Scratch Brewing Company

Feels like the secret village you build as a kid in the woods....except it's real and great for adults. Pizza was so good, try whatever they are experimenting with that day. I'm not a beer gal (so my review here is kinds useless) but I have tried many a flight and this was the most adventurous of flavors. Very much worth the drive. Do bring your bug spray.

Very unique and authentic but also accessible beers and pizza that will disappear in your hand. Highly recommend. We just went here tonight and it was amazing, and we got all 3 pizzas to share between 4ppl. The beer flights are reasonably priced and we bought some growlers and bottles to take home because *this brewery is exceptionally good.*

Scratch Brewing Company is worth the drive from St. Louis! The beers are unique and are made with local ingredients that are found in nature. The service is excellent, and the employees are knowledgeable and passionate about the beers they serve. There is a cabin-in-the-woods vibe, and the ambiance is immersed in nature. There is both indoor and outdoor covered seating. Children and dogs are allowed. This brewery is cash only, but there is an ATM inside. I definitely would recommend a little day trip from the city to try some of these unique beers! Plus, the prices are incredibly reasonable, considering the amount of work that goes into producing these beers!

Definitely recommend taking a trip and visiting Scratch. Very friendly & welcoming place. Got their early before the brewery got busy and was able to have a nice conversation with the new bartender, which made the experience even better, especially with my social anxiety. If you can, I recommend trying all the offerings. Everything was well crafted from the beers to the food. Would happily make the trip to try more. It is cash only, but there's an ATM there for convenience.

A brewery in the small town of Ava Illinois bedded among nature. They have many unique offerings and use lots of ingredients found on property to brew their beer. We enjoyed sharing several flights to sample their vast selection. They also make wildfire pizza which we missed because we were their earlier in the day. Nice people. Give this unique brewery a try.

We did some hiking (Pomona Natural Bridge then hiked Little Grand Canyon Trail) and headed to Scratch for something to drink. TOTALLY awesome place. We did 2 flights so we could taste everything. We did not try the food. Next trip! Beers are different, fresh, and tasty. Someone knows there brewing. Don't expect the standard IPA, but go with an open mind! Truly a great brewery. The bartender was so nice and answering questions about brewing & the piasa drawn on the wall. GO! Don't hesitate to GO if you are in the area. I will go so far as to say they are in the top 6 breweries I've ever been to. 💕. Go!

The pizza and beer are unique and tasty. Well worth the visit. Don't come expecting the usual beers, though. Each has a distinct and unique flavor profile. For me, personally, their sahti was the tastiest.

It's a really magical place! Located in the woods, it consists from several wooden buildings and wooden tents. It has fireplace outside for customers. They brew their beer in this place from foraged ingredients or from ingredients from their garden, their goats. Ask Chris to tell you everything about the foraging and making beers, he is very helpful! You can find wild thyme growing between old stone walls (add it to your pizza 🍕😉) and passion fruits vines which they also use for their Maypop beer. Take samples of snifters because it's just impossible to choose which one is your favorite!

My husband and I went on a little day date to Scratch Brewing, and it was well worth the drive! It's literally in the middle of nowhere, so it feels like a nice escape. It's a really cute property; there's a huge patio right in the woods, and plenty of indoor seating as well. We've heard good things about the beer, but what really intrigued us was the NYTimes best pizza in the US article that featured Scratch! Both things are worth the hype. The beer is so unique and flavorful. Often times my husband and I will try a brewery and we find that a lot of the beers taste the same. This is not the case at all at Scratch! We tried six beers, and each one was has a completely different flavor profile and such unique ingredients. We were big fans of the basil IPA, dead leaves and carrots (it tastes like fall in a glass!), the sassafras Pilsner, and the fig leaf & elecampane lager. We tried the spicy tomato and sausage pizza and the bread/caprese plate. Literally every single thing tastes so fresh. They pride themselves on using locally/home grown ingredients in both their food and beers, and you can taste that freshness in both! What a great little spot in Southern Illinois! Make the hour and some change next time you want a different day outing, you won't regret it! **Note, they are cash only!!! There is an ATM**

LOVE that this brewery exists. Please make it a point to divert your travels to here. Pretty unique, fresh food, fresh beer. AMAZING.

