Ste. Genevieve is officially wine and beer country. Not only is the region home to the acclaimed beers of Charleville Vineyard & Microbrewery, but it now boasts Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling Co., too.
Currently available at Spokes Pub & Grill in Farmington are six Crown Valley drafts: Sleighbell Spiced Ale, Barnwood Blonde Ale, Old School Pilsner, Big Bison Ale (dubbel), Crown Valley Raspberry Wheat and Worktruck Wheat (hefeweizen). Crown Valley beers are also on tap at Tiger Ridge Restaurant in Ste. Gen, Tanglefoot Steak House in Festus and Club Moxy in Cape Girardeau, among other establishments. Crown Valley’s bottling line is being installed now, said brewmaster Mark Walters, so look for distribution to explode in the coming months. Also in the works: brandy, vodka, tequila, bourbon and other high-end spirits.
And early this spring, Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling is set to open a 120-seat taproom with a 150-seat beer garden. “It’s definitely going to be something unique,” Walters said. Meantime, Crown Valley pours are $2 starting at 4 p.m. every Tuesday at Spokes, 1627 W. Columbia St., 573.756.6220. Walters also will be at Spokes Jan. 24 and 31 from 1 to 5 p.m. to talk about the brewing process. More info about Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling is at 573.756.9700.
This article appears in Jan 1-31, 2009.