Schlafly taps into pickle beer trend with new festival and limited-release lager

Schlafly Beer is embracing one of the season’s most unusual beverage trends with the debut of its Pickle & Pint Festival, a new event hosted at Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood. The highlight of the August 16 gathering? A one-day-only pickle beer—a bold, herbaceous spin on Schlafly’s classic Munich Helles lager.

“We had the idea last year and wanted to trial it on a small scale,” says Jared Williamson, Schlafly’s head brewer. “Pickle fans are die-hard, so we wanted to have some fun and see what we could do.”

The early keg tests were a hit, prompting the brewery to scale up the concept just in time for summer’s peak fermentation fascination.

A local collaboration, by design

To develop the beer’s distinctive flavor profile, Schlafly partnered with local pickle purveyors Two Men and a Garden, incorporating their house brines and spice combinations into the final blend.

Rather than defaulting to a sour ale or vinegar-forward base, the brewers built the beer on a clean, crisp Helles, allowing dill, spice, and subtle acidity to complement—not overpower—the malt bill.

“We dose the brine and spices at different levels in benchtop trials, then scale up once we find the right balance,” Williamson explains. “It’s reminiscent of biting into a Two Men pickle.”

A playful but thoughtful experiment

Pickle beers may seem like a novelty, but they reflect a larger pattern of flavor-forward experimentation across the national craft beer scene.

“Creative ingredients and bold flavor choices sparked the craft beer revolution,” says Williamson. “Pickle beer may not be as big as seltzers or pumpkin ales, but it fits with the spirit of craft innovation.”

For Schlafly, the beer isn’t intended for wide release—at least not yet. “This one’s for the festival,” he adds. “Our brewers love coming up with small-batch ideas that match the event experience.”

Pickles, pints, and a party

Alongside the beer debut, the Pickle & Pint Festival will include live music, food vendors, and several pickle-forward features—from on-site pickleball courts to a collaboration with the St. Louis Science Center.

“Every year, we try to introduce something new,” says Kara Donsky, general manager of Schlafly Bottleworks. “Grilled cheese, bacon, mac and cheese—we’ve done a lot. But this is something different, and we’re excited to see how people respond.”

The festival takes place at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Ave.) on Saturday, August 16, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, with food and drink available for purchase.

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