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Very scenic and unique brewery. Great wood fired interesting pizzas and other appetizers such as pretzels and cheese plates. The green tomato and mushroom pizza was quite good. Very untamed interesting brews using foraged ingredients such as mushrooms, leaves, bark, and flowers. The Chanterelles Biere de Garde was good. They also brew unique sodas such as Hickory Bark Cream.
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!
So very glad to have tried a couple of different beers from Scratch Brewing. To be specific we tried two different ones and we really liked them both and appreciated the experimental qualities both beers had to their recipes. One that we had was the Chestnut and Oak, a Farmhouse style ale that was intriguing and a pleasant one to just kick back with and sip. Flavors with this Ale are maltiness, tartness, caramel, roastiness and an earthiness to it. It certainly isn't a guzzling type if beverage so just sit back and relax with it. Our favorite beer overall from the brewery that we have had thus far definitely goes to their Fig Leaf Porter. Oh, wow... was this porter a real joy to drink! It was made with figs and juniper berries but there is a much more wider range of flavors to enjoy with this one. Other flavor features with this beer are cinnamon, coconut, dryness and earthiness. Many porters can run on heavier side when it comes to body but this porter is more of the light bodied sort and highly recommended by Steve and myself!
LOVE that this brewery exists. Please make it a point to divert your travels to here. Pretty unique, fresh food, fresh beer. AMAZING.
My husband and I went on a little day date to Scratch Brewing, and it was well worth the drive! It's literally in the middle of nowhere, so it feels like a nice escape. It's a really cute property; there's a huge patio right in the woods, and plenty of indoor seating as well. We've heard good things about the beer, but what really intrigued us was the NYTimes best pizza in the US article that featured Scratch! Both things are worth the hype. The beer is so unique and flavorful. Often times my husband and I will try a brewery and we find that a lot of the beers taste the same. This is not the case at all at Scratch! We tried six beers, and each one was has a completely different flavor profile and such unique ingredients. We were big fans of the basil IPA, dead leaves and carrots (it tastes like fall in a glass!), the sassafras Pilsner, and the fig leaf & elecampane lager. We tried the spicy tomato and sausage pizza and the bread/caprese plate. Literally every single thing tastes so fresh. They pride themselves on using locally/home grown ingredients in both their food and beers, and you can taste that freshness in both! What a great little spot in Southern Illinois! Make the hour and some change next time you want a different day outing, you won't regret it! **Note, they are cash only!!! There is an ATM**
One of my favorite places to go to in southern Illinois. Great indoor, outdoor and upstairs seating areas! The pizzas are always delicious. Same with the beer! The service is always perfect and one of my favorite things about Scratch is all the cool artwork.
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
It may be almost 2 hours away from home, but Scratch brewing company is 110% worth the drive. Located in the middle of nowhere, on acres and acres of land where they grow their own ingredients. Scratch is far from your standard brewery doing basic lagers, ipas, and stouts. Instead, offering off the wall foraged beers that include things like chanterelle mushrooms, juniper, nettle, and elderberry. Sit outside on their massive patio, and you'll enjoy an outdoor experience no other brewery can deliver. If you prefer to sit inside, their tasting room is cute and quaint, and their upstairs "serpent room" bright, artsy, and beautiful. Do come hungry! Their woodfire pizzas are nothing short of amazing.
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:)
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.
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!
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.
