Budweiser Beer - St.Louis

Saturday July 11

It's sort of a thrill not knowing where I'll be sleeping next. Every evening I search  the road ahead using my various folders of sights and then look on the internet or my RV Parky app on my phone for a nearby state park or RV Park. Feedback always tells if the wifi is weak or the facilities not in order or too many kids running around loose. I make my choice and call for a reservation.  Being near St. Louis and the Anheiser Busch Brewing Co I thought of beer. The only time beer is a favorite drink of mine is a hot day and there have been plenty of those so far. Seeing the brewery with its free tours was almost in the middle of St.Louis, I chose an RV park nearby. This meant it was in a light industrial part of town and turned out to be a cement parking lot with mostly trailers of those who worked at the nearby plants. It was surrounded by a cyclone fence (no barbed wire on top) and was across the street from the police station, so I thought safe enough. And besides, Diane, whose Dad owned the place and was recovering from a heart attack, was very helpful even looking up the street address of the brewery for my GPS. I decided to stay since it was close and I was there. As I was leaving the office a shady looking character came in to visit with Diane bringing his Pit Bull whose name was Lucy. Decided to eat in rather then go to a neighborhood pub. That night about 2 a.m. I swear I heard at least 7 gunshots in a row. Or maybe I was dreaming. I didn't dream all the sirens that seemed to go all night.  So much for camping in St. Louis.

The Budweiser Brewery tour was free and lasted about 1 1/2 hours ending with our choice of one of the very many adult beverages they produce. In England I had developed a fondness for cider and now know that Bud makes several varieties, one called something like apple crisp that was delicious.

The 140 acre Budweiser complex has many old buildings from the 1880's when the brewery was first established.

The brewing process, something about hops and yeast and whatnot.

Also on the grounds was the world's fanciest horse stable, complete with a chandelier.

This chandelier was part of the 1893 World's Fair and has the Anheiser Busch eagle around the top. Busch was part of the WF committee back in the day so this was a perk.

Inside the stable.

There were only a few of the famous Clydesdale horses here for display. We were told they live at the Grant Ranch further out of town where there are pastures and where they receive training. So of course I will go there in the afternoon.

.Part of our tour group was a family of six children who reminded me so much of our many trips West from Indiana when I was one of five kids.  They were all well behaved unlike our tribe.

Dave and Stephanie and the family was on their way home to Michigan after several weeks touring the West as far as San Francisco.

In the afternoon at Grant's Ranch I took the Clydesdale Experience tour and wondered if that meant I would be mucking out the stalls.

These horses do live in luxury, for a horse.

Their stalls are air conditioned, they are pampered and petted with the best of care.

I was very careful grooming Jack to stay clear of his giant hooves. 

He is 18 hands tall and weighs 2100 lbs!

A hand is 4" and the measurement goes from the ground to his withers which is where his neck joins his back at the top.

These two were out in the pasture and came trotting over to be petted and photographed.

My new best friends.

The only thing missing was the Dalmatian dog which we were told also lives there but didn't make an appearance.