at our Belgian Blowout sampling…

• Orval Trappist Ale
• Westmalle Dubbel
• Westmalle Tripel
• Green’s Amber (New Belgian! Bottle Conditioned & Gluten Free)
• Green’s Tripel Blonde
• Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene (Vintage Dry Lambic)

Pete Larsen from Wetten Importers will be pouring…

• Kasteel Rouge
• Brigand
• Samichlaus Helles
• Gouden Carolus Ambrio
• Delirium Nocturnum
• St. Louis Frambozen

Karl Braun from Brasserie Unibroue will be on hand to sample…

• Unibroue Blanche de Chambly
• Unibroue Ephemere Apple
• Unibroue Chambly Noire
• Unibroue La Fin du Monde
• Unibroue Don de Dieu
• Unibroue Maudite
• Unibroue Unibroue 17

Space is limited for this event and reservations are required.  The cost of the event is a paltry $5 and you can make your reservations by calling 314-863-6282.

Back in November I mentioned that we would probably see a rate hike in the price of beer due to the skyrocketing price of hops and malt. But now it looks like we have something else that’s green causing prices to jump, the US Dollar. It seems that currency rates are causing importers like Shelton Brothers to raise prices to battle the deficit between the Dollar and the Euro.

Paul from the Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton let me know that beer prices will be rising from $6 to $27 dollars per case starting in March. Here are just some of the price increases that we’ll be seeing:

• Brasserie de Rocs all flavors $1.00 / btl
• Blaugie Darbyste and Epautre…$2.50 / btl
• Buffalo Stout $1.00
• Delirium both…$1.50 / 25oz btl and 4pks $1.50
• Cantillons…$1.00 btl
• JW Lees in casks….$2.00 btl
• La Choulette…$2.00 btls
• St. Bernardus $2-3 / 4pk

If you want to keep a little extra money in your pocket, it may be worthwhile to stock up on some of your favorites now before the March prices kick in.