From Sours to Spirits, Alpha Brewing Co. Has Sips for Every Season

Barrel-aged, fruited sours put Alpha Brewing Co. on the map.

At its buzzy brewery and taproom on Fyler Avenue in the Tower Grove South neighborhood of St. Louis, adventurous imbibers can sip sour black ale aged in Pinot Noir barrels, sour raspberry blonde ale aged in oak foeders and sour blonde ale brewed with tangerine.

Creating a satisfying balance of sour and sweet with fruits such as apricot, cherry, plum and raspberry, sour beers can please a crowd, but if you’re looking for a more familiar pint, order the ever-popular Parity Error, an American IPA brewed with Citra hops. Cowboy’s Last Ride, an easy-drinking Belgian-style blonde ale, and Divine Intervention, a blood orange blonde ale dry-hopped with Hallertau Blanc, are also trusty drafts.

With 20 taps total, you’re bound to find a beer that appeals to your palate.

Founded in 2011 by Derrick Langeneckert, who was a student of Square One Brewery & Distillery, Alpha Brewing Co. continues to evolve and grow. This summer, it plans to open Alpha Brewing Company Distillery at Maker’s Locale in the Delmar Maker District, an emerging entertainment hub anchored by Third Degree Glass Factory.

The company has already started distilling spirits, including Squoosh, a fruited vodka created specifically for The Kitchen Bar at City Foundry STL. Current flavors include blood orange, cranberry, blue raspberry and lime – the latter adds zesty flavor to boozy limeades, Margaritas and Mojitos.

Expanding into other spirits with the upcoming “brewstillery,” Alpha Brewing Co. has created a series of single-barrel bourbons known as Pedal Bear Bourbon. “Pedal Bear is a spirited animal that rides a unicycle,” Andrew Grant, general manager of Alpha Brewing Co., explains. “With each release, we’ll change his outfit to make our own collectible series.”

The spirits will inform seasonal draft cocktails featuring housemade sodas. Beer devotees need not worry, though – the distillery and taproom will also have 10 taps dedicated to Alpha Brewing Co. suds.

Snacks such as housemade chips and gourmet garlic cheese bread will round out the menu at the new location, which will share the space with Steve’s Hot Dogs, a spin-off of The Fountain on Locust and Nixta – all beloved by St. Louis residents and visitors alike.

“Maker’s Locale is going to be touristy in the best way,” Grant says. “Along with the dine-and-drink options, there will be two stages for live music, and the fun vibe will be bolstered by the creative energy of the Delmar Maker District [which also houses MADE for Kids and Craft Alliance].”

Looking towards the future, Alpha Brewing Co. has also committed to a sustainable business model. A proud member of the Green Dining Alliance, the company offers charging stations for electric cars, fills patio spaces with native plants and partners with New Earth Farm to compost organic waste.

“Having a food program inevitably means having food waste – no matter how hard we try to use everything in the kitchen,” Grant explains. “Composting is the best way to reduce our landfill contributions while bettering our community and benefitting our planet.”