6 months ago
Loved this experience! Took a small detour on our way home from Nashville, it is definitely of the beaten track, but the drive was beautiful on the side roads! Sign at the end of the gravel road announced our arrival. Pulled into the lot and we were the only ones there beyond the workers late in the afternoon on a Sunday. Cash only but they have an ATM on site. Visited the brewery room and perused the different beers available on draft, in bottles, and growlers. Ordered a pizza, the green tomato and sausage. And chose a flight of beer, four for $13. Sumac Sour, Fig Porter, Dead Leaves, and Basil Saison. I enjoyed every one of them, but the Dead Leaves was my overall favorite. I decided on that one as my take home growler. I really enjoyed the green tomato sausage pizza, I enjoy a green tomato, not many restaurants have them on their menu in a state other than fried, so I had to get it. The flavors were great; the tartness of the green tomato went well with the sausage. The space is incredible, very rustic and woodsy, the perfect backdrop to the foraged beers. Every space was decked out with funky colors and artwork. I really wish it was closer, definitely a road trip to go back but feel it would be worth it in each of the seasons! read more
I came to Scratch Brewing Co. for a date with a really nice guy who was hyped to show me a spot that was new to me but nostalgic to him. He knows I love a cozy, ducked-off, sequestered vibe, so I'm positive that's why he chose Scratch. Before we even arrived, he warned me that the place is--quite literally--in the middle of nowhere. Not a streetlight, stop sign, or traffic signal in sight. He jokingly assured me he wasn't trying to unalive me. Cute, right? Once we pulled up, I relaxed a bit. Scratch Brewing Co. gives old-world rustic woodsy charm: crackling campfire, wood-fired pizzas, beer flights, twinkle-light energy. I was ready to fall in love. But the service? Completely lackluster. The menu is tiny--like four items tiny. And that wouldn't be a problem if each dish felt special, but honestly, every option felt as basic as the next. When we arrived, the bartender/cashier/server was too busy holding court to even acknowledge us, let alone welcome us or guide us through the menu. You order at the counter, pay, get your little number and buzzer, and then seat yourself. I did love that you can roam the grounds--the fall/winter scenery is magical. It's giving "fourscore and seven years ago" old-world enchantment. You feel me? The pizza was good, but not mind-blowing. Maybe I was harsher because the service threw me off, or maybe I assumed that with such a tiny menu, every item would be phenomenal. Instead, I left simply nourished--not impressed. Now, the date went phenomenally. But I genuinely feel like the server let my man down HARD. He brought me there to impress me, and I walked away underwhelmed. As for the beer flight: they normally offer a 4-glass flight, but we wanted to try all nine beers on tap that night. It's not advertised, but a full flight is available--and surprisingly affordable at around $28. We kept a menu so we could "put a face to a name," rated each beer, laughed, chit-chatted, and fed each other pesto pizza by the fire. Very cute vibes. All in all, Scratch has a fabulous atmosphere, and I would return. But if the staff were friendlier and the menu had a few more apps, this place could easily cross the line from "nice outing" to "absolutely irresistible." read more
Very scenic and unique brewery. Great wood fired interesting pizzas and other appetizers such as pretzels and cheese plates. The green tomato and mushroom pizza was quite good. Very untamed interesting brews using foraged ingredients such as mushrooms, leaves, bark, and flowers. The Chanterelles Biere de Garde was good. They also brew unique sodas such as Hickory Bark Cream. read more
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! read more
So very glad to have tried a couple of different beers from Scratch Brewing. To be specific we tried two different ones and we really liked them both and appreciated the experimental qualities both beers had to their recipes. One that we had was the Chestnut and Oak, a Farmhouse style ale that was intriguing and a pleasant one to just kick back with and sip. Flavors with this Ale are maltiness, tartness, caramel, roastiness and an earthiness to it. It certainly isn't a guzzling type if beverage so just sit back and relax with it. Our favorite beer overall from the brewery that we have had thus far definitely goes to their Fig Leaf Porter. Oh, wow... was this porter a real joy to drink! It was made with figs and juniper berries but there is a much more wider range of flavors to enjoy with this one. Other flavor features with this beer are cinnamon, coconut, dryness and earthiness. Many porters can run on heavier side when it comes to body but this porter is more of the light bodied sort and highly recommended by Steve and myself! read more
