The question is how and where? I’ve had a ton of people inquiring about how to work at one of the local breweries and my suggestion is, that you need to be persistent (but not annoying.)  You need to keep talking to the brewers, owners, managers, etc.  Let them know that you’re interested.

But what if you’re interested in beer, but not interested in being a brewer?  While the local craft beer business is big to us, it’s really a drop in the bucket compared to the beer business as a whole.  There aren’t a ton of opportunities that are just jumping out at people.

So, I’m thowing this question out to the local pros.  What would you suggest for the beer enthusiast to do to break into the biz?

Be sure to head out tonight and taste some of Drew’s excellent beer.

Here’s a list of what to expect over the next few weeks:

7/8 Sunbeam English Summer Ale
7/15 Sunbeam English Summer Ale - Dry Hopped w/ Mt. Hood
7/22 Sunbeam English Summer Ale - Dry Hopped w/ Ahtanums
7/29 Wall Cloud Smoked Steam Beer

I’m happy to provide my resume and any references you may need.  Thanks everyone.

For those of you who missed the Charleville Vineyard Explicit APA release party at  The Royale here’s your chance to try the Explicit.  The International Tap house will give you another opportunity to try the new Explicit APA by having a party beginning at 6:30PM on Wednesday, July 8th.

Not only will you be able to talk to Charleville brewers and enjoy their newest release on draught, but they’re bringing up a cask for consumption as well.

Here’s a description of the beer from the sexy new label that you see on the right:

“American Pale Ale is not only the standard but the foundry for what has inspired the craft beer movement. Here at Charleville we wanted to celebrate the beer style that stands as the corner stone for what has made American craft brewing so great. Our Explicit APA is brewed with five additions of hops prior to the wort passing through the Hopback on its way to fermentation. To complete this full bodied ale dry hops are added during cold maturation to create a hop forward ale, with a transcendental copper hue.

14 Plato (2 row, Carapils and Crystal malts)

30 IBU (Cascade and Centennial hops)

ABV 5.4%”

• Avery Sixteen has arrived at the Wine & Cheese Place on Forsyth. According to the website The Full Pint, this is a Saison on Steroids. (a day ago)
• Square One Brewery just put their Agave Wheat beer on tap. This American style wheat beer with Agave nectar sounds perfect for summer. (a day ago)
• Hitachino XH going on draught at 33 Wine Shop and Tasting Bar. (almost 2 days ago)
• Sounds like Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA has hit St. Louis. Look for it on store shelves as soon as today. (almost 2 days ago)
• And with that it’s gone. CBS has blown at 33. (2 days ago)
• Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout will be going on tap at 33 Wine Bar on Tuesday, June 30th at 3:30PM. (6 days ago)

Stuff from around the web

• Hip Hops’ Adam Jadhav is leaving for a world-wide trip.   Good luck Adam and thanks for everything!
• The Full Pint reviews Schlafly Pale Ale.
• The New York Times travels to Chicago for some beer.
• Metromix.com posted some photos of the Brewers Heritage Festival.
• Simply Beer pits Schlafly’s Reserve Series Imperial Stouts against other heavyweights.

