Southern Illinois Returns to Big Muddy Beer Roots

Southern Illinois Returns to Big Muddy Beer Roots

Posted By: Guest

“Southern Illinois has a BEER festival?” was my natural response when LOCB asked me to write a guest post about the Murphysboro Big Muddy Brew Fest in October. I’m familiar with the area known as “outstate” Illinois (including anything other than Chicago & suburbs). I attended grad school at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale from 1999-2001 and taught for another semester after getting my Masters degree. It is a beautiful area, known for its meandering Shawnee wine trail, local barbecue, and a Big Muddy Monster legend that has its own Facebook page.

But beer? Certainly not in my day. I drank “Old Pile” (as we lovingly called Chicago’s Old Style) at my second home, the Cellar, where it was always too dark to see what you were drinking anyway. Another old haunt, Hangar 9, where I ritually saw the local “pirate swing” band Bourbon Knights every St. Patrick’s Day, now has a nice tap selection. Von Jakob, one of the wineries on the Shawnee wine trail, is trying their hand at brewing beer now, with eight different styles to sample. I also discovered there is an organic hop farm on the wine trail called Windy Hill Hops, and there is a homebrew club, Southern Illinois Brewers. Did you know that the beer blogger and columnist Beer Philosopher resides in Southern Illinois? You can read more about the beer-wine connection in his Cheers to Beer column for the Southern Illinoisan. Murphysboro’s beer ties go all the way back to the pre-prohibition era Stecher Brewing Company. Southern Illinois hasn’t recently discovered craft beer–it’s just come full circle.

But back to the Big Muddy Brew Fest. This festival will take place in the town of Murphysboro, just outside of Carbondale, in Riverside Park, on October 22nd from 1 to 4. Tickets are $20 in advance and can be purchased online or at the festival for $25. Patty Bateman of the Friends of Murphysboro Foundation and Brent Stewart, Big Muddy Monster Brew Fest chairperson, helped me out with details. The list of breweries isn’t final yet, so check The Beer of Big Muddy Brew Fest for updates. Von Jakob Brewery, Charleville Microbrews, O’Fallon Brewery, and Buffalo Brewing are just a few confirmed breweries this year.

The local Big Muddy Brewing is distributed throughout southern and central Illinois and even as far as a few places in St. Louis. According to their website, “Kinkaid Wheat is currently offered on tap and by bottle in bars, restaurants and liquor stores across Southern Illinois alongside of Big Muddy Brewing’s second selection, “Saluki Dunkel Dog”, a dark, amber/dunkel style beer. The third and newest addition to Big Muddy Brewing’s lineup is an ale called “Big Muddy Pale Ale”, and future varieties include “Logan’s Lager”.” The brewery was founded in July 2009 by a former SIU student, Chuck Stuhrenberg. Read a review of the Big Muddy Monster India Brown Ale by a local Lady of Craft Beer, She Brews Good Ale.

Since this is a relatively new festival, I asked what changes or improvements they would make after the first time. Brent replied,

The Friends of Murphysboro previously used to put on a wine fest, so the basic framework was in place when we started to plan for the first fest. However, I don’t think the group as a whole (who, most of which had never attended a beer fest) realized how completely different beer fests are than wine fests. Wine fests are about the day — relaxing, listening to music, time with friends, and a little sampling. Beer fests are about the beer. The people are there to try the beer.

Last year was such a success, we just wanted to keep going in that same direction. However, we are a non-profit. We do things to raise money for Murphysboro parks, specifically Riverside Park, so it has to be a little about the money. Our goals this year was to expand the fest, bring in more breweries and make a little more money to put into the community– and, on top of everything else, make sure everyone involved has a great time.

Patty also added that they have split the festival up into four tents instead of one large tent to help keep people moving around rather than crowding into one area. Brilliant! Faster lines. One of the highlights of the festival is a homebrew competition, which had over 90 entries this year. It is too late to enter this year, but you can read the list of winners posted on their Facebook page. Good times and good breweries for a good cause. Get thee to the Big Muddy Brew Fest! It’s just about 2 hour drive southeast of St. Louis. And maybe even get a glass of wine while you’re in the area.

Jade Elwess is president of the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts in Columbia, MO and a newbie homebrewer. Columbia is midway between St. Louis and Kansas City, or between Schlafly and Boulevard. Her love of beer started when traveling in the U.K. and Ireland, and was simply aghast at the Bud drinkers. Since then, it’s been her mission to create awareness that there is more beer out there to discover if you leave your comfort zone.