2 years ago
My husband and I went on a little day date to Scratch Brewing, and it was well worth the drive! It's literally in the middle of nowhere, so it feels like a nice escape. It's a really cute property; there's a huge patio right in the woods, and plenty of indoor seating as well. We've heard good things about the beer, but what really intrigued us was the NYTimes best pizza in the US article that featured Scratch! Both things are worth the hype. The beer is so unique and flavorful. Often times my husband and I will try a brewery and we find that a lot of the beers taste the same. This is not the case at all at Scratch! We tried six beers, and each one was has a completely different flavor profile and such unique ingredients. We were big fans of the basil IPA, dead leaves and carrots (it tastes like fall in a glass!), the sassafras Pilsner, and the fig leaf & elecampane lager. We tried the spicy tomato and sausage pizza and the bread/caprese plate. Literally every single thing tastes so fresh. They pride themselves on using locally/home grown ingredients in both their food and beers, and you can taste that freshness in both! What a great little spot in Southern Illinois! Make the hour and some change next time you want a different day outing, you won't regret it! **Note, they are cash only!!! There is an ATM** read more
1 year ago
One of my favorite places to go to in southern Illinois. Great indoor, outdoor and upstairs seating areas! The pizzas are always delicious. Same with the beer! The service is always perfect and one of my favorite things about Scratch is all the cool artwork. read more
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 read more
It may be almost 2 hours away from home, but Scratch brewing company is 110% worth the drive. Located in the middle of nowhere, on acres and acres of land where they grow their own ingredients. Scratch is far from your standard brewery doing basic lagers, ipas, and stouts. Instead, offering off the wall foraged beers that include things like chanterelle mushrooms, juniper, nettle, and elderberry. Sit outside on their massive patio, and you'll enjoy an outdoor experience no other brewery can deliver. If you prefer to sit inside, their tasting room is cute and quaint, and their upstairs "serpent room" bright, artsy, and beautiful. Do come hungry! Their woodfire pizzas are nothing short of amazing. read more
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:) read more
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. read more
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! read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
3 years ago
Delicious beer and food Exceptional service Unique atmosphere An unrivaled brewery experience read more
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. read more
It's been three years since I have heard of the place. And I finally made it and acted like a total fan boy. My wife had to tell Me to settle down I was so excited. The beer here is so lovingly made and the experience in their experimental flavors is adventurous and as good as advertised. We didn't eat and will next time, the pizzas smelled and looked delicious. Not only are the staff welcoming and friendly but the patrons were certified cool. We had our small dog and son too and they enjoyed their time too. Don't wait as long as me. I am heading back soon. I recommend doing some flights and then taking some bottles or growlers to go. read more
5 years ago
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. read more
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! read more
6 years ago
One of the most beautiful breweries I've seen. All the beer is made with ingredients grown there. The beet gose is a crisp pint that I recommend and the dead leaves has a nice earthy taste. Whatever you choose it will be solid. The seating outdoors is very relaxing. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
Scratch Brewing is definitely on some next-level stuff... We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon that happened to be Fathers' Day. I was worried the place would be too packed. Luckily there is plenty of outdoor seating so the inside never felt crowded in the least. Plus there are huge tables and plenty of seating at the bar. The decor of the place is super cool. Almost like some ye olde-school apothecary vibe, I was definitely digging it. They have sample sizes for around $1.50 apiece so I got about 5 of those and they were all pretty delicious. One of the beers used no hops and was especially sour and distinctive. And then there was the prosciutto & fresh oregano wood-fired pizza ($10) ...WOW, simple yet bursting with flavor. The oregano was powerful and delicious. The crust was a sourdough (I think) and was pretty amazing on its own. They also had a housemade ginger ale and it blew me away. And I consider myself a ginger aficionado. There was some other flavor going on...I don't know what herb it was...sasparilla maybe?...but it gave the ale a deeper, almost creamy flavor. It was so good I took home a growler of it ($8) Everyone working here was nice and service was great. An added bonus were the superbly-decorated bathrooms. The men's room conjured up this awesome 60's psychedelia vibe that was seriously well-done. As if this place couldn't get any cooler... This is definitely a perfect destination for a mini road-trip. Next time I go I'm buying a t-shirt. read more