Retail Beer Releases

• Bombay Wine and Spirits (07/02/09)
  • Magic Hat
  • Grand Teton Bitch Creek
  • Grand Teton Sweetgrass
  • Grand Teton Au Natural
  • Anderson Valley Summer Solstice
  • Unibroue Terrible
  • Maredsous 8 Dubbel Brun
  • Maredsous 10 Triple
  • Big Sky IPA
  • Odells St Lupulin XPA
  • Magner cider
• Corral Liquors (06/27/09)
  • Moose Drool Cans
  • New Holland Imperial Hattter
  • New Holland Dragons Milk
  • Founders Devil Dancer
  • Founders Old Curmudgean
  • Founders Dub Trouble
  • Founders Cerise
  • Cent IPA
  • Red Rye
  • Porter
  • Dirty Bastard
  • Atwater Dirty Blond
  • Boulder Flashback
  • Boulder Sweaty Betty
  • Victory Hop Wallop
  • Victory Whirlwind
  • Victory Wild Devil
  • Lost Coast Indica IPA
  • Ska Decedant Imp IPA
  • Sky Brewing Moose Drool
  • Lakefront IPA
  • Great Divide Hades
  • Boulder Obivoid
  • Avery Maharaja
  • The Lost Abbey Judgment Day
  • The Lost Abbey Red Barn Farmhouse
  • Sothern Tier Un-Earthy IPA
  • Arcadia Cocoa Loco
  • Arcadia Sky High Rye
  • SKA esb CANS
  • SKA IPA cans
  • Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Corn Du Diable IPA
  • Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Rye brew with peppercorns
  • Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Peache Mortal Imp Coffe eStout
  • Bells OberoN
  • 3rd coast old ale
  • Bells 2 Heart
  • Cherry Stout
  • Bells Amber
  • Bells Kalamazoo Stout
  • Bells 2 Hearted
  • 3F Behemoth
  • Shipyard Pugsley Imp Porter
  • Shipyard Pugsley Barleywine
  • Steelhead Mad River Serious Madness Black Ale
  • New Belgium Beir De Mars
  • FireHouse APA
  • Lagunitus 2009
  • Left Hand Imperial Stout 09
  • Left Hand St. Vrain Tripple
  • Shiner Smokhaus
  • OFallon Wheach
  • Allagash Four
  • Thomas Hardy Ale 08
  • DF Raison d Extra
  • DogFisHead World Wide Stout
  • DF FORT
  • DF Red & White
  • DF Black And BLue
  • Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
  • Urthel Hop it
  • Dogfish Palo Santo Marron
• deVine Wines & Spirits (7/2/2009)
  • Abita Purple Haze
  • Abita Amber
  • Avery Maharaja
  • Acme Pale Ale
  • Anderson Summer Solstice
  • Anderson ESB
  • Anderson Amber
  • Anderson Oatmeal
  • Anderson Brother David’s Double
  • Big Sky Moose Drool
  • Big Sky Scapegoat
  • Big Sky Trout Slayer
  • Big Sky IPA
  • Bells Pale Ale
  • Bells Two Hearted
  • Bells Morimoto
  • Bells Hazelnut Brown
  • Bells Expedition
  • Bells Kalamazoo
  • Bells Oberon
  • Belhaven Weeheavy
  • Belhaven Scottish Ale
  • Bear Republic Hop Rod
  • Bear Republic Racer 5
  • Bear Republic Pete Brown 27
  • Breckenridge Pandora
  • Bridgeport ESB
  • Black Art
  • Boulevard Saison
  • Boulevard Long Strange Trippel
  • Boulevard 2 Jokers
  • Coney Island Sword Swallower
  • Coney Island Albino Python
  • Coney Island Human Blockhead
  • Charleyville Hoptimistic
  • Charleyville Half Wit
  • Charleyville Tornado
  • Charleyville Tripel
  • Chimay
  • Carlsberg Elephant
  • Delirium Tremens
  • Floris Apple
  • Founder’s Dirty Bastard
  • Great Divide Titan IPA
  • Great Divide Yeti
  • Gouden Carolus
  • Gulden Draak
  • Guinness
  • Harp
  • Hercules
  • Haywards 5000
  • Hebrew Lenny’s RIPA
  • Hebrew Origin
  • Hebrew Genesis
  • Left Hand St. Vrain
  • Left Hand Jackmans
  • Left Hand Milk Stout
  • Left Hand Sawtooth