So very glad to have tried a couple of different beers from Scratch Brewing. To be specific we tried two different ones and we really liked them both and appreciated the experimental qualities both beers had to their recipes. One that we had was the Chestnut and Oak, a Farmhouse style ale that was intriguing and a pleasant one to just kick back with and sip. Flavors with this Ale are maltiness, tartness, caramel, roastiness and an earthiness to it. It certainly isn't a guzzling type if beverage so just sit back and relax with it. Our favorite beer overall from the brewery that we have had thus far definitely goes to their Fig Leaf Porter. Oh, wow... was this porter a real joy to drink! It was made with figs and juniper berries but there is a much more wider range of flavors to enjoy with this one. Other flavor features with this beer are cinnamon, coconut, dryness and earthiness. Many porters can run on heavier side when it comes to body but this porter is more of the light bodied sort and highly recommended by Steve and myself!

Finally made it here! Weather was perfect, so I sat outside. This place is a hidden gem...so cozy. There are lots of tables, some old woody houses, a stage and a firepit outside. - Btw, CASH ONLY! Atm inside. It wasn't busy around lunchtime, service was fast. Heirloom Tomato pizza was perfectly wood fired. I had to ask if they put crack in it (bc it was that good) but no, not even MSG used, they said. All made from scratch and they use local produce for the ingredients. I got a beer flight. I think #7 Stout is my fav. Basil one was good too. They also have mushroom beer, I will have to try next time. There is the Serpent Room upstairs (with beautiful wall art) for private events - looks like the room has its own bar and service. - This place is DOG FRIENDLY!

It may be almost 2 hours away from home, but Scratch brewing company is 110% worth the drive. Located in the middle of nowhere, on acres and acres of land where they grow their own ingredients. Scratch is far from your standard brewery doing basic lagers, ipas, and stouts. Instead, offering off the wall foraged beers that include things like chanterelle mushrooms, juniper, nettle, and elderberry. Sit outside on their massive patio, and you'll enjoy an outdoor experience no other brewery can deliver. If you prefer to sit inside, their tasting room is cute and quaint, and their upstairs "serpent room" bright, artsy, and beautiful. Do come hungry! Their woodfire pizzas are nothing short of amazing.

Review: Good pizza, not worth the trip We came because of the New York Times recommendation, but it was disappointing overall and I doubt we will be back. We live within 90 minutes, so when the NYT said some of the best pizza in the country is in our backyard, how could we not try it out? The pizza is good, fresh - reminds me of pizza I've had in Italy. Very thin, little toppings or other ingredients. I would say it is more appetizer than meal. An average person could eat an entire pizza for their meal. However, we ordered 1 for every 2 people in our party and it was not enough food. That would have been fine if we could have ordered more, but they must only have 1 oven because they could only deliver 2 pizzas every 20 minutes, so not everyone in our party could eat at the same time. Other times, 1 pizza was delivered cold with a hot pizza. It would have taken way too long to order more. Again, I don't think they're set up to function as a real restaurant and the pizza is supposed to serve as something to snack on with your beer, rather than a meal. There were only 3 pizzas available on the menu and a cheese plate. That's it. Again, it's not really a restaurant. The overall environment and vibe is pretty cool - nice outdoor areas, a campfire, an old log cabin. However, when you first arrive there's no one to greet you and no signage directing you. You have to walk around the place and figure it out on your own - Can you just sit anywhere? How do you order? Where are the menus? Who is in charge? There were only two people tending the bar. When we arrived the line from the bar was long and slow, as they chatted with each customer about their beer preferences. Meanwhile, I had over a dozen hungry people with no idea where to sit or how to order. I waited in line for 20 minutes, to tell them the pizzas we wanted so we could wait another 20 minutes for each set of 2 every 20 minutes. Oh and by the way they're cash only, but have an ATM right there. Super annoying. It's 2024. Accepting credit cards is cheaper than handling cash, not to mention the error, risk, and fraud. Business fundamentals. Who carries cash? In the end, everyone was still hungry and we ended up stopping at a different restaurant on the way home. Oh and if you come at night, bring your flashlight because there are no lights in the parking lot, there are steps, and this place is out in the middle of nowhere with no street lights. It was super dark and we could hardly see a thing. Not safe. So yeah, the pizza is good but nothing super special and definitely not worth the trip and hassle. I don't think we will go back. It makes me sad that a small, local business like this has gotten such great publicity for their craft - but is overall not going to survive from a business standpoint. Maybe they will get some college kids who come to drink beer, but there is so much more potential here that they won't be able to realize unless they make some changes.

