Chris N.

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.

Güneş Ö.

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!

Alden C.

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!

Laura C.

LOVE that this brewery exists. Please make it a point to divert your travels to here. Pretty unique, fresh food, fresh beer. AMAZING.

Brianna N.

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**

Nora W.

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.

Tucker B.

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

Kevin H.

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.

Jackie B.

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:)

Denise C.

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.

Anne W.

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!

Jason P.

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.

Delicious beer and food Exceptional service Unique atmosphere An unrivaled brewery experience