  • Leinenkugels Sunset
  • Leinekugels Honeyweiss
  • Leinekugels Amber
  • Magic Hat #9
  • Moylan’s Hopsickle
  • Moylan’s Kiltlifter
  • Moylan’s Imperial Stout
  • New Belgium Fat Tire
  • New Belgium Trippel
  • New Belgium 1554
  • New Belgium Mothership Wit
  • New Holland Full Circle
  • New Holland Dragon’s Milk
  • New Holland Poet
  • New Holland Sundog
  • New Holland Golden Cap
  • New Holland Mad Hatter IPA
  • North Coast Old Stock Ale
  • North Coast Scrimshaw
  • North Coast Russian Imperial
  • O’Fallon 5-Day IPA
  • O’Fallon Wheach
  • O’Fallon Wheat
  • O’Fallon Gold
  • Odell’s 90 Shilling
  • Odell’s Easy Street
  • RedHook Sun Rye
  • RedHook Longhammer
  • Rogue American Amber
  • Rogue Dead Guy
  • Rogue Double Dead Guy
  • Rogue Hazelnut Brown
  • Rogue Morimoto
  • Samuel Smith Pale Ale
  • Samuel Smith India Ale
  • Schlitz Gusto
  • Smithwicks
  • Schlafly Kolsh
  • Schlafly Hefe
  • Schlafly Pale Ale
  • Schlafly Summer
  • Schlafly APA
  • Schlafly No 15
  • Schlafly Imperial Stout
  • Schlafly Barleywine
  • Sierra Nevada Torpedo
  • Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
  • Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere
  • Sierra Nevada Summerfest
  • Sierra Nevada Wheat
  • Saison Dupont
  • Shiner Smokehaus
  • Sapporo
  • Shipyard Export
  • Southern Tier
  • Tin Mill Hefe
  • Tin Mill Skyscraper
  • Tommyknocker Trail Mix
  • Tommyknocker Tundra Beary
  • Tommyknocker Pick Axe
  • Tommyknocker Maple
  • Tommyknocker Oaked Butt
  • Unibroue La Fin Du Monde
  • Unibroue Maudite
  • Wexford Irish Cream
  • Young’s Double Chocolate
• Lukas Liquor (07/02/09)
  • Avery 16th Anniversary Saison
  • Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA
  • Odell Woodcut No.2
  • Odell St. Lupulin
  • Grand Teton Bitch Creek
  • Grand Teton Double Bitch Creek
  • Grand Teton Sweetgrass IPA
  • Grand Teton Au Natural
  • Grand Teton Weizenbock
  • Great Divide Old Ruffian Barleywine (bottled May 2007!)
• Provisions Market (7/2/09)
  • Budweiser All Star 2009 16 oz Alum bottle
  • Odell St, Lupulin Extra Pale Ale
  • Odell Woodcut No. 2
  • Arcadia Sky High Rye
  • Lion Imperial Pilsner CANS
• Wine and Cheese Place (Clayton) (07/01/09)
  • Avery Sixteenth Anniversary Saison
  • Anderson Valley Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema
  • Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA
  • Founders Centennial IPA (bottled June 30)
  • Harviestoun Ola Dubh Aged in 18 year old Highland Park Casks
  • Harviestoun Ola Dubh Aged in 40 year old Highland Park Casks
  • St. Germain Page 24 Blanche
  • St. Germain Page 24 Biere de Printemps
  • St. Germain Page 24 Reserve Hildegarde Ambree
  • St. Germain Page 24 Reserve Hildegarde Blonde
  • Odell Woodcut No.2
  • Odell St. Lupulin
  • McAuslan St. Amboise 2009 Vintage Anniversary Ale
  • Arcadia Ales Sky High Rye
  • Lion Stout in 12oz CANS
  • Lion Imperial Lager in 12oz CANS
• Whole Foods Galleria (07/02/09)
  • Great Divide Double Wit 22oz
  • Great Divide 15th Anniversary 22oz
  • Great Divide Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti 22oz
  • Odell St. Lupulin 6pk
  • Odell Woodcut #2 750ml
  • Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere 24oz
  • Kwak 750ml
  • St. Bernardus Wit 4pk
  • St. Bernardus Abt 12 750ml

