Brewery Profile

Scratch Brewing Company

For visitors seeking beer in Ava, the experience is rural from the start. Scratch Brewing Company operates on 20 acres of wooded land, and its small tasting room is tied closely to what grows or can be gathered around the property. Rather than presenting itself as a conventional urban taproom, the brewery uses a three-barrel brewhouse to make beers shaped by local and foraged ingredients. A visitor walking in should expect the beer list to reflect the surrounding southern Illinois ecology: herbs, spices, fruits, fungi, and other seasonal materials may all play a role. The site also includes a small hop yard, an herb garden, and an area dedicated to mushroom cultivation, which help explain the brewery’s ingredient-focused approach.

Travelers in this part of Illinois often look for places that connect a stop to the landscape, whether through outdoor scenery, regional food, or small-scale producers. Scratch fits that pattern by making beer that is less about fixed flagship expectations and more about place, season, and available ingredients. The use of cultivated and foraged materials means the experience may appeal to visitors who are curious about how beer can carry flavors beyond standard malt-and-hop profiles. This is the kind of stop where it makes sense to ask what ingredients are in a particular pour, where they came from, and how the current season is showing up in the glass. The wooded setting and working garden elements are part of the context, not just background.

For practical planning, the tasting room is the place to confirm the day’s pours, since the known focus is seasonal and ingredient driven. The brewery has a wood-fired oven used for baking bread and pizza, but visitors should check directly for current food availability, hours, and any service details before making a special trip. The property’s scale is small, from the three-barrel brewhouse to the tasting room, so it is best approached as a focused visit rather than a large brewpub experience. Anyone interested in foraged ingredients, rural brewing, or beers connected to a specific local environment will find the clearest sense of the brewery by spending time on-site and asking what is being brewed, gathered, or grown at the moment.

Scratch Brewing Company operates on 20 acres of wooded land in Ava, Illinois, utilizing a three-barrel brewhouse to produce beers focused on local and foraged ingredients. The brewing process incorporates herbs, spices, fruits, and fungi cultivated on-site or gathered from the surrounding environment, aiming to reflect the specific local ecology and seasonal changes of southern Illinois. Facilities include a small tasting room and a wood-fired oven used for baking bread and pizza. The property maintains a small hop yard, an herb garden, and a dedicated area for mushroom cultivation, supporting the brewery's ingredient-driven approach.

Website available

264 Thompson Rd, Ava, Illinois, 62907-2658

Phone: 618-529-1991

Website: http://www.scratchbeer.com

Hours: Wednesday - Thursday: 12pm - 8pm. Friday - Saturday: 12pm - 9pm. Sunday: 12pm - 8pm. Monday - Tuesday: Closed.

Popular Beers

A quick look at notable pours currently tied to Scratch Brewing Company.

Beer Styles at Scratch Brewing Company

Scratch Brewing Company brews across a range of styles. The current lineup includes berliner weiss-style sour beer, robust porter, farmhouse beer (saison), IPA, farmhouse ale, pilsner-style lager, bottle-conditioned farmhouse ale, pale ale, pilsner beer, black lager, american-style pale ale, and lagered fest beer (Marzen). Specific pours rotate over time — check the taproom board on the day of your visit for what is currently available on tap.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming public events currently attached to this brewery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Scratch Brewing Company located?
Scratch Brewing Company is located at 264 Thompson Rd, Ava, Illinois, 62907-2658. Use the map and directions on this page to plan your visit.
What are Scratch Brewing Company's hours?
Current hours are: Wednesday - Thursday: 12pm - 8pm. Friday - Saturday: 12pm - 9pm. Sunday: 12pm - 8pm. Monday - Tuesday: Closed.. Hours can change on holidays and during private events — call ahead if your visit is time-sensitive.
How can I learn more about Scratch Brewing Company?
Visit http://www.scratchbeer.com for the brewery's own information about beers, events, and operations. Beer.Social aggregates public data and visitor-facing details to help with planning a stop.