St. Louis, here I come!
Whaddup Y’all?!
March promises to
be an awesome month for especially brew and eats, so I will do my best to post
as many dope events as possible to keep you posted on what’s happening
nationwide. In this segment, we are going to St. Louis where their renowned
brewery Schlafly will be hosting their annual Stout & Oyster Festival on
March 23 & 24th! They do this event every year and I have been trying to go, but
conflicts in the past hated on me booking a trip. Well this year, it’s on! And guess what? It's FREE!
I was already sold on the 80,000 oysters being flown in the night before the Fest for optimal freshness along with the 15 different stouts poured specifically for the occasion—yes, they pair well in case you didn’t know—but after seeing this video from last year, I am counting down the hours until I touch ground in the Lou! Although the event is free.99, there are also Pearl Pass VIP tickets on Friday night (see tickets here) available. Of course, you can also explore the city's festive beer scene as well.
I was already sold on the 80,000 oysters being flown in the night before the Fest for optimal freshness along with the 15 different stouts poured specifically for the occasion—yes, they pair well in case you didn’t know—but after seeing this video from last year, I am counting down the hours until I touch ground in the Lou! Although the event is free.99, there are also Pearl Pass VIP tickets on Friday night (see tickets here) available. Of course, you can also explore the city's festive beer scene as well.
And even if you are not a stout person, Schlafly
has a plethora of other great beers to choose from including my fave, IPAs, so every
palate is covered. Here is all the info straight from the source below. See you
there!
Peace!
Ale
Come celebrate
Schlafly’s largest party of the year, Stout & Oyster Festival, held on
March 23 & 24, 2018 at the Schlafly Tap Room!
Every year, Schlafly flies in almost 80,000 oysters
(overnight to be the freshest possible) from both coasts and brings in 20
shuckers for their Schlafly’s Stout & Oyster Festival. The festival takes
place at the brewery’s historic Schlafly Tap Room on Friday, March 23 and
Saturday, March 24. They also brew 15 stouts for the festival – some exclusive
for the event. See the craziness here.
It’s pretty much my second Christmas, and 2018 plans to be
the largest in the brewery’s history and one of the largest oyster festival in
the Midwest.
All weekend long festival goers will get to experience
live music, multiple raw oyster bars, stout tasting bars with the exclusive
small brew stouts, and of course all of the other Schlafly beer the heart
desires. I also included more below about their special Stout Bout which
they brew to promote the festival.
Schlafly Beer’s Stout Bout
The Stout Bout name is a play on the boxing term for a
match, and the “winning” selections featured in the sampler are determined by
the crowd favorites at Schlafly’s annual Stout and Oyster
Festival, which takes place at the Schlafly Tap Room (2100
Locust St.) on Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24. Schlafly
offered over 15 specialty stouts at last year’s festival with unique flavors
from Smoky Pepper Chocolate to Cinnamon Vanilla. Blueberry Coffee and Salted
Caramel were two of the outstanding stouts amongst consumers.
Ambassador Brewer Stephen Hale explains, “The sampler
packs are about an ongoing conversation. Our festivals give us true feedback
from our consumers, and we listen to that for the following year. Stout &
Oyster Festival also allows our brewers to showcase their craft with brewing
stouts. Our festival-goers see what our brewers can do, and we get a good
litmus test before distribution about what consumers will enjoy.”
The sampler always features one of Schlafly’s classic
stouts (Oatmeal, this year) and one variety had to make a
return appearance: Mexican Chocolate Stout. Hale explains, “It was received
with a huge fanfare online last year so we brought it back for this year’s
pack.”
Want a say in next year’s Stout Bout pack? Visit
Schlafly’s Stout & Oyster Festival at the Schlafly Tap Room (2100
Locust St.) on Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24. The largest,
locally owned brewery in St. Louis flies in 70,000 oysters and 25 shuckers from
both coasts for one of the largest oyster festivals in the country. The brewing
team will again offer new, unique specialty stouts for sampling and
consideration for next year’s Stout Bout.
The Stout Bout pack can be purchased at the Schlafly
brewpubs or across the brewery’s distribution region ($13.99 suggested retail).
For more on Schlafly Beer’s distribution, visitwww.schlafly.com/beers/distribution.
For more about each stout, see here:
Blueberry Coffee Stout (5.7% ABV, 30 IBUs): Just
the right balance of sweetness and bite. Locally roasted coffee coupled with
the flavor of seasonal blueberries.
Mexican Chocolate Stout (6.2% ABV, 25 IBUs): A
classic American stout inspired by all the characteristics of real,
Mexican-style hot chocolate. Creamy, roasty, sweet elements provide a perfect
base for the addition of the cocoa nibs, which we add directly to the fermenter
to age until their finest flavors blend with the stout. The addition of
cinnamon adds a kick that balances well with all the flavors in this beer.
Salted Caramel Stout (6.5% ABV, 30 IBUs): It’s
unapologetically rich and creamy. Using sea salt and caramel for a smooth,
sweet and bold declaration of decadence.
Oatmeal Stout (5.7% ABV, 40 IBUs): This
classic, British-style stout is dark, smooth and slightly sweet, with just
enough bitterness and hops to balance out the richness of the roasted malt’s
nutty character and the creaminess of the oatmeal flakes. Freshly roasted coffee
beans, cocoa and touches of raisin and dried fruit dominate the aroma of this
super dark ale.
About Schlafly Beer:
Schlafly Beer, St. Louis’ largest locally-owned,
independent craft brewery, proudly offers over 60 unique styles of beer. Each
is handmade at the Tap Room in Midtown St. Louis or Schlafly Bottleworks in
Maplewood. Utilizing 120 hop varietals, 95 malts and grains, 30 different
spices and fruits and 10 separate yeast 18 strains from around the globe,
Schlafly also works with local suppliers for everything from farm-fresh food to
packaging and labeling. As part of its commitment to sustainability, Schlafly
donates spent grain to local farmers to feed their livestock and utilizes 100%
renewable energy throughout its operations. The largest Missouri-owned-and-operated
beer maker offers free tours of the Tap Room (2100 Locust Street) every Sunday
from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the hour and Schlafly Bottleworks (7260
Southwest Avenue) from noon to 5 p.m. every half hour on Fridays,
Saturdays and Sundays. The brand continues to define craft across 12 states and
throughout countless fine establishments, backyards and basement bars. Join us
at either of our locations and on Facebook, Instagram,
and Twitter.
For a full listing of seasonal and year-round beers and for information on
distribution, visit Schlafly.com.