Scratch Brewing Company is doing amazing things with beer. Using locally farmed, foraged, and found ingredients they make a rotating selection of incredible new brews. When we visited they served a Basil Ale, WIld Grape Sour, Sweet Clover Ale, and many others. Everything was fresh and complex. The staff were all great and clearly love what they do. At the suggestion of one of the owners we had the Bloomsdale Cheese Platter which was great as well. read more
2 years ago
7 years ago
At the end of a gravel road, in the middle of nowhere, passed the rustic wooden sign, lies a whimsical brewery. Scratch craftily blends the most simple ingredients to create the most exotic flavors in perfect harmony. I could honestly say this is my favorite brewery I've ever visited. Surrounded by nature, the atmosphere is tranquil and welcoming with no pressure on its guests. They allow dogs in the outside area as well. The goat cheese with bread was heavenly. Every beer I tried was an invigorating experience for my taste buds. My favorite by far was the tumeric brew, so creative! This place was absolutely worth the drive coming from Chicagoland. Check it out for yourself! read more
Driving to Scratch is similar to memories that surface when you close your eyes, and all your thoughts start to jog with the most calming and compelling colors, sounds and smells. And just like puzzle pieces, this one just happens to fit beautifully into a town called, Ava. You can feel the gravel underneath the tires as you drive down deeper into what feels like forever. Time doesn't exist past this point - and while the anticipation is streaming through your blood like fire crackers, all you can think about is, "when." Pulling up, parking is relaxed and the goats off to the left will let you know you're about to enter something you couldn't even extract from your anticipated daydreaming. My husband and I went in the dead of Winter, on our way back to Chicago. Walking up to the brewery, the harmonized fluttering of our cold breaths were immediately forgotten, as we witnessed the inside to their wood burning oven, where they make pizza's - yes, from scratch. Inside, communal tables are off to the right with a chalkboard finish on top. The room itself is small, but there is a lot to soak in. What's stunningly unique is the design on the back wall. The talons of an Eagle, the head of a man, the body of a dragon and the antlers from a deer lies this image. If you gaze to the sky, there's a bright blue and green stained glass. In the front is where your liver is calling for - craft beer. If the Garden of Eden had offered liquid bliss, it would be from Scratch. This is almost seven hours from our home, so we had to indulge in every sip of liquid paradise. I cannot remember the name of the beer, but the consistency tasted like you were sipping on a camp fire. The smokiness from the wood was incorporated so overwhelmingly perfect, I never wanted my taste buds to stop experiencing such a compelling moment. The staff was so friendly, you felt like you had known them since childhood. You will never experience this type of craft beer journey in any other part of Illinois. Go here to fall in love with nature, beer, people and whatever makes your heart soar. Because the end result will leave you on such a high note, you'll forever question the definition of passion at every other brewery from here on out. #Cheers read more
The BEST CRAFT BREWERY in IL. Seriously. I loved a lot of their craft beers, and I absolutely LOVED the vibes of this location. (This place even has a outdoor theater arrangement for movies). Named "Top 4 breweries for foraged beer by Outside Magazine, and one of the most beautiful places to drink beer in the world by All About Beer Magazine". I cannot stop raving about this place. Owner and server here are very friendly. A lot of seating both outside and inside. VERY UNIQUE beer flavors here! -CASH ONLY -May be a bit difficult to access for wheelchair people, due to rocky paths. read more
6 years ago
Love it. Rustic, adorable, clean outdoor seating area. Great Forest view. Can pick up some vegetables and flowers and food items like pesto to go. Love this stop on our drive home. read more
