Delicious and really interesting beers in a great outdoor setting. We enjoyed drinks on the extensive patio on a beautiful fall afternoon. Everything was spaced out and people were wearing masks when not at their tables, so it felt safe. This isn't just another brewery, their beers are something really special and memorable, far more complex than what I'm used to finding. I loved the chamomile farmhouse ale and the mint herb soda was incredible. The burdock and oak lager and the clover stout were also great. We bought several bottles to take home to share these wonderful beers with friends. I look forward to stopping in next time I'm in the area. Note: they were cash only but there was an ATM on site. read more

Off the beaten path but worth the trip! This is one of my favorite microbreweries in the Midwest. Flight is $10 and pours are generous. For a perfect summer evening, order a margarita pizza and relax in the wooded backyard. read more

Scratch Brewing Company - Flight - Breweries Near Me - Ava, Illinois

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Definitely one of the best craft breweries in IL, and quite possibly the entire Midwest. That's an unlikely feat to achieve given the colossally delicious beers coming out of Chc, IN, and MI. Many people complain about the service. I've always experienced good service at a minimum but when some bottles were left out of a case I purchased, the owners didn't hesitate to make it right. The location is well off the beaten path but the drive is interesting and quite fun if you have a sports car. The weather can impact accessibility but with the owners awareness of those limitations, they keep the public informed via social media when there may be difficulties getting to the brewery to wet your palate with some amazing wild ales or freshly brewed and locally foraged beers. Their food and sodas are an unbelievable find, as well. If you have the chance to visit for one of their special events, those are as equally creative and fun as any bigger breweries festival. Don't miss out on getting Scratched in southern IL! read more

Besides all the unique beer they also have fresh brewed ginger or mint soda and wood fired pizza. I rarely see people eat pizza crust but here they do with gusto as it is crunchy with a great smoky flavor. Their beer is all locally sourced ingredients made in small batches. Their community room easily held our group of almost 50 and the tour was informative. read more

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This place is cute & quaint, hidden away in the woods. I went for the 2nd time ever this past wkend with my gf & a couple friends. We ordered a couple pizzas (pesto/sausage) for dinner & later on, sourdough bread with goat cheese & honey, yum. I had the honey farmhouse ale which was tasty. My friends told us the owners have goats nearby so that cheese is real fresh. We got to explore upstairs as well which is neat - some odd designs but they had a bunch of their dried ingredients hanging. Kinda serves a dual purpose as beer ingredients but also decoration! I didn't personally interact with the owners but they seemed friendly enough. Heads up - this place is cash only! They do have an ATM on site. read more

Scratch Brewing Company - Dried sunflower - Breweries Near Me - Ava, Illinois

Great beer! BUT if you are looking for an adult night out, think again. Last time we were here, there were more five year olds than adults.

Unique beer flavors made from things they forage around the brewery and local ingredients (honey, etc). They have nice little cheese plates too. Just a nice little OUT OF THE WAY place to chill. read more

Great beers. Great pizza. Great atmosphere. Friday's they bake amazing sourdough bread. read more

Scratch Brewing Company - Breweries Near Me - Ava, Illinois

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It's a beautiful place. It feels like deep country. Only an hour and half from St. Louis. Great beer and amazing homemade food. The basil and the hickory soda are delicious! read more

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This was probably one of the best, most overpriced breweries I've ever visited. The tastes, the aromas, the originalness of their beers was extraordinary. It is in the middle of nowhere and to be honest I'd love to live in that neighborhood. When I ordered I did not realize they were cash only. They and I were lucky I had any on me. Who is cash only these days? I would have stayed longer had it not been for that. The prices were pretty steep, even for as good as there beer was. read more

Scratch Brewing Company is a hidden southern Illinois gem. Their ever-rotating selection of beers brewed from foraged ingredients is such a treat. I recommend ordering a flight and trying several of their creations, as I assure you you've never had anything quite like this before. The atmosphere at Scratch is very relaxed and peaceful. It's a nice place to catch up with friends as it's pretty quiet and secluded. In terms of food, I've only ever had a cheese plate, but we really enjoyed it and would definitely be open to trying more of their menu. read more

Crazy little gem, way off the beaten path. The beers were very interesting- foraged ingredients right from their own property, and bold/weird choices in their beer. For example, ginger in the winter warmer that I got. They do offer food- we were there a bit earlier in the evening, so we missed the wood-fired pizzas. We tried the appetizer sampler, and would not recommend the pickles or the pickled tomatoes. The homemade bread and goat cheese (made from milk by the goats that are also on-property) were excellent, and the salume was solid as well. Really neat and funky spot! read more

