If you weren’t able to attend the kick-off for O’Fallon Brewery‘s newest year-round release, Hemp Hop Rye, here’s a list of places you may be able to find it around town.  Please note that these are all places that have ordered kegs of Hemp Hop Rye, they may not have them on tap yet.  Call to verify they’re currently being served:

• The Shanti
• Riddle’s Penultimate Caf & Wine Bar
• Dressel’s Pub (CWE)
• Cicero’s
• Hammerstone’s 9th & Russell (Soulard)
• Llywelyn’s Soulard
• Iron Barley (Cask!!!–Only 2 Firkins of it–dry-hopped with Amarillo!!!)

As one of their final acts in celebration of the IPA, the The Stable will be releasing its first ever IPA tonight, January 28th beginning at 5PM. The hopping on this beer includes Columbus and Cascade which in turn gives it a big “citrus and grass” aroma.

This 6% ABV beer with 60 IBUs had its name picked by a Facebook fan of The Stable and will be revealed tonight at the release party.  I’ve also been informed that the first 50 people to buy tonight’s beer will receive a commemorative pint glass to mark the occasion.

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Also of note is that The Stable has begun brewing an Altbier exclusively for Iron Barley restaurant.  The recipe for this beer is Iron Barley owner Tom Coglin’s own creation. Altbiers are brewed with ale yeast, but fermented at temperatures much cooler than ales would normally be fermented at.

If you want to try it out, head over to Iron Barley as it’s the only place this beer will be available.

From what I’ve heard only one or two casks of O’Fallon Brewery’s Russian Imperial Stout were made and your only chance to get one right now is at Iron Barley.

I’ve heard they’re selling this beer in 12oz chalices for $4.  In my opinion, that’s a great price for a beer that is seeing a very limited release.

Get there while the getting’s good, the casks at Iron Barley don’t last very long.

Ah yes, the yearly “Best of” list from the Riverfront Times. If you were reading STL hops way back last year, you may remember I had a few gripes with last year’s lists. So how does the RFT do this year? (And yes, I’m choosing to ignore the people’s choice stuff.)

Best Beer Selection in a Restaurant
The Shaved Duck

Where do you find the beer list in most St. Louis restaurants? On the last page of the wine list – if you’re lucky. More often than not, it exists only in your server’s brain. It’s not too tough, after all, to commit to memory a “selection” of Bud, Bud Light and Bud Select. A server might try to memorize the beer list at the Shaved Duck. A photographic memory would help. The new gastropub in Tower Grove East stocks a terrific selection of beers. It’s not the longest in town, but it’s curated with great care. American craft beers are featured, from local folks like Schlafly and O’Fallon to industry “giants” like Bell’s, New Belgium and Anchor Steam to lesser-known but not lesser lights like Charleville and North Coast. There are only four taps, but the restaurant rotates in new brews with some regularity – all the more reason to return again and again.

Be still my heart. This is a category I suggested last year and low and behold and to see it actually in print brings a tear to my eye. As for the selection? Brilliant. I mean, let’s be honest, if we had seen The Stable, Erato on Main, Mangia Italiano or the Rotten Apple as the winner, would we have been any less happy? We’ve become very fortunate in the past year to see so many new restaurants pop up that really put an emphasis on great beer. I’m glad to see the RFT recognize that. continue reading…

Iron Barley is celebrating not only their fifth anniversary, but also is kicking off the beginning of American Craft Beer Week with a party on May 10th. Now you may be saying to yourself, “Hey! That interferes with the Heritage Festival!” But not so fast, Iron Barley is providing a shuttle to the festival at 11AM and will pick you back up at 5PM. Here are some details for this event:

Celebrate Our 5 Year Anniversary

Saturday May 10th
Breakfast Buffet 9-11am
Shuttle Bus to Forest Park
For the Heritage Festival 11-5pm

Come Back to Iron Barley and enjoy Food and Sampling of The Boulevard Smokestack Series. And meet with Ray Hill!

Live Music by:
The Line Men
Melody Den
The Transmitters and More….