Tip-top tap: Six St. Charles brewers compete to make the best Belgian-style beer for a cause

Six St. Charles breweries are highlighting the city’s rich Belgian history with a monthlong competition in August to see who can make the best Belgian-style beer.

The STC Six event, now in its fifth year, annually raises money for a local organization or cause. This year, $1 from every pint and commemorative glass sold will go to support the St. Charles History Museum and their mission to collect, preserve and present St. Charles’ history.

This is the first year that Brother Chimp Brewing, originally a North Aurora brewery that last fall moved into the location formerly occupied by D and G Brewing at 303 N. 4th St., St. Charles, is participating.

“We’re really excited to be a part of this event in such a beer-loving community,” Brother Chimp owner and founder Steve Newman said. “Should be a great time.”

The brewery, which coincidentally specializes in European-style beers, won a gold medal for their Vienna-style lager in the 2024 World Beer Cup, the world’s largest and most prestigious beer contest.

They join the other five participating breweries, which include 93 Octane Brewery, Alter Brewing + Kitchen, Broken Brix Fermentation Emporium, Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling and Riverlands Brewing.

In past years the event was a collaborative effort, with the six breweries working together on one release that was available at all the tap rooms. This year, the breweries are competing to see which Belgian-style beer will reign supreme.

Working in collaboration with Broken Brix Fermentation Emporium, Brother Chimp won the first pick in the draft to choose which style of Belgian beer they would brew.

“Belgian witbier is the most popular style of Belgian beer, and it’s a competition, so of course we picked that,” Newman said.

He said their Broken Chimp Wit features a wheat-driven malt backbone with bright notes of hand-zested oranges that were infused directly into the beer.

“Obviously I’m biased, but it’s the best Belgian wit I’ve ever had,” Newman said, adding that it was the tap room’s top seller on Saturday when it was released.

Other styles brewed for the competition include a golden strong ale by 93 Octane, a dubbel by Alter, a fruited Belgian strong ale by Pollyanna and a saison by Riverlands.

Beer fans can pick up “passports” at each of the respective breweries, the history museum or the St. Charles Municipal Building. Those who collect a stamp for each beer can receive a limited-edition koozie available for pickup at the St. Charles History Museum at 215 E. Main St.

Fans can vote for their favorite beer at stcsix.com/belgianbeer. The winning brewery will be announced at the end of Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling’s Blues and Brews Festival on Aug. 29.

Newman said there were no side bets that he knows of with the other brewers, but bragging rights would be a big deal among the group.

“Now that we’re a part of the St. Charles scene, it would be fantastic to get a popular-vote win,” he said.

rwest@dailyherald.com