Scratch Brewing Company is worth the drive from St. Louis! The beers are unique and are made with local ingredients that are found in nature. The service is excellent, and the employees are knowledgeable and passionate about the beers they serve. There is a cabin-in-the-woods vibe, and the ambiance is immersed in nature. There is both indoor and outdoor covered seating. Children and dogs are allowed. This brewery is cash only, but there is an ATM inside. I definitely would recommend a little day trip from the city to try some of these unique beers! Plus, the prices are incredibly reasonable, considering the amount of work that goes into producing these beers

We visit Scratch once a year during our vacations in southern Illinois and they never disappoint. Everything is seasonal and locally fresh so expect a pleasant rotation of food and beer. The pizza and appetizer plates never disappoint and the beer itself is unique and worth a try. The brewery is in a rural forest and is so peaceful and lovely. Service is simple counter service at a small bar but there's a larger area for sitting and dining. We've always preferred the outside area but there isn't really a bad seat in the house!

There is no negative comment to post about Scratch Brewing! We stopped there on our way to our final destination of Makanda, Illinois. It is way off the beaten path, but so well worth the drive. You feel as if you are out in the middle on no where while driving there! It is just a very cool surprise when you do find the brewery, tucked in the center of a beautiful wooded area. When you come to the clearing, you are met with a many cars from all different neighboring states that were searching this little gem in the southern woods on Illinois. It is such a cozy setting and the brew is the best I've ever had! The beer is made from plants, barks, and flowers, everything that is found in nature. It is amazingly good. I'm not a big beer person, but I had wished we could have stayed and enjoyed more tastings, but we had to continue driving! The food actual looked delicious, and smelled wonderful, but we did not try any. We explored the grounds and the inside of the building that has some amazing artful and some surprises, especially in the upside area!

They should keep the menus up to date on their website. Came all the way from FL to get here Thursday night only to be told no pizza on Thursday. We had called ahead and got someone very rude who said they served pizza Thursday nights. Did not apologize even when we came back on Friday and were told the one pizza we wanted, the potato rosemary sausage, wasn't on the menu anymore. WTF! At least update your website! Staff was all around rude and snippy. Needless to say, we will not be back, and hope no one else gives them their business.

Nestled out in the wilderness of Ava, Illinois is a gem of a brewery. Scratch brewery has a list of intriguing, floral, extraordinary brews on tap and bottled. Their drink menu changes based on the season and the abundance of local product to utilize in their brews. It doesn't hurt that there is amazing Pizza from a wood burning stove at your fingertips, if you are feeling a bit peckish. It's a bit of a drive from the city but nothing a great afternoon drive couldn't fix! They take cash only. If you forget to bring cash, they have an ATM on site. Get out and explore:)

Talk about ambiance. This is perhaps the most scenic, cozy place to get a unique brew. The beers are made from foraged plants around the property. They do have pizza, which was alright due to hunger and wanting something to pair with my beer, but not the star. Not that much cheese or toppings,which was surprising for how much it cost. Tiny pizza, few toppings. I go to this place for the setting and unique beer. The last time I was there, the woman working was not very friendly but again, the beer and setting make up for that. Great stop if you're hiking in the area.

