Visited here as a part of a 9-brewery weekend tour of the St. Louis beer scene. More of a wine bar atmosphere than a beer bar. Only 6 beers on tap, but they were all pretty cool beers. Also, an extensive bottle menu.

Stopped over briefly upon recommendation from a couple at Square One. They told me exactly where it was so ended up being easy to find even without a sign. Not many people there and the place was very small and dark. Tap list and bottles seemed to be decent. Bartender seemed to know his stuff. My visit was short, so will have to stop in again.

After visiting Bailey’s next door, we stopped by. Not very crowded. Good selection of both taps and bottles. Will need to re-visit when we have a little more time to spend.

Sean knows whats up. Only 6 taps but they are usually half local and half prestigious. Bottle list is extensive and if you come with a wine drinker they will leave equally satisfied.

Stopped in for a beer after stopping at Square One. Was slow on a Friday night and was able to grab a seat at the bar. Only 5 beers on tap but had a very nice bottle list that were available to go as well. Tap list might be small but all seasonal brews. Prices were very reasonable. What makes this place special in my opinion was the great service and low key vibe.

Limited beer selection but every eclectic beer selection. Staff is extremely knowledgeable.

(Visited 08/2010): Stopped in 33 Wine Shop & Tasting Bar on my way back to the STL airport. It is located on Park Ave in the Lafayette Square area on the south side of town, just a stone’s throw from Square One. Parking is fairly plentiful between street and lots nearby. I have visited Square One a few times and never noticed this place and clearly I was missing out. The inside has a very modern look and feel with sleek decor and functional-looking furniture. The bar is on the right side and there are high tables on the left. A huge wine collection is displayed on the split level in the rear. White brick and art dominate the walls. A large chalkboard is behind the bar with the draft beers listed, and the entire beer list is available in their menu, categorized by style. 33’s beer selection obviously takes a back seat to wine but what they do have is well thought-out and served with care (and more often than not in appropriate glassware). There are 5 taps, including Dieu du Ciel Aphrodisiaque (kicked), Mikkeller Texas Ranger (tapped), Founders, Bear Republic, Boulevard, and Hitachino. In addition there are around 50 bottled beers from regional brewers like Schlafly, O’Fallon, Boulevard, and Tallgrass. Other micros like Lagunitas and Ska are represented, as are many imports like Uerige Sticke and Rochefort. Service was very good on a late weekday afternoon. Again this place clearly favors wine (it is in the name after all) but there is clearly an emphasis on quality and presentation no matter what they are pouring. I tried the cheese plate on my visit and it was enjoyable. Overall this place is well worth a stop to anyone in the area.

Pretty good beer selection. Bottles can be bought to go which is always nice if you find something you really like. Draft selection is always rotating.

33 Wine Shop and Tasting Bar doesn’t even have a sign outside, which led to my confusion as I initially looked for this place on my rides home from work a few months back. You pretty much have to know the address and look for the ’1913’ on the door. I came in one day last week after work to try a Cantillon on tap and wound up having a few things. There are 7 taps, but they’re all fantastic at any given time; when I visited, they had Mikkeller, 2 Founders (including Nemesis 2010!), Southern Tier, Harviestoun Old Dubh 18, and Pilsner Urquell in addition to the Cantillon St. Gilloise. There were also some great bottles available, including the just-released Mikkeller/BrewDog I Hardcore You and other stuff I haven’t seen at other bars in the area. They don’t have a kitchen but serve some bread, meat, and cheese plates. Prices are fair, and the atmosphere is a sort of minimalist wine bar. The service is unbelievably friendly, knowledgable, and helpful. It’s cool to go into a wine bar and get world-class beer treatment.

The beer selection has been increased with the new owner giving the resident beer expert more freedom to add great beers such as Panepot and Nogne O barleywine. The resulting selection is still tight and more limited than a larger operation, but 33 is only two store fronts wide! How many different beers do you really want in one night? I travel >85% of the year and I haven’t found any place (using rate beer) on either coast to compare with my hometown favorite, mainly because of the unbelievably friendly and knowledgable staff.