When You Say Bud....

When you say Budweiser...  You said it all!


Saturday was a damp and dreary day, so our host, Sam showed us downtown St. Louis Missouri, and we toured the Anheiser-Busch Budweiser brewery!   Steve drove us downtown in the little Tracker.  I laughed and laughed from the backseat as Steve drove and Sam navigated--- they would be talking about stuff and forget where to turn!

What a great way to spend the afternoon, rain or shine, (or snow???  So far the weathermen are WRONG and it's been only rain).  The best part of the tour was the beginning, where we got to see the Clydesdales!   Most of them are kept out of town on a big farm that isn't open to tours until April, but 2 were at the brewery for our pleasure.

Talk about pampered ponies!!!  This is the doorway and window of the stables that are at the main brewery building.  Oh my.... stained glass and chandeliers????

These horses have first class accommodations all the way... there are about 200 horses on their teams, and they rotate around the country.

Even the tack room with the harnesses was gleaming and sparkly.  Everything polished to a cleaming shine.  The chandeliers were brought over from the World's Fair buildings in St. Loius.  How elegant...all brass and glittery lights.

They even let loose the dalmatian Bud Dog....   and he was so friendly, making the rounds with everyone.  I even got to pet him, and he liked smelled "doggie" on my hands, so he knew we were "dog peoples".   So we bonded.  For a moment.  LOL

And from there we toured all the old buildings,

 the brewing process and all the information about the making of beer. 

The whole process was very, very interesting.

 They use real pieces of beechwood in the process into each vat, 

where the process is called "Croisening" 

with rice, barley, malt and hopps.   

After they use the beechwood, they rinse it, chop it up and sell it for mulch.  Can you imagine having a real "BEER GARDEN" if you bought your mulch from Budweiser????

We got to see all the vats, the bottling and the process while on the tour.

We got to ride the tour bus trolleys back up to the Hospitality Room.....

Because at the end of the tour is what the guys were waiting for:

F R E E     B E E R !!!!

 (and I don't even DRINK beer....)

When we left the brewery, it was still cloudy and rainy and not too nice... so we buzzed past the Arch, without going in or anything.  I have been up in it, but Steve hasn't. We will save that for another trip someday.

Then Sam said let's stop in and see Donna at her restaurant... it was corned beef and cabbage specials for the weekend----   Here is the link to it:  http://www.jjsofallon.com    She got to sit for a bit and visit with us, and one of her favorite little waitresses took a pic for us...awwww how cute!

Thanks Donna and Sam for the wonderful visit...
you guys are great Driveway Hosts!

Well, it's Sunday morning and the weathermen were wrong... the roads are clear and we don't see any 2-4 inches on the ground.  So we are heading up to our friend Rosie next, in Bethel, MO.