Delicious beer and food Exceptional service Unique atmosphere An unrivaled brewery experience

Love this place. It's in the middle of nowhere, but well worth the trip. The main seating areas are outdoors and very pretty. Would be a great venue for a special occasion. As for the food and drinks, all the ingredients are local. Pizzas are tasty, and different from what you'd get at the chains. Beers are outstanding. My favorite is the Paw Paw. Just make sure you bring cash. They don't take credit here.

If you're like me, the cold weather is already making you feel a bit stir crazy. A few months ago, my boyfriend and I joined our two close friends Eric and Laura on a small road trip to the heartland of Illinois to get out of the city and visit Scratch Brewing Company. This small brewery and farm is the perfect distance if you're looking to get out of the house and obtain some of the region's most sought after brews. Nestled in a small wooded area, the brewery is such a cute space! Being outside in nature made for a comfortable social distanced experience. In fact, it was voted the most beautiful place to drink! Scratch Brewing Company is a farmhouse brewery which creates beers with home grown and locally farmed and foraged ingredients. The brewery has an ever rotating selection of styles enhanced by the innovative addition of local ingredients, such as nettle, elderberry, ginger, dandelion, maple sap, hickory, lavender, juniper, and chanterelle mushrooms. Some of these items are also for sale. Laura bought fresh basil! We brought snacks and sandwiches to snack on as their kitchen was closed due to COVID. It was the perfect complement to these interesting beers! Scratch focuses on farmhouse and saison style beers which aren't really my favorite. They had a clove stout that was incredibly smokey. What I really appreciated about their beers was the handcrafted flavor. You could absolutely taste the love and passion that went into each drop. As many craft breweries scale up their productions their beers can so often become homogenized. All of the beers we had during our visit definitely had the flavor of a small batch. Their beer is definitely good and the seating is picturesque. It's a great way to spend a weekend afternoon. Just be sure to check their website or Yelp page to make sure they are open before making the trek.

Rustic venue with an eclectic super interesting type of brewed sours and porters, my first sour porter tasting and enjoyed the flight and the vibrant upstairs serpent room. Venue is not easily navigatable for elderly or those challenged by uneven steps. Captured the two top tounge table, so that was unique. There are plenty of spots to relax, GPS in the brewery, this is definitely off the beaten path.

Scratch is much more than a brewery, it is an experience! Load up the car with some friends and take a day trip to beautiful Ava, IL. It is a 1.5 hour easy and scenic drive from St. Louis. Once you arrive, you will see a small building and some small gravel parking lots. Walking from the car to the buildings you walk along gravel and rock paths, so wear comfortable shoes. Walk towards the center building and you will see a white door, which you enter to see the bar and a few tables. Scratch has menus at the bar with detailed descriptions of all of the beers on tap and their food. The beers are SO unique because many of them contain native, foraged ingredients. At first glance the flavors may not appeal to you, but do not be scared away by the descriptions and list of ingredients in their beers! The hidden surprise is how delicious and different these seemingly odd flavors like cherry bark, cedar, clover, oregano, elderberry, passion fruit (just to name a few) can be! Flights are available 4 for $10, so be adventurous and try them all! While you are sampling all of these unique beers order some of their locally sourced food! Scratch has a wood fired brick oven and makes their own sourdough bread and pizza. Just in the mood for a snack? Then try some of their house made pickles from the pickle platter or a cheese plate. After ordering your beer and food, make your way outside where there is ample, rustic seating. There are plenty of picnic tables and wooden benches. There is also a large covered area with fans for hot days. Scratch has some indoor seating, but this brewery is best experienced on a decent weather day from the outside where you can soak up the outdoors while appreciating the hard work, craft and skill that went into the beers you are sipping on! Additional Tips: *Sometimes there are additional beers being served in the Serpent Room that are not offered in the main bar area. *Be sure to check out all of the cool art work in the Serpent Room and the bathrooms. *Walk around the grounds to view the gardens and the goats. * Dogs are allowed outdoors only. * Cash only and ATM on site. *Pick up some to go bottles to take home!

