St. Louis’ newest brewpub will be opening this week. HopCats will make its first pours at its new location at 6315 Delmar Boulevard in University City, MO.
I had not heard of HopCats before it was announced the Grand Rapids, Michigan based ‘anti-chain – chain’ was entering the St. Louis market, after opening more than a dozen location around the upper Midwest.
HopCats is the brainchild for Grand Rapids native Mark Sellers who says his love of music, specifically jazz, is where the name of the craft beer bar and restaurant HopCat originates.
“In jazz, if you’re a cool cat, you’re a hepcat. But beer has hops, so it became HopCat,” says Sellers, HopCat’s founder and CEO in an interview in 2016.
HopCat’s first location was established in Grand Rapids in 2008. Five years later, the place known for their famous “crack fries” and craft beers opened a second location in East Lansing. The Detroit HopCat followed suit a few years after that, in December 2014.
By the end of this year, there will be a dozen HopCats scattered throughout the Midwest—and even more are on the way. And that brings us to St. Louis. HopCats introduced themselves to the St. Louis beer community in a Facebook post back in May of 2017.
And now more than a year later, HopCat is ready to make its long-awaited debut on the Delmar Loop just in time for St. Louis Craft Beer Week with #80MOBeers
To mark the opening, HopCats will feature 80 Missouri-made craft beers on tap — along with free Crack Fries all day for everyone who visits. The first 200 guests at this grand opening celebration even get a card good for free orders of HopCat’s famous fries every week for a year, plus other swag fitting for this unique new beer bar.
Here’s your sneak peek at the Grand Opening Tap List
HopCat will open at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 28 with the special #80MOBeers list
The tap list consists of its Local 30, made up of 30 Missouri made selections that represent the standards for their style in the Show Me State. These change only on occasion. The rest — 50 taps — rotate to feature the best beers and ciders available, whether they’re a seasonal offering, a rare cellar find or something made just for HopCat.
If you have friends who don’t like beer, we’ve got them covered with cocktails, wine and soft drinks. Got kids? Bring ’em. HopCat has got a kids menu and people under 21 are welcome at HopCat until 10 p.m. every night.
The Local 30
All Missouri made. All great. Representing a variety of styles. All available every day. These are also part of our Happy Hour program. Happy Hour beers are $1.50 off Monday–Thursday from2-6 p.m.
- Old 63, American Lager, 4.5%, Lager
Bur Oak Brewing Co., Columbia - Clemens’ Kolsch, Kolsch, 4.4%, Lager
Mark Twain Brewing Co., Hannibal - Forest Park Pilsner, Pre-Prohibition Lager, 5.2%, Lager
Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., St. Louis - Towhead, American Blonde Ale, 5.2%, Pint
Mothers Brewing Co., Springfield - Float Trip, American Blonde Ale, 4.5%, Pint
Piney River Brewing Co. ,Bucyrus - White Lager, Kellerbier, 5.5%, Lager
Schlafly Beer, St. Louis - Southside Blonde, Belgian-Style Blonde Ale, 5%, Tulip
Perennial Artisan Ales, St. Louis - Frisco 1501, Amber Lager, 5%, Pint
Public House Brewing Co, St. James - Ripple, Belgian-Style Witbier, 5%, Tulip
4 Hands Brewing Co., St. Louis - Half Wit, Belgian-Style Witbier w/ Whole orange, 4.5%, Tulip
Charleville Brewing Co., St. Louis - Schnickelfritz, Hefeweizen, 5%
, Weizen
Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., St. Louis - Wheach, American Wheat w/ Peach, 5.1%, Tulip
O’Fallon Brewery, Maryland Heights - Abbey Ale, Belgian-Style Abbey Ale, 6.5%, Tulip
