Ryan F.
Yelp
Stopped into 2nd Shift Brewing on Friday evening. Tried three beers from the list, Cat Spit Oatmeal Milk Stout, Liquid Spiritual Delight Imperial Stout, and Little Big Hop NE-Style Session IPA.
Quality
I typically like to sample some beers or get a flight before committing to a full draft of any beer. Unfortunately the ridiculous wait at 2nd Shift Brewing did not afford me that opportunity. I instead went with my gut in terms of my draft selections, and felt that overall they were decent. My first choice was the Cat Spit Oatmeal Milk Stout. It was definitely the best of the three beers I tried. It was much darker than I expected out of a milk stout. A little chocolate and a little coffee, it was a solid beer. Next I went bolder with the Liquid Spiritual Delight Imperial Stout. I feel like imperial stouts have the most potential, but at the same time can easily end up being too syrupy. This one is extremely thick and served at a slightly warmer temperature. I found myself struggling to enjoy it, which I think was in part because of the warm temperature inside, but my real issue was the after-taste which reminded me of medicine. To break up the stouts, my last beer choice was Little Big Hop NE-Style Session IPA. I immediately got excited when I saw the hazy golden pour. However, it just smacked me with too much citrus taking away some enjoyment.
Quantity
Drafts came in 10, 12, or 14oz pours depending on the selection. Fair pours once you can get someone's attention to get you one.
Value
Drafts ranged from $5 to $7 depending on the selection. I did not see an option for Flights, but I did not even inquire figuring the last thing they needed was for things to slow down even more.
Ambiance
2nd Shift Brewing is located in an industrial area of St. Louis. The brewery takes residence in a massive warehouse very close to a railroad track. The brewery and taproom share the same huge room with giant racks of barrels as separation between the two sections. They do not have any outdoor space, but the inside taproom is quite large. At the back wall of the taproom you will find the bar and lots of tables fill in the rest of the space. They do have a few couches near the front, but really only enough to accommodate one group. The bar has two televisions, both showing sports, as well as a screen displaying the beers on tap. They have different games stacked up and offered free wi-fi. For food they had a kitchen with a small list of choices for those needing a snack as they drink. They also had two or three cats wandering around, which I was not a fan of. I am definitely a little biased because of allergies, but I did not like the fact that these cats were just jumping on top of tables and bar. I felt it was unsanitary, though most of the other guests did not feel the same. The taproom was also very warm, which was not what I was hoping for on a hot day. Because of the lack of separation the equipment keeps the whole space toasty.
Crowd
There was a good crowd on Friday evening. It was primarily large groups, many of whom looked like they had just come from work. The massive taproom makes it a good place for bigger parties to hang out. They are also family friendly and I saw a few children running around.
Service
It was a mess. At first I assumed they were understaffed, but after I sat down I realized they had plenty of people, just very few of them were actually helping guests. Two had sat down to chat with friends in one corner and another was chasing down a cat. When there are constant lines at the bar, someone should have had the awareness to call more people over.
Parking
The brewery has a decent sized parking lot. However, I would be concerned on a busy day because if it filled up it did not look like there was much else in the area.
Extra
My issues with 2nd Shift Brewing were not really related to the beer. Rather my experience was overshadowed by the terrible service, avoiding the brewery cats, and dealing with the heat. The beers I did try were decent, and showed a lot of potential. But it is hard to be excited to return when you are uncomfortable with the space they are served in.