This place rocks. We're from Fort Collins CO and this is now my favorite microbrewery. You owe it to yourself to find this place. Farm to table microbrews. Too cool! read more

Scratch Brewing Company - Nice place! - Breweries Near Me - Ava, Illinois

Favorite brewery in southern IL! It's definitely a little bit of drive, but totally worth it. From the fact that they grow their own hops and brew with a variety of herbs/fruits/vegetables, to their delicious wood-fire grilled pizzas and ever changing menu...it keeps things interesting and fun. Great owners too! Cash only, but they have an ATM on-site. read more

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The best in both quality and taste. I have never had the type of variety these guys offer. It is a lesson in flavor and beer type every time I go. Highly recommended if you drink or not, the food is exceptional. Customer service is top notch, I think the owners run the place and it shows. They care, they know details of interest and the whole experience is just excellent from arrival to departure. Even if you have to drive to get here, it is worth it for the experience. read more

Wow! I didn't expect to find anything in these backwoods of Illinois but Scratch Brewing Co. is a diamond in the rough. They brew all their own beers which were all flavorful and inexpensive. There was live music when I came on a Sunday afternoon. This place only takes cash, but there is an ATM machine in the bar. There is very limited indoor seating so plan on sitting outside and dress appropriately. read more

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Scratch Brewing Co. Some of our favorite, small batch beers of theirs include, Basil Ale, Dead Leaves and Carrots, Wild Hop Ale, Sourdough Ale, and Hickory Gruit to name a few! They aren't usually around for long, so when you find a beer you like, grab a growler to take home! The Pizzas have all been amazing as well! read more

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A must-visit for Hop-heads. WAY off the beaten path, but worth the drive. Highly creative, funky (in a good way) brews. Tasting flights are recommended given the rotating offerings. Relaxing spot out in the forest to enjoy some unique beers ! read more

Scratch Brewing Company - Dandelion gruit. - Breweries Near Me - Ava, Illinois

They live up to their name as they have some truly unique beers made from local ingrediants. This place is the definition of hipster but that isn't a bad thing. Well unless you don't accept credit cards which they don't. CASH ONLY. They do have an atm inside with a $2 fee for withdrawals. I honestly would have bought more but I ran out of cash. Their outside area is very impressive and it looked like they had a stage for live bands but it wasn't being used at the time. We sat outside as I went through their 9 beers on tap. Oregano stout was my favorite but all of the flavors were very different from the standard microbreweries. Overall very good beers with a unique concept that lives up to their name. read more

Huge fan of this brewery! Very unique feel to it. It's out in the middle of nowhere which is great, and has a huge outdoor seating area and is dog friendly! They also have a big screen outside and have a movie night out there every once in a while. Their beer is really earthy and has some unique flavors that I didn't really get at any of the other breweries that I visited. They also grow their own ingredients and use them to make the beer and food that they sell. My favorite of their beers was the Hen of the Woods. It incorporated a really interesting blend of mushrooms and herbs. Their pizza is fantastic and is highly recommended. Definitely drive out and give this place a try! read more

Some of the finest micro brews I've ever had. The setting is perfect to sit around under the stars by a wood burning fire and enjoy good conversation with friends. Could not think of a better way to spend an evening. read more

Great atmosphere for a place out in the middle of nowhere. Has a hipster vibe but the beer is served in a normal glass not a mason jar :o. There is a small food menu but the beer is really what you want. If you don't drink there's homemade soda. read more

People are leaving their reviews on the décor of the place and good service at the bar. I cannot make comment on either. My husband and I walked in the door, but instead of a warm greeting we received a hasty remark from the bartender that our dog, a 12 pound Sheltie who was on a leash, was not allowed there. Without receiving as much as a hello we turned to leave. This happened on a Saturday afternoon, after the three of us were welcomed at Barnes & Noble and Big Muddy Brewing Co. On their website, Scratch refers to themselves as a "farmhouse" brewery and is located only 5 miles from the Shawnee National Forest, so it didn't occur to us that our small fur baby would not be welcome. Despite that fact that animals are not welcome in their establishment, it was the rude manner in which we were approached that will keep us from returning. This is not a dog friendly place. In fact, it is not a friendly place at all. read more

I grew up in and around Portland, OR, so craft beer is in my blood. I gotta say, Scratch knows what they're doing. The sweet potato beer might have been the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. But it's not just the beer that's good. I ordered a flat bread and my friend ordered goat cheese. Mmm... we were in heaven. Great beer, great food, and knowledgable staff. PLUS, the location is pretty cool. It's definitely out in the middle of nowhere, but certainly worth the drive. Do your self a favor, and move Scratch to the top of your brewery list. read more