I almost don't want to write a review on Scratch, because they are so beautifully nestled and tucked away off the radar and away from anything besides local residents. The beer as interesting and amazing as it may sound - basil ale, fennel stout, rye saison... those are what I remember. But the made-in-house soda is what stands out, it was a refreshing licorice-type soda that was both refreshing and slightly bitter, so interesting! Whoever runs this place must have a discerning palate. The appetizer plate had baetje farms goat cheese and salume beddu salumi, with home-grown tomatoes, pickles and bread. The best of the best in the local scene. Oh! It's CASH ONLY! Don't forget... read more
11 years ago
Scratch is a truly innovative brewery. It's amazing how busy this brewery that's literally in the middle of the forest can get even on the rainy day that we stopped in. Everything from the beers to the food items are unique, inspired, & locally sourced. I recommend getting a growler to take home your favorite brew! They only sell the small 32 oz growlers but are willing to fill pretty much any growler, even the larger 64 oz growler if you bring your own. Try to remember lids but when I forgot, they were super accommodating. read more
13 years ago
No doubt about it -- you're in the middle of nowhere here. If we hadn't been actively searching for this place, we wouldn't have ventured out this far, but I am so glad we did. First thing: this place is CASH ONLY, but they do have an ATM on location (thank goodness). The interior of Scratch is what I would hope for, but not expect. I've been to "small town" breweries and they always insist on playing up the small town feel -- one part country, one part hick, add a dash of redneck and BAM = microbrewery. Scratch uses the bare essentials of nature in everything. They drew inspiration from the local mythology of the Piasa bird and other plant based color schemes in their designs. You almost feel as though you're sipping on the nectar of the gods in a fairy's garden rather than in a podunk bar. Everything about the atmosphere in this place is perfect. I could sit here with a glass of beer with a good book for hours. If Scratch weren't 1.5 hours from my apartment, I would be a regular. Come here...regardless of where you live. You won't regret it. read more
10 years ago
Scratch beer will reconnect you with mother earth and introduce you to heaven. Every ethereal nuanced flavor from the sage to the musky Norton wine barrel aging is meticulously thought out. Once you've had scratch beer your pilgrimage in search of the holy grail of beer will be over. You have now entered a chasing of the dragon stage in your life. Good luck and please let me know if you find something better. Kvass Russian sour is a standout among standouts. Did I mention they have a wood fired oven? read more
12 years ago
My family drove 40 min from our B & B for an afternoon at Scratch. It was well worth the effort. Besides the homemade local food, beautiful scenery, and cool owners, the beer is what makes this place. We knew we were in a beer lovers paradise when we pulled up at noon on Memorial Day weekend to the scene of hops growing in the front yard of the brewery blowing in the wind. The outside was whimsical and rustic. My husband is a home brewer & was excited to try a flight of all their beers. My favorite was the beer brewed with maple sap mint and lavender instead of water. He loved the beer brewed with wild yeast. Many of their beers were bittered with dandelion root instead of hops. My stepmom liked the gruit with rose root. It was kid and dog friendly. Keep up the great work guys!! read more
A true nano-brewery. Small batches using locally sourced and some locally foraged ingredients. Fantastically creative and delicious! My favorite today was the dandelion tonic gruit beer. My bf loved the basil beer and the barley wine. Great nibbles to accompany the beer too. We had an appetizer platter which had sourdough bread (made in their brick oven), Olive oil for dipping, Baetje goat cheese, another cheese and salume beddu meat. Next time we'll try one of their pizzas baked in the brick oven over a wood fire. Chatted with the brewers and other customers. Very enjoyable, relaxing visit. A fun touch is they have used chalkboards for the tables so you can doodle while you drink. Ooh and they do a soda as well, on our visit it was mint soda. Very refreshing. read more
6 years ago
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More info about Scratch Brewing Company
264 Thompson Rd
Ava, IL 62907
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(618) 426-1415
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http://scratchbeer.com/
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Ask the Community - Scratch Brewing Company
So they allow dogs on there property outaide?
I don't know if they have an official policy, but when I visited a couple weeks ago there were a few dogs in the outdoor space!
Review Highlights - Scratch Brewing Company
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1 review that is not currently recommended
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7 years ago
