SPENCER PERNIKOFF
Schlafly's retooled Stout and Oyster Festival provides a safe, socially-distant way to partake in the fun.
Last year at this time, Schlafly Beer was in the final stages of prepping for its annual Stout and Oyster Festival when all pandemic hell broke loose. Restaurants closed, the city shut down, and the brewery was left with no other choice but to cancel its popular event.
A year later COVID-19 remains a pox upon the hospitality industry, but Schlafly has found a way to carry on. The brewery has announced plans to go forward with the beloved event this year, albeit a little differently than in years past, offering both socially distant in-person and drive-thru ways to partake in the brew and bi-valve festivities.
According to the brewery, the Stout and Oyster Festival will take place Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20 at the Schlafly Tap Room (2100 Locust Street, 314-241-2337). Organizers will turn the brewery's parking lot into an outdoor event space dubbed the Shuckerdome, where guests can enjoy themselves at socially-distanced tables that accommodate up to six people. Guests can reserve a Shuckerdome table for a four-hour window; the cost is $12 per person and includes two beers.
For those who want to enjoy the stout and oysters but do not wish to attend the even in person, Schlafly is offering a Biergarten Drive-Thru where patrons can pick up a variety of oyster specials, pretzels, chowders and other food items, as well as the event's signature Oyster Stout and other beers.
Schlafly's annual Stout and Oyster Festival is one of its most popular events of the year, bringing in shuckers from all over the county to showcase the bounty of oyster varieties from coast to coast. While that component will be missing this year, organizers are determined to carry on the tradition the best that they can in these challenging circumstances.
"Last year our Stout and Oyster Festival was right around the corner when the pandemic hit, and we made the difficult decision to cancel the event for the first time," says Schlafly founding Brewer Stephen Hale in a release. "We’re looking forward to bringing back the spirit of the event with these adapted socially distanced experiences. Although we will miss seeing our shucker friends from both coasts this year, we hope that our guests, who have come to look forward to the event year after year, will raise a stout to them and enjoy some fresh oysters with us safely at the Schlafly Tap Room.”
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