One of the most beautiful breweries I've seen. All the beer is made with ingredients grown there. The beet gose is a crisp pint that I recommend and the dead leaves has a nice earthy taste. Whatever you choose it will be solid. The seating outdoors is very relaxing.

Worth the drive!! Great place to hang out with friends and have beers and a bite. It's a haul from St Louis but a great afternoon hangout. Grounds, service, beers, and food were all fantastic. A true Gem!

It's been three years since I have heard of the place. And I finally made it and acted like a total fan boy. My wife had to tell Me to settle down I was so excited. The beer here is so lovingly made and the experience in their experimental flavors is adventurous and as good as advertised. We didn't eat and will next time, the pizzas smelled and looked delicious. Not only are the staff welcoming and friendly but the patrons were certified cool. We had our small dog and son too and they enjoyed their time too. Don't wait as long as me. I am heading back soon. I recommend doing some flights and then taking some bottles or growlers to go.

At the end of a gravel road, in the middle of nowhere, passed the rustic wooden sign, lies a whimsical brewery. Scratch craftily blends the most simple ingredients to create the most exotic flavors in perfect harmony. I could honestly say this is my favorite brewery I've ever visited. Surrounded by nature, the atmosphere is tranquil and welcoming with no pressure on its guests. They allow dogs in the outside area as well. The goat cheese with bread was heavenly. Every beer I tried was an invigorating experience for my taste buds. My favorite by far was the tumeric brew, so creative! This place was absolutely worth the drive coming from Chicagoland. Check it out for yourself!

Driving to Scratch is similar to memories that surface when you close your eyes, and all your thoughts start to jog with the most calming and compelling colors, sounds and smells. And just like puzzle pieces, this one just happens to fit beautifully into a town called, Ava. You can feel the gravel underneath the tires as you drive down deeper into what feels like forever. Time doesn't exist past this point - and while the anticipation is streaming through your blood like fire crackers, all you can think about is, "when." Pulling up, parking is relaxed and the goats off to the left will let you know you're about to enter something you couldn't even extract from your anticipated daydreaming. My husband and I went in the dead of Winter, on our way back to Chicago. Walking up to the brewery, the harmonized fluttering of our cold breaths were immediately forgotten, as we witnessed the inside to their wood burning oven, where they make pizza's - yes, from scratch. Inside, communal tables are off to the right with a chalkboard finish on top. The room itself is small, but there is a lot to soak in. What's stunningly unique is the design on the back wall. The talons of an Eagle, the head of a man, the body of a dragon and the antlers from a deer lies this image. If you gaze to the sky, there's a bright blue and green stained glass. In the front is where your liver is calling for - craft beer. If the Garden of Eden had offered liquid bliss, it would be from Scratch. This is almost seven hours from our home, so we had to indulge in every sip of liquid paradise. I cannot remember the name of the beer, but the consistency tasted like you were sipping on a camp fire. The smokiness from the wood was incorporated so overwhelmingly perfect, I never wanted my taste buds to stop experiencing such a compelling moment. The staff was so friendly, you felt like you had known them since childhood. You will never experience this type of craft beer journey in any other part of Illinois. Go here to fall in love with nature, beer, people and whatever makes your heart soar. Because the end result will leave you on such a high note, you'll forever question the definition of passion at every other brewery from here on out. #Cheers

The BEST CRAFT BREWERY in IL. Seriously. I loved a lot of their craft beers, and I absolutely LOVED the vibes of this location. (This place even has a outdoor theater arrangement for movies). Named "Top 4 breweries for foraged beer by Outside Magazine, and one of the most beautiful places to drink beer in the world by All About Beer Magazine". I cannot stop raving about this place. Owner and server here are very friendly. A lot of seating both outside and inside. VERY UNIQUE beer flavors here! -CASH ONLY -May be a bit difficult to access for wheelchair people, due to rocky paths.

