Name: The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (Schlafly Beer)
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Type: Production brewery/brewpub
Available in DC Market: Yes (for parts of the year)
What you need to know: Schlafly claims to make over 50 different kinds of beer every year, which is a huge number. The brewery started as a brewpub in 1991, but in 1993 they expanded to bottled beer. In 2003, the “Schlafly Bottleworks” opened, which allowed the brewery to greatly expand its current distribution. However, the brewery thinks of itself first and foremost as a local brewery that sells its beer primarily within a 300 mile radius of St. Louis. Despite that local focus, they were still named the 42nd largest brewery in the United States by the Brewers’ Association in 2010.
Beer #1: Schlafly No 20 Vol 2 Hop Toddy
Notes: Anyone who’s ever been sick has (or should have) tried a hot toddy, an alcoholic beverage thought by many to be restorative. Well, Schlafly has tried their hand at making their own beer version of a hot toddy. The beer’s base is a wheat ale brewed with local wheat and honey and some concentrated lemon juice. The beer is then dry-hopped with citra and aged in bourbon barrels. Sounds like one of the more creative beers that will be at SAVOR. This one is a must-try.
Beer Advocate: B+ (5 reviews)
Rate Beer: 89 overall, 99 style
Beer #2: Schlafly Kolsch
Notes: Brewed with a centuries-old yeast strain sourced from a brewer in Koln, Germany, this beer is fermented warm and cold-conditioned. Aside from that, it’s a pretty standard Kolsch.
Beer Advocate: B+ (123 reviews)
Rate Beer: 56 overall, 86 style
Summary: The hop toddy has to be one of the more interesting beers at SAVOR that we’ve reviewed thus far. Just the concept is fascinating, and I’m eager to see how the execution goes. Schlafly will have a strong presence during SAVOR Beer Week, too. So be on the lookout for their events!
This profile is a part of the DCBEER.COM SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2011 SAVOR participants.
Beer Review Disclaimer: The beer reviews found on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer do not represent the opinions of this site. We provide these in the hope that they will serve as a resource showing what some craft beer fans have thought of the beers. These reviews can be a helpful guideline, but are not the be-all end-all about a beer’s strengths or weaknesses.
