When 4 Hands Brewing Co. launched City Wide on Cardinals opening day in 2016, it felt like planting a flag. In St. Louis, the start of a new St. Louis Cardinals season signals more than just baseball, and debuting a hometown beer that day staked a claim in the city’s cultural calendar. A decade later, that flag is still flying.
City Wide has grown into the top-selling craft beer in St. Louis and the No. 1 pale ale in Missouri. Founder and CEO Kevin Lemp said the milestone still feels surreal. “It’s amazing. It feels hard to believe that the brand has been in existence for 10 years and has become the No. 1 pale ale in Missouri and No. 1 craft brand in St. Louis,” he said.
From the start, City Wide was brewed with a bigger purpose. For every case sold, $1 is donated to local nonprofit partners, an effort that has generated close to half a million dollars over the past decade and left an indelible mark on St. Louis. “We always wanted to be a pillar of our community. We didn’t know exactly what it would look like, but City Wide has become that pillar for us,” Lemp said. “We want to give back to St. Louis and be part of the fabric of St. Louis, and City Wide has allowed that.”
The first recipient was Love Bank Park on Cherokee Street, where 4 Hands helped the grassroots group secure nonprofit status. Today, the once vacant lot is a well-loved neighborhood gathering space.
This year’s City Wide recipients include Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas, International Institute of St. Louis, Promo Missouri, LaSalle Park and Pedal the Cause. Over the years, beneficiaries have also included organizations such as Forest Park Forever, Mission: STL, Kids Vision for Life, Hope for young adults with Cancer, Great Rivers Greenway and Tower Grove Park, among many others spanning arts, health care and youth services.
“It’s way more than just a check,” Lemp said. “It’s so rewarding. It’s an opportunity for us to roll up our sleeves and work hand in hand, and hopefully use our brand to shine a light on the amazing things they’re doing, so they’re getting more attention for the courageous work they do every day.”
Lemp credited customers for making the impact possible. “This is a St. Louis thing,” he explained. Our passionate customers are responsible for the money we’ve donated.”
What began as a single American Pale Ale has expanded into a robust portfolio that now includes City Wide Light Lager, City Wide Stout and a non alcoholic City Wide Hoppy Pale, along with a recently introduced 19.2-ounce City Wide American Pale Ale can. The brand’s birthday has become a local ritual, celebrated each March around 314 Day and Cardinals opening day.
To mark the 10-year milestone, Chief Marketing Officer Liz Swyers has orchestrated over 10 local collaborations, listed below. The limited-edition mashups celebrate the same idea that sparked the beer itself: brewed here, built here and poured back into the place that raised it.
Looking ahead, Lemp said the next decade will focus on continuing to grow City Wide as a civically minded brand. “One day we will reach a million dollars,” he said. “We want to stay true to what it is and continue to be creative and innovative in the ways we market it.”
City Wide Collabs
SAUCE ON THE SIDE
City Wide Strike Zone Calzone with a collaboration box
BLUES CITY DELI
City Wide-inspired sandwich
HI-POINTE DRIVE-IN
Burg Box featuring burger, fries and a 12-ounce City Wide with a koozie
STL TOASTED
Toasted ravioli stuffed with pork braised in City Wide with collaborative box
CLEMENTINE’S ICE CREAM
City Wide ice cream with collaborative cup
GUS’S PRETZELS
City Wide Inspired mustard
FITZ’S ROOT BEER
City Wide non-alcoholic soda
RALLY HOUSE
Collaborative City Wide t-shirt
STRANGE DONUTS
City Wide Inspired donut
SUGARFIRE SMOKE HOUSE
City Wide BBQ sauce & featured City Wide special every Wednesday at all locations
4 HANDS X KIRKWOOD PEACEMAKER
City Wide Cracker with a seasonal special dish
This article appears in April 2026.
