I recently blogged about some great breweries I visited while in St. Louis. I’d like to mention another place and, while not a brewery, they have a fantastic tap wall with beers from all over the world: Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar.

Bridge Tap House has 55 beers on tap, many of them from the Midwest.  I figured this would be the perfect place to sample some local flavor without actually going to all of the breweries.  I started with 2nd Shift Brewing‘s Art of Neurosis IPA from New Haven, MO.  It was extremely hoppy; it tasted more like a double or imperial rather than a standard IPA.  Honestly, it was one of the best IPAs I’ve ever had.  It was perfect.  If you get the chance to try this beer and you like hops, do not pass up the chance to taste it.  I also went with Civil Life Brewing‘s Porter. I used to be a big porter fan, though the past couple of years I’ve had a harder time finding decent ones; usually they are lacking in flavor and/or seem a bit flat. But I wanted to give this one a try. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. This beer was bursting with roasted malt flavor. It reminded me somewhat of a milk stout though not as sweet. I loved it!

And to compliment these wonderful brews, I had a pretty tough decision to make. Bridge has a nice gourmet menu with lots of interesting choices. Ultimately I chose the soft pretzels with Jalapeno mustard and IPA Cheddar (nothing beats the beer and cheese combination!). Delicious. And it paired so well with both of my delectable beverages.

I really enjoyed Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar. It’s a lovely place with an excellent beer and wine selection, great food, and a nice downtown location. If you live in or around St. Louis or are planning a visit, this is one spot to put on your list.