With the 4th of July Holiday fast approaching I’ve begun deliberating about what beer I want to take to our annual event.  While this year it looks like we’re going to have mild (and maybe rainy) weather, you always need to consider the fact you’re going to be outside in the sun.  So usually things like stouts, porters and a lot of imperial beers are out of the running for me.

For the most part I’m not a big fan of American-style wheat beers like Schlafly “Hefe” and Boulevard Wheat.  Sure they make a fine lawnmower beer for some folks, but I still want a bit more flavor.   I think Dave and I are the same wavelength about wheat beers.  If I’m going for something cloudy and yellow, I want something with another depth of flavor, be it the spice of a Wit or clove/banana of a Weiss.

Fruit beers are another option.  I think too many beer nerds are too quick to dismiss fruit beers. Sure when they’re bad, they’re usually really bad.  But when they’re good, they can hold their own with some of the best beers out there.   The one concern about some fruit beers is that they can fall into the upper tier of the alcohol range sometimes.  Just something to consider.

What about the old stand-by beers, like Pale Ales, APAs or IPAs? Those are always decent choices, but I’ve never been a huge fan of bitter beers in the hot sun.  Beer should be refreshing in that environment and shouldn’t weigh you down too much with flavor.  That being said, I’ve become much more of a hophead in the past year so I may have to give them another go this year.

Well, enough babbling, what have I decided on?   Well, I’m still trying to decide and maybe some of you can throw out some things I may have forgotten about.  But at this point:

• Bell’s Two Hearte
• O’Fallon Wheach?  (I love it with a hot dog)
• Unibroue Apple Éphémère
• Hitachino Nest White Ale

What are your choices for celebrating this holiday?

Sorry about the late Round-Up, I’m currently in Kansas City for the Cards/Royals series. I plan on making a trip over to Boulevard and the Flying Saucer while I’m out here. Should be a blast. I’ll take lots of pictures. On to the Round-Up:

Stuff from around the web

• Some thoughts on last weekend’s Rhythm and Brews Festival.
• Q&A With Dan Kopman about Schlafly’s greeness.
• Bill comes back from Kentucky with quite a haul.
• You may have heard, but AB said “no thanks” to InBev.

Beer Releases and News

• Paul at The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton alerts me to some new beers he has in stock at the Clayton and Rock Hill locations:
  • Mikkeller Jackie Brown
  • Coney Island Albino Python
  • Coney Island Sword Swallower
  • Unibroue 8 pack Sampler
  • Mendocino Cast of Hawks 12pk sampler
  • Duchesse de Bourgogne 25oz

Here’s a list of upcoming beer events:

• June 28 - Westport Beer and Brat Festival
• July 16 - Newstead Tower Public House Boulevard Beer Dinner

I know I’ve kept pretty quiet about the whole AB/InBev deal, mostly because I’m pretty apathetic to it.  I know it sounds pretty terrible, but in my eyes it’s just a business decision. (In fact this article sums up my feelings pretty well.)  I realize that a lot of people in St. Louis would be affected by the buy-out, but it basically comes down to one huge company buying another huge company.  It just so happens that people have a special place in their heart for one of the companies, but unfortunately all of the fliers, blogging and hand wringing in the world isn’t going to do much to stop it.

On the lighter side of all of this, it looks like Schlafly is trying to do their part to keep local beer local, they’ve begun a fund-raiser to buy InBev.  Now it’s only going to take 50 billion small one dollar donations to make it happen, but nothing is impossible!

Sorry for the small Round-Up today, everything just seems relatively quiet on the beer front in St. Louis.

Stuff from around the web

• Neat write-up about the Rotten Apple.
• Don over at OatSoda reviews the Export IPA from Schlafly.
• If you’re Green and like beer, Schlafly is the place for you.
• More information on the upcoming Stable opening.
• CraftBrewRadio interviews Tom Schlafly.