Restaurant and Bar Beer List Updates

• 33 Wine Shop and Tasting Bar (07/03/09)
  • Hitachino Nest XH
  • Chimay Tripel
  • Founder’s Porter
  • Founder’s Red’s Rye
  • Bear Republic Racer 5
  • Keissdorf Kolsch
• Bigelo’s Bistro (06/27/09)
  • O’Fallon 5 Day IPA
  • Schlafly Export IPa
  • Boulder Flashback IBA
  • Schlafly Raspberry Hefe
  • Schlafly Summer Lager
  • Left Hand Jackmans APA
  • Lagunitas IPA
  • Boulevard Zon
  • Boulevard Wheat
  • Dogfish Head 90 min
  • Bells Two Hearted
  • Blue Moon
• Iron Barley (07/03/09)
  • O’Fallon Smoked Porter
  • New Belgium 1554 Black Ale
  • AB Bare Knuckle Stout
  • North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
  • Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
  • Boulevard Double Wide IPA
  • Goose Island Honker’s Ale
  • Griesedieck Golden Pilsner
  • O’Fallon Cask 5 Day IPA
  • Warsteiner Dunkel
  • Smithwick’s Irish Red Ale
  • Boulevard Smokestack Saison (750 ml)
  • Boulevard Smokestack The Sixth Glass (750 ml)
  • Boulevard Smokestack Long Strange Tripel (750 ml)
  • Tucher Hefe Weiss (Bottle)
  • Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen (Bottle)
  • Aecht Schlenkerla Helles (Bottle)
  • Odell IPA (Bottle)
  • Weihenstephan Dark Hefe (Bottle)
  • Rogue Dead Guy Ale (Bottle)
  • Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock(Bottle)
  • O’Fallon Wheach (Bottle)
  • O’Fallon Bailey’s Chocolate Bar Chocolate Ale (Bottle)
  • Left Hand Polestar Pilsner (Bottle)
  • New Holland The Poet (Bottle)
  • Floris Apple (Bottle)
  • New Holland Full Circle Kolsch (Bottle)
  • Wychwood Hobgoblin (Bottle)
  • Guinness Draft (Bottle)
• The Royale Food & Spirits (06/27/09)
  • Griesedieck Bros. Golden Pilsener
  • Schlafly Hefeweizen
  • Schlafly Kolsch
  • Charleville Explicit APA
  • O’Fallon 5-Day IPA
  • Bell’s Oberon
  • Boulevard Tank 7
  • Guinness Stout
  • Strongbow Cider
  • Charleville Maibock (22oz bottle)
  • Boulevard Single Wide IPA (bottle)
  • Boulevard Zon (bottle)
  • Boulevard Two Jokers (750 mL bottle)
  • Weihenstephaner Kristallweissbier (500 mL bottle)
  • Sierra Nevada Torpedo (bottle)
  • Schlafly Tripel (750 mL bottle)
  • O’Fallon Wheach (bottle)
  • Miller High Life (bottle)
  • Miller Lite (bottle)
  • Tecate (bottle)
  • Henninger Premium (500 mL can)
  • Xingu (bottle)
  • Amstel Light (bottle)
  • Anchor Steam Beer (bottle)
  • Founders Dirty Bastard (bottle)
  • Founders Red’s Rye (bottle)
  • Schlafly Pale Ale (bottle)
  • Left Hand Juju Ginger (bottle)
  • Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (bottle)
  • North Coast Old Rasputin (bottle)
  • Orval (bottle)
  • Lindeman’s Framboise (bottle)
  • Delirium Tremens (bottle)
  • La Fin du Monde (bottle)
  • Duvel (bottle)
  • Maredsous 8 (bottle)
  • Westmalle Tripel (bottle)
  • St. Bernardus Abt 12 (bottle)
  • St. Peter’s Organic English Ale (500 mL bottle)
  • Newcastle (bottle)
  • Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter (bottle)

