Scratch Brewing Company - Ava, Illinois

Liz T.

Worth going off the beaten path to find! Beers flavored with local forage, unique flatbread combinations, great outdoor setting! Can't wait to come back. Pictured is the sweet potato goat cheese flatbread with a fennel stout and juniper berry sour.

NOTE: CASH ONLY. They do have an ATM on site.

Tucker B.

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!

R

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.

Scott R.

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.

Lisa S.

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!

Daniel B.

What an amazing experience. My wife and I shared 1 full flight, a pizza and the "picnic". Everything was amazing and the beer was fantastic. Such a unique variety. Even if I didn't prefer a certain brew, I still enjoyed the opportunity of trying it.

Anna Z.

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!

T P.

Absolutely beautiful brewery in a TUCKED AWAY nook in nature. Quiet, natural, and friendly. Beers are exquisitely crafted with predominantly on location grown ingredients. Small food menu with wood baked pizzas, local cheeses, and ingredients. A true destination brewery to visit. Holiday Inn Express Murphysboro, minutes away.. Has to be on your list of breweries to visit. 🙂🍻