Love it. Rustic, adorable, clean outdoor seating area. Great Forest view. Can pick up some vegetables and flowers and food items like pesto to go. Love this stop on our drive home.

Scratch Brewing is definitely on some next-level stuff... We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon that happened to be Fathers' Day. I was worried the place would be too packed. Luckily there is plenty of outdoor seating so the inside never felt crowded in the least. Plus there are huge tables and plenty of seating at the bar. The decor of the place is super cool. Almost like some ye olde-school apothecary vibe, I was definitely digging it. They have sample sizes for around $1.50 apiece so I got about 5 of those and they were all pretty delicious. One of the beers used no hops and was especially sour and distinctive. And then there was the prosciutto & fresh oregano wood-fired pizza ($10) ...WOW, simple yet bursting with flavor. The oregano was powerful and delicious. The crust was a sourdough (I think) and was pretty amazing on its own. They also had a housemade ginger ale and it blew me away. And I consider myself a ginger aficionado. There was some other flavor going on...I don't know what herb it was...sasparilla maybe?...but it gave the ale a deeper, almost creamy flavor. It was so good I took home a growler of it ($8) Everyone working here was nice and service was great. An added bonus were the superbly-decorated bathrooms. The men's room conjured up this awesome 60's psychedelia vibe that was seriously well-done. As if this place couldn't get any cooler... This is definitely a perfect destination for a mini road-trip. Next time I go I'm buying a t-shirt.

Great beer! BUT if you are looking for an adult night out, think again. Last time we were here, there were more five year olds than adults.

Scratch beer will reconnect you with mother earth and introduce you to heaven. Every ethereal nuanced flavor from the sage to the musky Norton wine barrel aging is meticulously thought out. Once you've had scratch beer your pilgrimage in search of the holy grail of beer will be over. You have now entered a chasing of the dragon stage in your life. Good luck and please let me know if you find something better. Kvass Russian sour is a standout among standouts. Did I mention they have a wood fired oven?

A beautiful, wooded getaway. An eclectic choice of fresh seasonal beers along with the usual brews. I saw some food being served, but I think it's a limited menu. Get a flight. Enjoy!

Off the beaten path but worth the trip! This is one of my favorite microbreweries in the Midwest. Flight is $10 and pours are generous. For a perfect summer evening, order a margarita pizza and relax in the wooded backyard.

Delicious and really interesting beers in a great outdoor setting. We enjoyed drinks on the extensive patio on a beautiful fall afternoon. Everything was spaced out and people were wearing masks when not at their tables, so it felt safe. This isn't just another brewery, their beers are something really special and memorable, far more complex than what I'm used to finding. I loved the chamomile farmhouse ale and the mint herb soda was incredible. The burdock and oak lager and the clover stout were also great. We bought several bottles to take home to share these wonderful beers with friends. I look forward to stopping in next time I'm in the area. Note: they were cash only but there was an ATM on site.

Scratch is a truly innovative brewery. It's amazing how busy this brewery that's literally in the middle of the forest can get even on the rainy day that we stopped in. Everything from the beers to the food items are unique, inspired, & locally sourced. I recommend getting a growler to take home your favorite brew! They only sell the small 32 oz growlers but are willing to fill pretty much any growler, even the larger 64 oz growler if you bring your own. Try to remember lids but when I forgot, they were super accommodating.

