In an old firehouse at the corner of 20th and Washington something new is on tap.
"So we're launching with four ciders initially," Russ John says.
He's the founder of Brick River Cider Company.
"Cider is really wine making, it's fruit juice so you don't cook anything."
It's a beverage his family has been making for generations.
"And then I went out on a multiyear, multi-state, multi-city look with what cider makers were doing around the country and the world and put a little team together and we formulated these ciders."
Four deliciously different flavors.
"So this is our Cornerstone, that's a clear effervescent off-dry cider," John explains.
Depending on the cider it takes one to three months to make.
"We're calling that Firehouse Rose," he says pushing another tasting glass foward.
Each one is made from fresh pressed midwestern fruit then bottled, canned or kegged here in the back of this building that was built in 1892. They'll be served in the bar where old fire trucks used to be parked and upstairs in the restaurant where firemen used to bunk.
"70 percent of the world's cider is made in England and France so we are very countryside French, countryside English with a little St. Louis flare to some things," John says describing the menu.
Carlos Hernnedz is the Executive Chef.
"I prepared for you guys the brussels sprouts salad with brown derby dressing."
He also made us a flatbread with a goat cheese spread, spinach, apricots and walnuts.
"That is red beet hummus, it's something really unique," he adds.
The whole place is something our city hasn't really seen before.
"Cider's a learning process. You know cider in America is about one percent of the beer market so it's not something everybody is familiar with," Russ John explains.
Brick River Cider Company, however, hopes to change that one savory sip at a time.
Brick River Cider Company
2000 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO
314-272-2646
http://brickrivercider.com/
