Get The Latest News!

Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.

ALTON - Not all classrooms have to be boring.

A beer school, usually hosted once a month at Elijah P's, offers curious tasters and beer aficionados alike a chance to learn about various beers and their brewers. At a class Wednesday evening, Marikah Josephson, co-owner of Scratch brewery of Ava, Ill., discussed four different types of beer her brewery has been making with ingredients sourced locally, many of them from within 100 yards of the brewery itself. The brewer also uses yeast sourced from inside their operation.

“We use whatever is wild and floating around in the air,” she said at the presentation.

The four beers sampled by Josephson and the rest of the “students” were a turmeric and oak leaf brew, a burdock dandelion bierdegarde, a lemon balm saison and a sour strawberry.

Josephson said most Scratch beers are sold on site, but added Elijah P's is one of the few places in the state outside of Ava where it could be found. Another place is Global Brew in Edwardsville as well as a few places in Northern Illinois and Chicago.

Article continues after sponsor message

Former brewers involved in the beer school at Elijah P's have been 4 Hands, Civil Life, Perennial and Revolution. Elijah P's owner, Russ Smith, said the events were a good way to get the community more connected to the people behind the 60 beers he has on tap. He said the free event, which features a sample of various brews, attains a standing-room-only crowd at each inception. Wednesday evening was no exception to that.

“We've had an incredible amount of speakers to talk about and give away samples,” Smith said. “We try to do these at least once a month, whenever we have an available brewer.”

The event is assisted in-house by Certified Cicerone®", Zachary Pohlman, who works at Elijah P's. A certified Cicerone is a sort of beer expert christened by the Cicerone® Certification Program in Chicago.

“It's a really great way to promote Elijah P's as well as the craft beer industry,” Smith said. “Promoting the craft beer industry is really a huge part of what we do here.”

Among those 60 beers on tap at Elijah P's is a Thai basil from Scratch.

 

 

More like this:

Oct 4, 2023 - Gus Kodros Tribute Rock Show Will Honor Late Drummer, Support 988 Suicide Lifeline

Feb 20, 2024 - Litchfield Lottery Winner On Cloud Nine After Winning $250,000 On Scratch-Off Lottery Ticket

Mar 19, 2024 - Illinois Lottery Reports Half-Year Results

Sep 11, 2023 - Alton Little Theater To Feature Collection Of Brews For Upcoming Production Of 'Beer For Breakfast'

Feb 14, 2024 - Man Down On His Luck After A Break-Up Hits The Illinois Lottery Jackpot