Definitely one of the best craft breweries in IL, and quite possibly the entire Midwest. That's an unlikely feat to achieve given the colossally delicious beers coming out of Chc, IN, and MI. Many people complain about the service. I've always experienced good service at a minimum but when some bottles were left out of a case I purchased, the owners didn't hesitate to make it right. The location is well off the beaten path but the drive is interesting and quite fun if you have a sports car. The weather can impact accessibility but with the owners awareness of those limitations, they keep the public informed via social media when there may be difficulties getting to the brewery to wet your palate with some amazing wild ales or freshly brewed and locally foraged beers. Their food and sodas are an unbelievable find, as well. If you have the chance to visit for one of their special events, those are as equally creative and fun as any bigger breweries festival. Don't miss out on getting Scratched in southern IL!

Besides all the unique beer they also have fresh brewed ginger or mint soda and wood fired pizza. I rarely see people eat pizza crust but here they do with gusto as it is crunchy with a great smoky flavor. Their beer is all locally sourced ingredients made in small batches. Their community room easily held our group of almost 50 and the tour was informative.

This place is cute & quaint, hidden away in the woods. I went for the 2nd time ever this past wkend with my gf & a couple friends. We ordered a couple pizzas (pesto/sausage) for dinner & later on, sourdough bread with goat cheese & honey, yum. I had the honey farmhouse ale which was tasty. My friends told us the owners have goats nearby so that cheese is real fresh. We got to explore upstairs as well which is neat - some odd designs but they had a bunch of their dried ingredients hanging. Kinda serves a dual purpose as beer ingredients but also decoration! I didn't personally interact with the owners but they seemed friendly enough. Heads up - this place is cash only! They do have an ATM on site.

Scratch Brewing Company is doing amazing things with beer. Using locally farmed, foraged, and found ingredients they make a rotating selection of incredible new brews. When we visited they served a Basil Ale, WIld Grape Sour, Sweet Clover Ale, and many others. Everything was fresh and complex. The staff were all great and clearly love what they do. At the suggestion of one of the owners we had the Bloomsdale Cheese Platter which was great as well.

I almost don't want to write a review on Scratch, because they are so beautifully nestled and tucked away off the radar and away from anything besides local residents. The beer as interesting and amazing as it may sound - basil ale, fennel stout, rye saison... those are what I remember. But the made-in-house soda is what stands out, it was a refreshing licorice-type soda that was both refreshing and slightly bitter, so interesting! Whoever runs this place must have a discerning palate. The appetizer plate had baetje farms goat cheese and salume beddu salumi, with home-grown tomatoes, pickles and bread. The best of the best in the local scene. Oh! It's CASH ONLY! Don't forget...

Unique beer flavors made from things they forage around the brewery and local ingredients (honey, etc). They have nice little cheese plates too. Just a nice little OUT OF THE WAY place to chill.

Great beers. Great pizza. Great atmosphere. Friday's they bake amazing sourdough bread.

It's a beautiful place. It feels like deep country. Only an hour and half from St. Louis. Great beer and amazing homemade food. The basil and the hickory soda are delicious!

This was probably one of the best, most overpriced breweries I've ever visited. The tastes, the aromas, the originalness of their beers was extraordinary. It is in the middle of nowhere and to be honest I'd love to live in that neighborhood. When I ordered I did not realize they were cash only. They and I were lucky I had any on me. Who is cash only these days? I would have stayed longer had it not been for that. The prices were pretty steep, even for as good as there beer was.

No doubt about it -- you're in the middle of nowhere here. If we hadn't been actively searching for this place, we wouldn't have ventured out this far, but I am so glad we did. First thing: this place is CASH ONLY, but they do have an ATM on location (thank goodness). The interior of Scratch is what I would hope for, but not expect. I've been to "small town" breweries and they always insist on playing up the small town feel -- one part country, one part hick, add a dash of redneck and BAM = microbrewery. Scratch uses the bare essentials of nature in everything. They drew inspiration from the local mythology of the Piasa bird and other plant based color schemes in their designs. You almost feel as though you're sipping on the nectar of the gods in a fairy's garden rather than in a podunk bar. Everything about the atmosphere in this place is perfect. I could sit here with a glass of beer with a good book for hours. If Scratch weren't 1.5 hours from my apartment, I would be a regular. Come here...regardless of where you live. You won't regret it.

