Since National Beer Day is April 7, we decided to check in with Armored Cow Brewing Company’s head brewer Andrew Kalinoski to ask him a few questions about what makes the brewery so special to the University City community. 

What makes Armored Cow unique in the beer scene?

We make a 100 percent gluten-free beer on a dedicated system. One is called “Hell Yeah!” I was joking when I suggested it at the time, but it’s fun when someone comes into the brewery and says, “Can I get a ‘Hell Yeah!’” We also make traditional grain brews here, so we have two systems. 

Tell us a bit about the brewery’s origin and your background. 

We opened in May of 2019. We knew there was a lot of development and reinvestment going on in this area, and there were no other breweries around. I wanted a career change, so I went to school and got a couple of prerequisites to go to a brewing school in Vermont. Part of that schooling was an internship at Sycamore Brewing, where I eventually worked for almost two years before opening Armored Cow.

Speaking of, where does your name come from?

I’m an Army veteran and someone just called the name out, and I thought it was catchy. It’s what the soldiers of World War II evidently called their canned milk, “armored cow.” So I thought that was kind of cool.

Photo courtesy Armored Cow Brewing Company

You offer a lot of community events, like a run club, yoga, and live music. Why is that important?

We’ve gotta have more than beer. You have to promote a healthy lifestyle and be part of the community. Our run club has grown pretty big with probably about 20-30 runners, and we host a lot of 5Ks and other races here.

Do you typically approach community members about events or do they come to you?

A little bit of both. If we get approached, we usually say yes. 

What keeps you on your toes as a brewer?

I’ve recently done a couple of no-boil brews, which is what they call a “raw” beer. The process is supposed to help with head formation and mouthfeel. It changes the flavor profile.

What do you love most about the University City community?

I feel like our tap room is one of the more diverse tap rooms as far as ethnicity and cultural backgrounds. It’s just a really diverse neighborhood, and I think that’s cool. 

For more information about what Armored Cow has going on, visit their website.