Cathedral Square Brewery, St. Louis - Tank 7, Saison, 8.5%, Tulip
Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City - Saison de Lis,Saison w/ Chamomile, 5%, Tulip
Perennial Artisan Ales, St. Louis - Pale Ale, English-Style Pale Ale, 4.4%, Pint
Schlafly Beer, St. Louis - Lookout, American Pale Ale, 5.5%, Pint
Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia - Little Big Hop,New England-Style Session IPA, 4.9%, Tulip
2ndShift Brewing, St. Louis - Citrapolis, American IPA, 6.8%, Pint
Modern Brewery, St. Louis - Incarnation, American IPA, 6.5%, Pint
4 Hands Brewing Co., St. Louis - Double Dry Hopped Citra IPA, Double Dry-Hopped American IPA, 6%, Pint
Six Mile Bridge Beer Maryland Heights - Red Rye IPA, American Rye IPA, 5.9%, Pint
Missouri Beer Co., O’Fallon - Big Tree, American Double IPA, 7.6%, Tulip
Bur Oak Brewing Co., Columbia - Irish Red, Irish-Style Red Ale, 5.1%, Pint
Earthbound Brewing, St. Louis - STL Red, American Amber Ale, 5.6%, Pint
O’Fallon Brewery, Maryland Heights - American Brown Ale, American Brown Ale, 4.8%, Pint
Civil Life Brewing Co., St. Louis - Velvet Underbrown, American Brown Ale w/ Lactose & Oats, 6.5%, Pint
Heavy Riff Brewing Co., St. Louis - Dark Matter, American Porter w/ Wheat, 6.6%, Pint
Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia - Revelation, Irish-Style Dry Stout, 5.4%, Pint
Public House Brewing Co., St. James - Cornerstone, Semi-Dry Hard Cider, 5.5%, Tulip
Brick River Cider Co., St. Louis
Rotators
The remaining 50 of the #80MOBeers grand opening list. These rotators will often change. Organized by style, brewery, brand,
Lagers & Light Ales
- Civil Common, California Common, 5%, Pint
The Civil Life Brewing Co., St Louis - Hobby Farm Ale, American Blonde Ale w/ Honey & Basil, 4.5%, Tulip
Piney River Brewing Company • Bucyrus - Friends In Public Places, Pre-Prohibition Lager, Lager
Public House Brewing Company, Rolla - Pop A Squat (Earthbound Brewing Collab), Kolsch w/ Watermelon, 4.8%, Tulip
Public House Brewing Company, Rolla - Munich Dunkel, German-Style Munich Dunkel, 4.5%, Lager
Schlafly – The Saint Louis Brewery, Saint LouisWheat
- Squeeze Box, American Wheat w/ Lemon Peel, 4.8%, Tulip
Heavy Riff Brewing Company, St. Louis - Mo’Wheato, American Wheat w/ Mint & Lime, 5%, Tulip
O’Fallon Brewery, Maryland Heights - Coconut Crème, Cream Ale, American Wheat w/ Coconut, Pineapple, & Toasted Coconut Flakes, 5.5%,Tulip
Schlafly Beer • Saint LouisPale & IPA
- Ca$h Mony, American Double IPA, 8.5%, Tulip
4 Hands Brewing Co., St Louis - Thai Basil IPA, American IPA w/ Thai Basil & Jaggery Sugar, 6%, Tulip
Earthbound Brewing, St. Louis - Eat A Peach, IPA American IPA w/ Peach, 6.8%, Tulip
Heavy Riff Brewing Company, St. Louis - Pineapple Snapper, American IPA w/ Pineapple, 7.2%,Tulip
Logboat Brewing Company, Columbia - BrewSkies American Rye Pale Ale, 5.5%,Pint
Mark Twain Brewing Company, Hannibal - Friends In MO Places, New England-Style Rye IPA, 6.5%, Tulip
Missouri Beer Company • O’Fallon - The BirdMan, New England-Style American Pale Ale, 6.8%, Tulip
Modern Brewery, St. Louis - Cattywhompus, New England-Style Double IPA, 10%, Snifter
O’Fallon Brewery, Maryland HeightsAmbers & Browns
- Premium Bitter, Best Bitter, 5.6%, Pint
The Civil Life Brewing Co., St Louis - Mr. Moot, Imperial Brown Ale, 8.5&, Snifter
Logboat Brewing Company, ColumbiaPorters & Stouts
- Coffee Liquid Spiritual Delight, American Imperial Stout w/ Blueprint Coffee, 11.5%, Snifter
2nd Shift Brewing, Saint Louis - Barrel Aged Bona Fide, Whiskey Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ Espresso Coffee & Vanilla Beans, 10%, Snifter
4 Hands Brewing Co., St Louis - Double Barrel Madagascar, Whiskey & Port Barrel-Aged Imperial Milk Stout w/ Vanilla Beans, 9.3%, Snifter