My husband found this gem of a microbrewery in the beautiful woods and rolling hills of Southern Illinois. We were exhausted from the 5 hour drive. The staff were beyond welcoming, and the beer was great! It's got a beautiful outdoor stage and a warm, cozy interior. read more

OMG OMG OMG............ BEST.....BEER.....EVER....... (well... ya) it was amazing....... This place-- is AWESOME--- and should you ever be so lucky to experience this place- consider yourself, beer blessed..... This whimsical little slice of heaven is located in the middle of NOWHERE.... We came here on a Friday night, and they had a nice little crowd poppin'. We pull up and the first I see is the hop vines! they were awesome! Yes, they grown their own hops- plus the herbs they use in their beer! How awesome is that!? I mean, really. ! When walking down the walkway you could see the basil and mint growing- The guys who work there were very knowledgeable, and helpful- I can honestly say the beer here is some of the best beer I have ever had. Hands down. After we had our first initial beer we wen with a flight- And out of all the beers we had (about 10 I think- or close) there was only ONE that I really didnt care for- Even the Barley Wine had a good flavor and normally i am not a barley wine fan. They have a small menu, and the whatever kinda pizza thing they were serving that night looked and smelled REALLY good!! My most favoritest part of all this--- THEY SERVE THEIR BEER IN MASON JARS!!!!! what the what?!!!! I was immediately in love! read more

Seriously amazing beer. We've never had a bad experience and everything on tap is wonderful

One of a kind nano brewery that can't be skipped. Handcrafted with local herbs and spices. Well balanced. I've never had beer like this anywhere else. Unusually good. The owners have created a unique woodland experience, hops abound. Family friendly. Quality craft hoppy time for all. read more

So this is by far the most innovative brewery in the tri-state area. So much so that at least every other month we make a 3 hour pilgrimage to see the offerings. The beer is complex, interesting, and never disappointing. And the other wonderful part? The setting. This is the only brewery I have ever been to where I've found other iNaturalist listings of the flora and fauna around the brewery. read more

If I could give 6 stars, I would. Went back in late May 2014, and now they have more food options!! They now have a wood-fired pizza oven and their pizzas are just as unique and whimsical as their beers. Beers are still surprising and delightful. This place just makes me happy. read more

Interesting concept for beer, nice grounds and location, very poor customer service - wouldn't go back or recommend for this reason, and leave the credit card at home - cash only read more

Here for a wedding, nice venue. I'm not a beer drinker, but did enjoy a nice glass of Reisling.

Great brews and awesome atmosphere. Can't say enough here, but it's a must-visit stop on your tour around Southern Illinois.

A two hour road trip down the river road to Ava, IL and we were not disappointed. Who knew brew from anything but hops and barley could fast soooooooo good. Worth the drive on a beautiful day. read more

Visited the day after Thanksgiving, they had extended hours today and that made it very convenient. Sampled a few beers and then settled on the Hickory Bark Ale. Scratch has a unique concept of using locally foraged wild plant parts such as hickory bark, paw paw, etc to use during the brewing process. The Hickory Bark Ale had the right amount of smoky flavor, about a 4 on a scale of 1-10. Others in my party tried the Mumm, the Chocolate Milk Stout and Wild Hop Ale. They taste wonderfully wild and unique. This is an awesome unique concept. We tried the pizza and the goat cheese platter as well, both very good. We'll definitely be back. read more

This place is the real deal! One of the best breweries I've been to - better than most "big city" breweries....worth the drive!

We tried 5 beers. Every one of them was unique and different from any beer we have tried and we have tried many. These folks are inventive and the atmosphere is rustic and exremely cool. If we didn't have a 2 hour drive home we would have stayed for a full pour. read more

Don't drink beer but the pizza and bread was delicious. My friends really enjoyed their beer platter. They wanted me to add to put some cushions down on the seats because their butts were hurting. Also 10/10 the goats on this property are friendly and cute af! Would def visit again and I hate beer so that says something! read more

One of the great hidden gems of Southern Illinois. An afternoon at Scratch is like visiting a parallel universe in which the hippies won, Reagan was never elected, Iraq was never invaded, and we have universal health care. My last trip there included drinking several great beers made locally with ingredients foraged from the woods, sitting outside with friends by the garden, and playing with baby goats. Try as you might, you're unlikely to find that experience anyplace else. read more

Good brewery. They make their beers from scratch using local ingredients. On a nice day, it's worth the drive and the scenery is beautiful.