By now, you’ve likely heard of Third Wheel Brewing, the newest brewery in the St. Louis area and the first one to set up roots in St. Peters, MO. You’ve probably even heard about how the owners decided to open the brewery after trying homebrew from Certified Cicerone® Abbey Spencer because they thought it was that good. Heck, you may have even heard that it’s almost time for their grand opening, happening next week on Wednesday, June 7th. You may have heard about all of that because people are excited to get in there and see all that the brewery has to offer.
Surprise! Third Wheel Brewing will be open 11 am-11 pm today and tomorrow (6/2 and 6/3). The soft opening will be used to work out the kinks before their official Grand Opening next week. This two day period will feature 4 in-house beers and 8 guest taps, as well as a limited food menu. Brad Wheeling, one of the partners behind Third Wheel explains, “We’ll use this time to introduce a few of our beers and get a feel for how our staff handles a crowd. It’s almost a guarantee that some things are likely to go wrong but we just ask customers during these two days to be understanding and let us know of any issues so we can make the corrections.”
We couldn’t wait patiently so we caught up with Head Brewer Abbey Spencer to get more info about these 4 beers and of course, try them too. Here’s what will be on draft when they open:
Ophelia’s Wit | Belgian Wit | 4.9% ABV | 13 IBU
A traditional Belgian Wit beer with coriander and orange peel and a surprising a hint of rosemary that adds a sweet, herbaceous note. “There’s rosemary. That’s for remembrance” – Ophelia
The rosemary on this one was an awesome twist on the style while not dominating the flavor. It’s very easy to drink and considering the range of flavors incorporated into this one, it was very well-balanced.
Trixie’s Pale Ale | American Pale Ale |5.8% ABV | 32 IBU
Named after our three-wheeled mascot/beer wagon, Trixie. This beer will delight your palate with hints of citrus and pine and is well balanced with sweet, bready malt.
The Maris Otter malt in this one gives off a hint of caramel with its bready notes to make the malts shine as bright as the hops in this one. Definitely fun to drink and it’s easy to have a few of them.
Quit Your Day Job | American Brown Ale | 5.5% ABV | 30 IBU
Bold but not overwhelming. A great beer to try when you’re stepping up from the lighter side. Mild chocolate and toffee notes are balanced by the citrus bite from Centennial hops. When we tasted this beer we told our Head Brewer she should quit her day job and become a full-time brewer. We’re glad she did.
It’s easy to see a dark beer and think “malts” but the hops in this one, although just 30 IBUs, definitely make their presence known. The “Bold but not overwhelming” line in its description is incredibly accurate.
Dyslexic API | Double IPA | 8% ABV | 65 IBU
This one is for the hop heads! A big bold IPA that screams citrus and floral. This beer gets its name because one of our owners is Dyslexic which made for “fun” during our construction but produced great results, just like this beer.
The biggest of beers they’ll have available at their opening, this Double IPA had no alcohol bite behind its 8% ABV which can sneak up on you. The body on this beer is bigger than the average DIPA and the use of Simcoe hops add some depth to the aroma and flavor.
Going Once…Going Twice… | Berliner Weisse | 3.9% ABV | 2 IBU (Available Starting 6/7/17)
This beer all but disappeared in Germany, but American brewers made it their own in recent years. Light and slightly tart, it is traditionally served with Woodruff syrup. Try it straight up or with one of our rotating selection of house-made syrups. Get the flight and try’em all.
I was able to try the beer without syrup and then with Blackberry and Woodruff syrups. All three versions were great in their own way. If I had to choose a favorite, I’d have to go with the Woodruff. Don’t just take my word for it, at that low of an ABV, you can order a couple half pints to find your preference.
For more information about Third Wheel Brewing Company, visit www.thirdwheelbrewing.com or better yet, drop in soon to have a beer or two. Their address and hours are below.
Cheers!
Third Wheel Brewing: Behind the Scenes
Justin Phelps
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