I’ve made a change in how the beer tastings will be listed in the Friday Round-Up, it’s going to be a week’s worth of tastings starting with the Friday that the list is posted. So if you’re a retail shop, bar, restaurant, brewery or distributor and want me to list your tasting, make sure to email me at mike@stlhops.com.

Today, from 4PM to 6:30PM the Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton will be having a tasting featuring Avery DuganA IPA, MIkkeller From/To, DeProef/Bells Collab Van Twee, Struise Tsjeeses, Fraoch Heather 25th Anniversary, and Boulevard Nutcracker. Additional information can be found at their blog.

Griesedieck Brothers Brewing will be having a tasting at the Dorsett Schunucks today, October 30, from 4-6 pm. They’ll Be tasting some Griesedieck Bros. Golden Pilsener and will have some brewing memorabilia to view as well.

Once again, if you’re a retail shop, bar, restaurant, brewery or distributor and want me to list your tasting, make sure to email me at mike@stlhops.com.

Last year was my first time attending the Augusta Bottoms Beer Festival, I called it a “beerventure” which is a pretty accurate description. It’s just a nice time outdoors with beautiful weather in the Missouri Wine Country. This year’s festival is on October 4th from 12PM-5PM, ticket will run you $25. I do ask one thing, as Augusta is about a hour away from St. Louis, please make sure to have a designated driver, it’s the responsible thing to do. Here’s a run down of the breweries in attendance this year:

• Augusta Brewing Company
• St. Louis Brewery ~ Schlafly
• Square One Brewery
• Buckner Brewing Company
• Morgan Street Brewery
• Charleville Vineyard Winery and Brewery
• Griesedieck Brothers Brewing
• Anheuser Busch Michelob Specialty Brews
• O’Fallon Brewery
• Boulevard Brewing Company
• Tin Mill Brewing Company
• Buffalo Brewin

Bring your lawn chairs and your sun screen and be sure to come out. This is my second favorite beer festival in the area and I don’t think you should miss it.

If you’re not all festivaled (yes, I did just make up a word) out yet then Saturday, June 28th is your next chance to get yourself a sampler glass and enjoy some Missouri beer.  Westport Plaza is hosting a Beer and Brat Festival from Noon-6PM next Saturday to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.   Here is a list of the breweries who are attending:

• Schlafly
• Buffalo Brewing
• Anheuser-Busch
• Alandale
• Boulevard
• Griesedieck
• Gruhlke
• Ray Hill

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 dollars at the door.  Not too many things go better together than beer and brats.

I received an email from Dan Kopman, the VP of St. Louis Brewery last week and I thought it posed an interested thought, what’s my ultimate list of local beers? Here’s the email:

Just a quick thought (run on sentence to follow). I saw a posting about your perfect beer list or something like that. Moving on from that idea and as a big believer (instilled in my beer DNA from my early days at Young’s in London) that freshness is the key and that locally made is the key to freshness, what would be your perfect list for a bar with say 4 to 6 taps and then some bottles, of locally made beer including what AB makes in StL? I ask this with Heritage Fest approaching and many retailers looking to feature local beers during that week.

I thought this was a clever idea and really gave me something to ponder. Unfortunately a lot of my local favorites are seasonal so I’ll actually be making two lists, the first list will be of beers that are available year round and the other list will be comprised of my favorite local beers. Also remember, I made these choices based on beers that are actually distributed in St. Louis just so people don’t think I was looking to shun local craft brewpubs. The lists are after the jump. continue reading…