4 Hands Brewing Co., St Louis - Volume 1, Whiskey Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ Cocoa Nibs & Coffee, 10.5%, Snifter
4 Hands Brewing Co. • St Louis - Balthazar Jim Beam Barrel-Aged Belgian-Style Stout, 7%, Snifter
Cathedral Square Brewery, Saint Louis - Balthazar w/ Raspberry, Jim Beam Barrel-Aged Belgian-Style Stout w/ Raspberry, 7%, Snifter
Cathedral Square Brewery, Saint Louis - Rum Barrel-Aged Ulysses, Appleton Estate Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout w/ Black Strap Molasses, 9%, Snifter
Modern Brewery, St. Louis - Scotch MILF, Glen Grant & Laphroaig Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, 11%, Snifter
Mother’s Brewing Company, Springfield - Ultimate MILF, Blended Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, 11%, Snifter
Mother’s Brewing Company, Springfield - Vanilla Abraxas, Imperial Stout w/ Vanilla Beans, Ancho Chili Peppers, Cacao Nibs, & Cinnamon
10%, Snifter
Perennial Artisan Ales, St Louis - Barrel-Aged Raise A Ruckus Bourbon Barrel-Aged American Imperial Stout w/ Brick and Mortar Coffee & Vanilla, 9.7%, Snifter
Piney River Brewing Company • Bucyrus - Cinnamon Maple Stout American Stout w/ Maple Syrup & Indonesian Cassia Bark, 8%, Tulip
Six Mile Bridge • Maryland HeightsStrong Ales/Barleywine
- 2017 Barleywine, American Barleywine, 10.5%, Snifter
Charleville Brewing Co., Ste. GenevieveBelgian
- Mega Booze, Belgian-Style Golden Strong Ale w/ Tart Cherries, Vanilla, & Cinnamon, 16%, Mini-Snifter
Charleville Brewing Co., Ste. Genevieve - Alien Gold, Red Wine Barrel-Aged Belgian-style Golden Strong Ale, 8.5%, Snifter
Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia - Monk Down, Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale, 10%, Snifter
O’Fallon Brewery, Maryland Heights - Mercator, Flanders-Style Red Ale, 6.3%, Tulip
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, Saint Louis
Sour & Wild
- Blackberry Katy, Oak Barrel-aged Saison w/Brett & Blackberry, 5.4%, Snifter
2nd Shift Brewing Co, St. Louis - Cuvee Diable, Red Wine Barrel-Aged Wild Farmhouse Ale w/ Tart Cherries, 5.5%, Snifter
4 Hands Brewing Co., St Louis - Cuvee Ange, Cabernet, Merlot, & Gernache Barrel-Aged American Wild Ale w/ Raspberries & Blackberries, 5.5%, Snifter
4 Hands Brewing Co. • St Louis - On Cue, Gose w/ Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, Cucumber, & Hibiscus, 4.5%
4 Hands Brewing Co., St Louis - Hibiscus Gose, Gose w/ Sea Salt, Coriander, & Hibiscus, 4.2%, Snifter
Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City - Changeling, Whiskey & Wine Barrel-aged American Dark Sour Ale, 7.3%, Snifter
Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City - Sacred Sun, Blended Sour Saison, 5%, Snifter
Burr Oak Brewing Co, Columbia - Distant Land Saison w/ Brettanomyces, 6.2%, Tulip
Perennial Artisan Ales, St Louis - Suburban Beverage, Gose w/ Salt, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, & Key Lime Juice, 4.2%, Snifter
Perennial Artisan Ales, St Louis - Missouri Waltz w/ Blackberries, Missouri Oak Foeder-Aged American Sour Ale w/ Blackberries, 5.5%, Snifter
Piney River Brewing Company, Bucyrus - Prickly Pear Ku’damm, Bock Berliner Weisse w/ Prickly Pear, 6.2%, Snifter
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, Saint LouisCiders
- Brewer’s Choice, Hopped Dry Hard Cider 6.5%, Tulip
Brick River Cider Co • St. Louis - Firehouse Rosé, Semi-Dry Hard Cider w/ Sour Cherry & Hibiscus, 6.5%, Snifter
Brick River Cider Co • St. Louis - Proper Cider, Traditional Hard Cider w/ Raspberry, 6.8%, Tulip
Schlafly Beer, Saint LouisMiscellaneous
- Jam Band Fruit Ale w/ Raspberry, Blackberry, & Cherry, 5.9%, Tulip
Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City