Beer Releases and News

• Paul at The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton alerts me to some new beers he has in stock at the Clayton and Rock Hill locations:
  • Hitachino Nest XH Matured in Sake Casks
  • Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale
  • Thiriez Extra Dry Hopped French Farmhouse Ale
  • Inveralmond Brewery Blackfriar
  • Orkney Dragonhead Orcadian Stout
  • Mendocino White Summer Ale

Here’s a list of upcoming beer events:

• June 21 - Hermann’s Rhythm and Brews
• June 21 - Wine Stein and Dine
• June 28 - Westport Beer and Brat Festival
• July 16 - Newstead Tower Public House Boulevard Beer Dinner

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.

It was nice meeting a bunch of you at the St. Louis Brews homebrew meeting last night. A lot of beers to be had last night, I noticed some of you had to drop out. For shame! On to the Round-Up:

Stuff from around the web

• The Bible, Beer and the New York Times
• Science, Burgers and Beer
• Lee Koehler reviews Schlafly Kolsch
• Anheuser-Busch and the NHL, BFF.

Beer Releases and News

• Andy from Whole Foods let’s us know about some new beers he has in his stock (and remember if you don’t see it on the shelf, be sure to ask for it):
  • Bell’s Brewery - Oberon Mini Kegs
  • Lefthand Rye Bock 750ml
  • New Grist 6pks
  • Reunion bombers
  • Maredsous 8 & 10 4pks
  • Ommegang Witte 750ml
  • Southern Tier Cherry Saison
• Paul at The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton alerts me to some new beers he has in stock at the Clayton and Rock Hill locations:
  • BrewDog Punk IPA (660)
  • BrewDog The Physics (660)
  • Paradox 009 Ardbeg Stout (330)
  • Paradox 005 Glen Moray Stout (375)
  • Samichlaus 2006 3 liter bottle
  • Southern Tier Cherry Saison
  • Left Hand Rye Bock
  • Left Hand Twin Sisters Double IPA
• Mike Cherre, Beer Consultant at Lukas Liquor posts on their blog some of the new selections they have in stock:
  • Left Hand Rye Bock (750ml bottles)
  • BrewDog: The Physics (22oz bottle)
  • BrewDog: Punk IPA (22oz bottle)
  • J.W. Lee’s Calvados 2006
  • Leipziger Gose
  • Jan de Lichte Double Wit
  • Schlafly Reserve Imperial Stout 2007
  • Schlafly Reserve Barleywine 2007
  • New Belgium La Folie

Here’s a list of upcoming beer events:

• June 6 & 7 - St. Louis Microfest
• June 17 - STL Hops Meet Up
• June 21 - Hermann’s Rhythm and Brews

Stuff from around the web

• You may have heard that InBev is looking to buy AB.
• Schlafly into Soap.
• Goat beer, Miller Light and Schlafly Pumpkin Ale?
• Bakedblog visits the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour.

