Scratch Brewing Company

Finally made it here! Weather was perfect, so I sat outside. This place is a hidden gem...so cozy. There are lots of tables, some old woody houses, a stage and a firepit outside.

- Btw, CASH ONLY! Atm inside.

It wasn't busy around lunchtime, service was fast. Heirloom Tomato pizza was perfectly wood fired.
I had to ask if they put crack in it (bc it was that good) but no, not even MSG used, they said. All made from scratch and they use local produce for the ingredients.

I got a beer flight. I think #7 Stout is my fav. Basil one was good too. They also have mushroom beer, I will have to try next time.

There is the Serpent Room upstairs (with beautiful wall art) for private events - looks like the room has its own bar and service.

- This place is DOG FRIENDLY!

There is no negative comment to post about Scratch Brewing! We stopped there on our way to our final destination of Makanda, Illinois. It is way off the beaten path, but so well worth the drive. You feel as if you are out in the middle on no where while driving there! It is just a very cool surprise when you do find the brewery, tucked in the center of a beautiful wooded area.

When you come to the clearing, you are met with a many cars from all different neighboring states that were searching this little gem in the southern woods on Illinois.

It is such a cozy setting and the brew is the best I've ever had! The beer is made from plants, barks, and flowers, everything that is found in nature. It is amazingly good. I'm not a big beer person, but I had wished we could have stayed and enjoyed more tastings, but we had to continue driving!

The food actual looked delicious, and smelled wonderful, but we did not try any. We explored the grounds and the inside of the building that has some amazing artful and some surprises, especially in the upside area!

Scratch Brewing Company is worth the drive from St. Louis! The beers are unique and are made with local ingredients that are found in nature. The service is excellent, and the employees are knowledgeable and passionate about the beers they serve. There is a cabin-in-the-woods vibe, and the ambiance is immersed in nature. There is both indoor and outdoor covered seating. Children and dogs are allowed. This brewery is cash only, but there is an ATM inside. I definitely would recommend a little day trip from the city to try some of these unique beers! Plus, the prices are incredibly reasonable, considering the amount of work that goes into producing these beers

Nestled out in the wilderness of Ava, Illinois is a gem of a brewery. Scratch brewery has a list of intriguing, floral, extraordinary brews on tap and bottled. Their drink menu changes based on the season and the abundance of local product to utilize in their brews.

It doesn't hurt that there is amazing Pizza from a wood burning stove at your fingertips, if you are feeling a bit peckish.
It's a bit of a drive from the city but nothing a great afternoon drive couldn't fix!

They take cash only. If you forget to bring cash, they have an ATM on site. Get out and explore:)

Love this place. It's in the middle of nowhere, but well worth the trip. The main seating areas are outdoors and very pretty. Would be a great venue for a special occasion. As for the food and drinks, all the ingredients are local. Pizzas are tasty, and different from what you'd get at the chains. Beers are outstanding. My favorite is the Paw Paw. Just make sure you bring cash. They don't take credit here.

Talk about ambiance. This is perhaps the most scenic, cozy place to get a unique brew. The beers are made from foraged plants around the property. They do have pizza, which was alright due to hunger and wanting something to pair with my beer, but not the star. Not that much cheese or toppings,which was surprising for how much it cost. Tiny pizza, few toppings. I go to this place for the setting and unique beer. The last time I was there, the woman working was not very friendly but again, the beer and setting make up for that. Great stop if you're hiking in the area.

Delicious beer and food
Exceptional service
Unique atmosphere
An unrivaled brewery experience

If you're like me, the cold weather is already making you feel a bit stir crazy. A few months ago, my boyfriend and I joined our two close friends Eric and Laura on a small road trip to the heartland of Illinois to get out of the city and visit Scratch Brewing Company.

This small brewery and farm is the perfect distance if you're looking to get out of the house and obtain some of the region's most sought after brews. Nestled in a small wooded area, the brewery is such a cute space! Being outside in nature made for a comfortable social distanced experience. In fact, it was voted the most beautiful place to drink!

Scratch Brewing Company is a farmhouse brewery which creates beers with home grown and locally farmed and foraged ingredients. The brewery has an ever rotating selection of styles enhanced by the innovative addition of local ingredients, such as nettle, elderberry, ginger, dandelion, maple sap, hickory, lavender, juniper, and chanterelle mushrooms. Some of these items are also for sale. Laura bought fresh basil!

We brought snacks and sandwiches to snack on as their kitchen was closed due to COVID. It was the perfect complement to these interesting beers!

Scratch focuses on farmhouse and saison style beers which aren't really my favorite. They had a clove stout that was incredibly smokey. What I really appreciated about their beers was the handcrafted flavor. You could absolutely taste the love and passion that went into each drop. As many craft breweries scale up their productions their beers can so often become homogenized. All of the beers we had during our visit definitely had the flavor of a small batch.

Their beer is definitely good and the seating is picturesque. It's a great way to spend a weekend afternoon. Just be sure to check their website or Yelp page to make sure they are open before making the trek.

Rustic venue with an eclectic super interesting type of brewed sours and porters, my first sour porter tasting and enjoyed the flight and the vibrant upstairs serpent room. Venue is not easily navigatable for elderly or those challenged by uneven steps.

Captured the two top tounge table, so that was unique. There are plenty of spots to relax, GPS in the brewery, this is definitely off the beaten path.

Scratch is much more than a brewery, it is an experience! Load up the car with some friends and take a day trip to beautiful Ava, IL. It is a 1.5 hour easy and scenic drive from St. Louis. Once you arrive, you will see a small building and some small gravel parking lots. Walking from the car to the buildings you walk along gravel and rock paths, so wear comfortable shoes. Walk towards the center building and you will see a white door, which you enter to see the bar and a few tables.

Scratch has menus at the bar with detailed descriptions of all of the beers on tap and their food. The beers are SO unique because many of them contain native, foraged ingredients. At first glance the flavors may not appeal to you, but do not be scared away by the descriptions and list of ingredients in their beers! The hidden surprise is how delicious and different these seemingly odd flavors like cherry bark, cedar, clover, oregano, elderberry, passion fruit (just to name a few) can be! Flights are available 4 for $10, so be adventurous and try them all!

While you are sampling all of these unique beers order some of their locally sourced food! Scratch has a wood fired brick oven and makes their own sourdough bread and pizza. Just in the mood for a snack? Then try some of their house made pickles from the pickle platter or a cheese plate.

After ordering your beer and food, make your way outside where there is ample, rustic seating. There are plenty of picnic tables and wooden benches. There is also a large covered area with fans for hot days. Scratch has some indoor seating, but this brewery is best experienced on a decent weather day from the outside where you can soak up the outdoors while appreciating the hard work, craft and skill that went into the beers you are sipping on!

Additional Tips:
*Sometimes there are additional beers being served in the Serpent Room that are not offered in the main bar area.
*Be sure to check out all of the cool art work in the Serpent Room and the bathrooms.
*Walk around the grounds to view the gardens and the goats.
* Dogs are allowed outdoors only.
* Cash only and ATM on site.
*Pick up some to go bottles to take home!