Brewery and Brewpub Beer List Updates

• Mattingly Brewing Company (07/03/09)
  • Cardinal Direction Abbey Dubbel
  • Pale Ryeder Palm Sugar Rye Tripel
  • Bentonshire Bitter
  • Homeward Brown
  • Black Sky Stout Porter
  • BrightSide Belgian White
  • O’Fallon 5 Day IPA
  • O’Fallon Gold
• Morgan Street Brewery (07/02/09)
  • Honey Wheat
  • Golden Pilsner
  • MaiBock
  • Red Lager
  • Decades (IPL)
• Schlafly Taproom (07/03/09)
  • Schwarzbier
  • Weiss
  • Keller
  • Export IPA
  • Dry Stout
  • Dortmunder
  • Kolsch
  • Summer Lager
  • Hefe
  • Pale Ale
  • APA
  • Oatmeal Stout
  • Cask - APA (Simcoe)
  • Cask - Export IPA (East Kent Goldings & Northdown)

Here’s a list of upcoming beer events:

• July 3 - Firkin Friday at The Stable - Dry Hopped Sky High Rye

Today, from 4PM to 6:30PM the Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton will be having a tasting featuring Avery Anniversary Sixteen Saison, Founders Devil Dancer, Ola Dubh 40yr Old Casks, St. Germain Page 24 Blanche, Grand Teton Bitch Creek Double ESB, and McAuslan 2009 Anniversary Ale. Additional information can be found at their blog.

Provisions Market in Creve Coeur will be sampling a variety of these beers: Pyramid Curve Ball Blonde Ale, Haywire Hefe Weizen, Audacious Apricot Ale and Magic Hat #9. This tasting will be on Wednesday, July 8th and will run from 5PM-7PM.

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.

This isn’t to say that you’re fully independent from the occasional big boy beer, but obviously there was one moment in your life that made you say, “Wow, beer can be so much more.”

Personally, I can remember the day specifically.  It was November 29th, 2002, the day after Thanksgiving.  A few of us had to work the day after Thanksgiving and we weren’t very thankful for that.  But the day was made all the better when we decided to cut out of work a little early and head to Growlers Pub in Creve Coeur.

It was there that I had my first draught Newcastle Brown.  It was an amazing experience, so malty and drinkable.  It was my go to beer for sometime to come after that.  But it really opened my eyes to the fact that beer didn’t just have to be yellow and fizzy.

So what was your moment?  What revealed the wide world of beer to you?

Here’s a list of what to expect over the next few weeks:

7/1 Bentonshire Ordinary Bitter - Dry Hopped w/ Columbus and Simcoe
7/8 Sunbeam English Summer Ale
7/15 Sunbeam English Summer Ale - Dry Hopped w/ Mt. Hood
7/22 Sunbeam English Summer Ale - Dry Hopped w/ Ahtanums
7/29 Wall Cloud Smoked Steam Beer

Well, while the prices of hops haven’t dropped, the availability of our favorite bittering agent have dramatically increased.  So, since the hops are back, so is Devil Dancer.

According to BeerAdvocate:

Dry-hopped for twenty-six days straight with a combination of 10 hop varieties.  112 actual IBU; although it calculates to over 200!

While a 112 IBU beer with 13% alcohol may not be everyone’s idea of a Fourth of July thirst-quencher. I can guarantee you this, if you drink it, you’ll be seeing fireworks.  Look for it on store shelves, starting today.

Bell’s Brewery out of Michigan is set to release a brand new Double IPA called Oracle DIPA.  Now, you may be asking yourself, “Oracle Double Imperial Pale Ale?  That sounds awfully familiar.”  Well, that’s because St. Louis’ own Buffalo Brewing Company came up with a Imperial IPA also named Oracle way back in March of this year.

As Adam from Beernews wonderfully points out, according to The Babble Belt’s Joris Pattyn, Larry Bell seems very quick to protect what he views as the encroachment on his name and his brewery.

So you have to wonder how Larry Bell could miss this glaring mistake?  Surely he wouldn’t want to look hypocritical?