Beer Releases and News

• Paul at The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton alerts me to some new beers he has in stock at the Clayton and Rock Hill locations:
  • Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale Southern Hemisphere
  • J.W.Lees Manchester Star Ale
  • Altenmunster Maibock (2 liter swing top bottle)
  • Gouden Carolus Tripel 25oz
  • Vapeur Saison de Pipaix 25oz
  • Lowenbrau (German version)
  • Pilsner Urquel in 4pk cans
  • Corona 12 oz Cans
  • Heineken 12oz cans
  • Newcastle Brown 6pk cans
• Mike Cherre, Beer Consultant at Lukas Liquor posts on their blog some of the new selections they have in stock:
  • Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock vintage 2003 and 2004
  • Ettaler Kloster Edelhell
  • St. Michaelsberg Kellerbier
  • J.W. Lee’s Harvest Sherry Cask ‘07
  • J.W. Lee’s Harvest ‘97
  • J.W. Lee’s Harvest Port Cask ‘07
  • J.W. Lee’s Harvest Lagavulin ‘07
  • Gaspar (Belgian I.P.A.)
  • Guido (Belgian Strong Ale)
  • Podge (Belgian Imperial Stout)
  • Demon Hunter (Belgian Style Dark Ale)
  • Xyauyu Reserva Teo Musso (English Barleywine)
  • Harviestoun Ola Dubh Highland Park 30yr
• Chris at Randall’s Wine & Spirits alerts me to some new beers sets he has in stock at the Fairview Heights Randall’s:
  • Left Hand Chainsaw ESB
  • Avery Majaraja
  • Flying Dog Woody Creek White/ Kerberos/Canus Major Sample Four Pack
  • Two Brothers Dog Days
  • Fort Collins Rocky Mountain IPA
  • Shiner Bock
  • Shiner Blonde
  • Cave Creek Chili Beer
  • Red Macgregor
• Chris is also expecting these beers in today at the St. Louis Randall’s:
  • Schneider Hoppfen Weiss
  • Southern Tier Imperial Extra Pale Ale
  • Southern Tier Uber Sun Imperial Summer Wheat
  • Southern Tier Unearthly Imperial IPA
  • Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12yr
  • New Belgium La Folie
  • Tomos Watkin OSB
  • Tomos Watkin Lovely Ale
  • Otro Mundo Red
  • Otro Mundo Golden Ale
  • Jolly Pumpkin La Roja/
  • Jolly Pumpkin Oro De Calabaza
  • Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca
  • Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere
  • Jolly Pumpkin E.S. Bam
  • Sierra Nevada Summerfest
  • J.W. Lees Manchester Star Ale
  • J.W. Lees 07 Harvest Ale
  • 1809 Berliner Weisse
  • Hitachino Japanese Classic Ale
  • La Rulles Estivale
  • Cuvee Angelique Belgian Ale
  • Schneider Aventinus 03 Vintage
  • Farsons Lacto Stout
  • Cuvee Alex Rouge
  • Alvinne Podge Imp Stout
  • Maredsous 10/6/8

Here’s a list of upcoming beer events:

• June 6 & 7 - St. Louis Microfest
• June 21 - Hermann’s Rhythm and Brews

Schlafly brewers get a very special present from Schlafly when they get married, they get to brew a wedding beer.  Brennan Greene celebrated his wedding over the weekend to his lovely fiance Natasha.  In celebration of this even Brennan designed a India Brown Ale.  It was in his hopes that the beer would pair the nuttiness of a brown ale with the floral bitterness of an IPA.  In my opinion, I think he really succeeded.

It’s a 5.5% beer (so a bit low for a true IPA) but the brown ale really works well with the bitterness and makes for a delicious session beer.  I had 5 or 6 glasses of this on Friday night alone.  Stop in at the Schlafly Tap Room and get this beer as soon as you can (I think they even have a few casks of it as well!) because when it’s gone, it’s gone.

Sorry about the really late notice on this one, but for some reason it slipped off my radar. Maggiano’s Little Italy in Richmond Heights will be hosting a beer dinner featuring Schlafly beers tonight, May 20th at 6PM. Here’s the menu for tonight’s dinner:

“Fish and Chips”
Pilsner

Crispy pork shanks, frisee, spring radish, green goddess dressing
Pale Ale

Grilled squab, braised ramps, sorrel mustard sauce
Summer Kölsch

Ballotine of rabbit, quinoa, morels, spiced game jus
Number 15

Chocolate stout souffle, espresso semi-freddo, caramel sauce
Oatmeal Stout

The cost for tonight’s event is $50 per person plus tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made by calling 314-824-2402.

Nick Vickery of Schlafly Beer, sent me over the menu for the Schlafly beer dinner on Wednesday, May 14th at 7PM at the Newstead Tower Public House. Reservations are required and the cost is $40. You can make reservations by calling 314-535-7771.