Not too long ago, the options in most supermarket beer aisles were limited to products from the Big Breweries. If you were lucky, maybe you'd find some Sierra Nevada or Samuel Adams offerings tucked away on a shelf corner.
But today, as demand for craft beer continues to grow, grocery stores are upping their game so customers don't have to make an extra trip to a specialty shop for great beer.
"Grocery stores always adjust to what the consumer wants, whether it's beer or cheese or deli meats," says Brian Dix, who oversees the beer division of distributor Major Brands. "The past two or three years, the consumer has found a taste for craft beer, so that's been gaining more shelf space."
Besides the added convenience of being able to do your beer shopping and food shopping in the same place, grocery stores also tend to have longer hours of operation and more locations (although selection varies from store to store) than beer-and-liquor shops.
Plus, I can't think of anything better to do while waiting for my deli meat to be sliced than moseying over to the beer aisle to see what's new, interesting or on sale.
(That said, St. Louis has some excellent beer-specialty stores — several of which I've highlighted in previous columns — that are still the places to go for more obscure, hard-to-find beers.)
The Schnucks Des Peres store that opened in September on Manchester Road stocks about 315 beers. Most of them are stored in a walk-in cooler in the middle of the store that's kept "at a balmy 38 degrees," jokes department manager Matt Wider, a 35-year Schnucks veteran.
"Customers like to experiment with different beer styles and flavors to match food combinations, so people have been asking for all kinds of varieties," Wider says, adding that Schlafly, New Belgium, Bell's and O'Fallon beers are among the store's best-selling craft brews. "We've really been trying to pick up the rare stuff from breweries that may only send 30 or 50 cases to the entire state."
The two local Whole Foods locations, in Brentwood and in Town and Country, have a way-better-than-average beer display that includes large-format bottles, six-packs and more.
The Brentwood Whole Foods is sort of like my secret beer stash because it often carries special releases that may have already sold out or aren't available at other places around town. Recent examples: Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, The Fish Guy's Wild Ass Amber Ale and Charleville's St. Dorian Abbey Rye.
Runner-up honors go to Dierbergs at Telegraph Plaza in Oakville and Trader Joe's at Brentwood Promenade.
That Dierbergs location is a standout among the chain's St. Louis stores in terms of beer selection, stocking a good supply of domestic and export craft brands.
And TJ's, while it doesn't refrigerate its beers, offers can't-beat values on popular craft suds as well as on its own private-label brews. You have to experiment for yourself to see which of the latter suit your palate; I don't care for Frugal Joe's Ordinary Beer, but I think the Mission St. Brown Ale and the winter-release Trader Joe's Vintage Ale (brewed by Unibroue) are full-flavored winners.
Trader Joe's also lets customers make a mixed six-pack of any beers on the shelf, which is a fun way to shop for a party or cookout.
Or, if you're feeling adventurous, grab a "Mystery Six-Pack," a brown-bagged sixer with beers that the store's employees have selected for you. It's a great way to uncover some gems that you might not have otherwise picked up.
