St. Louis continues to prove why it’s one of America’s most respected beer cities. The region has secured four nominations in the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, reinforcing its reputation as a top destination for craft beer lovers. Voting runs through late February, with winners announced in early March.
This year’s nominations highlight the depth and diversity of the St. Louis brewing community:
- Best Beer City: St. Louis
- Best Brewpub: Perennial on Lockwood
- Best New Brewery: Blue Jay Brewing Company
- Best Brewery Tour: Anheuser‑Busch
These categories reflect both the city’s historic brewing legacy and its continually evolving craft beer culture.
A Changing, Strengthening St. Louis Craft Beer Landscape
According to Troika Brodsky, executive director of STL Beer, the St. Louis beer scene has transformed significantly since the pre‑COVID era.
“The pre‑COVID St. Louis beer scene feels like a different era,” Brodsky says. “The last six years brought real disruption—rising costs, supply chain pressures, shifting consumer habits, and tough decisions that led to some brewery closures. Not everything snapped back to ‘normal,’ and pretending otherwise wouldn’t be honest.”
Despite those challenges, he says the region’s breweries have emerged more focused and more innovative.
“Brewers today are more disciplined, more innovative, and more intentional than ever,” Brodsky adds. “While some beloved breweries were lost, new ones emerged, others evolved, and the overall quality, creativity, and professionalism of the scene has continued to rise.”
This evolution positions St. Louis as a standout destination for beer tourism and craft beer exploration.
National Recognition Boosts St. Louis Beer Tourism
For STL Beer creative director Brian Margiotta, the USA Today 10Best spotlight helps broaden national awareness of the city’s modern brewing identity.
“National recognition helps put St. Louis on the map as a beer destination,” Margiotta says. “That kind of attention brings new eyes to our brewing scene and often to the city itself, prompting visitors to check out our neighborhoods, restaurants, shops, and other local businesses.”
He notes that many visitors still associate St. Louis primarily with Anheuser‑Busch, but the craft beer offerings now span an impressive range of styles.
“You can find everything from stouts, saisons, sours, and hazy IPAs to classic styles and even several breweries that focus heavily on the style that helped put St. Louis on the map: lagers,” Margiotta says. “Simply put, there’s a beer for everyone in St. Louis.”
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DENVER (February 2, 2026) — Get ready to raise a glass! 
“I wanted this glass to feel like the back of a cereal box — something you keep staring at while you’re belly-up to the bar, finding new dinosaurs and details every time,” Palec explained. “It’s meant to look awesome and make you smile.”
Depot Brewing Company specializes in small-batch brews, each crafted to evoke the essence of Morrow’s history, from its railroad roots to iconic figures and events. The lineup is creative and thematic, with names that pay homage to the town’s past while delivering bold, flavorful profiles. Head brewer Taylor Dent ensures quality and variety, often collaborating with local ingredients and inspirations.
The building that now houses Depot Brewing Company is Morrow’s historic train depot, a structure steeped in over 180 years of Ohio’s transportation legacy. Constructed around 1840, it served as a key stop on the Little Miami Railroad, one of the state’s earliest rail lines. Work on the railroad began in 1837 under the direction of Jeremiah Morrow, Ohio’s former governor and the railway’s first president (and the village’s namesake). By 1844, the line had reached Morrow, facilitating the transport of goods and passengers and spurring the town’s growth.