During a trip out West last year, Cory King found a treasure map of sorts when he picked up a brochure put out by the San Diego Brewers Guild. It listed locations and other information for nearly 40 local breweries and brewpubs.

"Here were places that never even would have been on my radar if not for that brochure," King says. "Everything I needed to know was right there."

Since then, King, head brewer at St. Louis' Perennial Artisan Ales, has worked to create a brewing guild here. On Jan. 31, he and representatives from 10 other area breweries ratified bylaws, elected officers and formed the St. Louis Brewers Guild.

Initially, the group's main goal will be "marketing, marketing, marketing," says King, the guild's inaugural president.

"With all of the breweries around here now, there is no reason why St. Louis shouldn't position itself as a destination for beer vacations," he says.

A publication like what the San Diego Brewers Guild produces could help drive tourists and locals to St. Louis-area breweries, King says. Public transportation, taxi companies and hotels could work with the guild to promote a full package of accommodations.

The guild also will help plan and oversee beer festivals, such as the annual St. Louis Brewers Heritage Festival in Forest Park and an eventual Guild Fest. Other ideas under consideration include an occasional brewpub bus tour as well as opening up a membership level to homebrewers and other beer enthusiasts.

"We're just getting started, but everyone is really excited to see how we can work together to promote St. Louis as a beer town," King says.

The guild includes 12 breweries, and that number is likely to grow. Breweries within 75 miles of downtown St. Louis are eligible for inclusion, which means about 20 could join.

The St. Louis Brewers Guild is unusual in that city-specific guilds are less common than statewide guilds, says Pete Johnson, programs manager for the Brewers Association, a Colorado-based trade group.

"An area has to have a critical mass of brewers to make a city guild worthwhile, and St. Louis certainly has that," Johnson says.

Despite a crush of breweries in St. Louis and craft stalwart Boulevard Brewing Co. in Kansas City, Missouri is one of just 11 states without a statewide brewers guild. Johnson is coming to Missouri next month to meet with brewers and gauge their interest in a statewide organization.

"I'd like to learn what issues St. Louis and Kansas City brewers are interested in, and how those issues and personalities differ from city to city," he says.

Johnson says that while city guilds are most effective as promotional and marketing tools for local breweries, statewide guilds tend to be more politically active, keeping tabs on legislation.

"Alcohol is regulated mostly at the state level," Johnson says. "So it's important for small brewers to keep an ear to the ground in their state to hear what's happening and to have a central body committed to having a dialogue about these things with legislators."

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St. Louis Brewers Guild

Founding breweries: 4 Hands, 2nd Shift, Charleville, Ferguson, Kirkwood Station, Morgan Street, O'Fallon, Perennial, Schlafly (St. Louis Brewery), Six Row, Square One and Urban Chestnut

Officers: Cory King (Perennial), president; Steve Neukomm (Square One), vice president; Florian Kuplent (Urban Chestnut), treasurer; James "Otto" Ottolini (Schlafly), secretary; Kevin Lemp (4 Hands), marketer

More info: stlbrewersguild.org (under construction), twitter.com/stlbrewersguild

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Evan's pick: Perennial Black Walnut Dunkel

Lowdown: Brewers at Perennial Artisan Ales tossed 250 pounds of Missouri black walnuts into this malt-forward, German-style wheat beer. The walnuts and yeast combine to form a flavor reminiscent of banana-nut bread, but without overt sweetness. An abundance of malted wheat lends a fluffy mouthfeel.

How much: About $12 for a 750ml bottle

Where to find it: Randall's Wine & Spirits, 1910 South Jefferson Avenue