My family drove 40 min from our B & B for an afternoon at Scratch. It was well worth the effort. Besides the homemade local food, beautiful scenery, and cool owners, the beer is what makes this place. We knew we were in a beer lovers paradise when we pulled up at noon on Memorial Day weekend to the scene of hops growing in the front yard of the brewery blowing in the wind. The outside was whimsical and rustic. My husband is a home brewer & was excited to try a flight of all their beers. My favorite was the beer brewed with maple sap mint and lavender instead of water. He loved the beer brewed with wild yeast. Many of their beers were bittered with dandelion root instead of hops. My stepmom liked the gruit with rose root. It was kid and dog friendly. Keep up the great work guys!!

A true nano-brewery. Small batches using locally sourced and some locally foraged ingredients. Fantastically creative and delicious! My favorite today was the dandelion tonic gruit beer. My bf loved the basil beer and the barley wine. Great nibbles to accompany the beer too. We had an appetizer platter which had sourdough bread (made in their brick oven), Olive oil for dipping, Baetje goat cheese, another cheese and salume beddu meat. Next time we'll try one of their pizzas baked in the brick oven over a wood fire. Chatted with the brewers and other customers. Very enjoyable, relaxing visit. A fun touch is they have used chalkboards for the tables so you can doodle while you drink. Ooh and they do a soda as well, on our visit it was mint soda. Very refreshing.

Scratch Brewing Company is a hidden southern Illinois gem. Their ever-rotating selection of beers brewed from foraged ingredients is such a treat. I recommend ordering a flight and trying several of their creations, as I assure you you've never had anything quite like this before. The atmosphere at Scratch is very relaxed and peaceful. It's a nice place to catch up with friends as it's pretty quiet and secluded. In terms of food, I've only ever had a cheese plate, but we really enjoyed it and would definitely be open to trying more of their menu.

Crazy little gem, way off the beaten path. The beers were very interesting- foraged ingredients right from their own property, and bold/weird choices in their beer. For example, ginger in the winter warmer that I got. They do offer food- we were there a bit earlier in the evening, so we missed the wood-fired pizzas. We tried the appetizer sampler, and would not recommend the pickles or the pickled tomatoes. The homemade bread and goat cheese (made from milk by the goats that are also on-property) were excellent, and the salume was solid as well. Really neat and funky spot!

Favorite brewery in southern IL! It's definitely a little bit of drive, but totally worth it. From the fact that they grow their own hops and brew with a variety of herbs/fruits/vegetables, to their delicious wood-fire grilled pizzas and ever changing menu...it keeps things interesting and fun. Great owners too! Cash only, but they have an ATM on-site.

Huge fan of this brewery! Very unique feel to it. It's out in the middle of nowhere which is great, and has a huge outdoor seating area and is dog friendly! They also have a big screen outside and have a movie night out there every once in a while. Their beer is really earthy and has some unique flavors that I didn't really get at any of the other breweries that I visited. They also grow their own ingredients and use them to make the beer and food that they sell. My favorite of their beers was the Hen of the Woods. It incorporated a really interesting blend of mushrooms and herbs. Their pizza is fantastic and is highly recommended. Definitely drive out and give this place a try!

Great atmosphere for a place out in the middle of nowhere. Has a hipster vibe but the beer is served in a normal glass not a mason jar :o. There is a small food menu but the beer is really what you want. If you don't drink there's homemade soda.

This place rocks. We're from Fort Collins CO and this is now my favorite microbrewery. You owe it to yourself to find this place. Farm to table microbrews. Too cool!