Outside of St. Louis, the city has been known as the beer capital of the world primarily because of the success of the Anheuser-Busch Company and its flagship brew Budweiser. But inside St. Louis, beer drinkers know the city has a deeper connection to the history of suds then just AB. In fact St. Louis has been in the brewing business for more than two centuries with more than 120 breweries operating at one time.
And while all the big breweries that dominated the St. Louis scene are long gone, their spirit continues to live on as St. Louis’ craft brewery industry continues to thrive, especially within the last 7 years. It was back in 2011 that Schlafly, the grand-daddy of the St. Louis craft brewing scene, got some company they could finally respect.
That was the year two former Anheuser-Busch employees debuted their own craft brewery and tasting room, Urban Chestnut, in a small former garage along Washington Avenue in Midtown. Now 7 years later, it’s time to celebrate and release the beast!
It’s the return of UCBC’s Wolpertinger Festival.
Imagine throwing yourself a birthday party in your own house, using all 70,000 feet of your available home and inviting 35 of your bestest friends and several thousand others just for fun. That is exactly what Urban Chestnut Brewing Company will be doing January 21.
This isn’t just any birthday party my friends. The annual Wolpertinger beer festival is really UCBC giving a loving hug to its hometown and comrades in the craft brewing community. It was a celebration of life, beer and creativity.
On hand for the event will be 35 local and regional craft breweries, live music from Saint Boogie Brass Band, Annie and the Fur Trappers, Larry Hallar, plus a traditional alp horn ceremony and some German & Non-German fare from UCBC.
But the highlight, of course, is the release of this year’s version of Wolpertinger.
Special Guest Brewer
One of the best traditions of Wolpertinger is the special brewing guest. In past years, UCBC has invited one of the nations best-known names in craft brewing to the festival to show off their wares. Last year’s guest was Bell’s Brewery from Kalamazoo, MI.
This year, UCBC is welcoming their friends from La Cumbre Brewing Company from Albuquerque, New Mexico!
What is a Wolpertinger?
For the unacquainted, the Wolpertinger is a mythical German creature, similar to the American Jackalope, rumored to live in the Bavarian Black Forest. Witness accounts usually describe this nocturnal creature as having the body of a rabbit accompanied by wings, fangs, and antlers.
UCBC views this storied creature as a symbol for the Craft Beer Community in and around the St. Louis area. Just like the Wolpertinger, displaying distinctive traits from a variety of species, the breweries of St. Louis, who have their own distinctive niches and
Details
When: Sunday, January 21st, 2018 from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Grove Brewery & Bierhall (4465 Manchester Ave 63110)
Tickets are available online, or in person at the Grove Brewery & Bierhall and the Midtown Brewery & Biergarten for $40 until the day of the event.
