FAQs

You’ve got a question? Well, we’ve probably answered it at some point in this long list of FAQs that we’ve constructed over the years. Some are common questions. Some are great trivia questions that you’ll impress all of your friends knowing … one day. Scroll through and if you think there’s a question we should answer, let us know (or don’t, we can’t tell you what to do).

General FAQs

Do you take reservations?

We don’t take reservations but you can join the waitlist for any of our locations.

Are you kid-friendly?

YES! Check out our children’s menu here.

When should I order catering vs. online ordering?

Generally ordering online is for groups fewer than 20 and catering is for larger parties of 20 or more.

How much meat should I get by the pound for my group?

We suggest 1/2 a pound of BBQ per guest, though that varies on your specific group … so scale up or down accordingly.

How many sides should I order for my group?

We recommend 1-2 cups of sides per person.

What is Green Dining and the Green Dining Alliance?

Oh, hey. Yeah, we’re a member of Green Dining Alliance (GDA) and pretty proud of it. We know what you’re thinking: What does that even mean? it means we’re saving the planet. Well, doing our part because we think the planet and turtles are neat. To comply with GDA’s core concepts, we got rid of plastic straws (we have paper straws, if you really need one), we don’t auto-fill waters, and we work with local food pantries to share our excess when it occurs. It’s something we’re passionate about and we’re proud to do our part in being green.

Meat FAQs

STL BBQ?

St. Louis has a long history of BBQ, firmly rooted in our special types of butchering and utilizing all different types of smoking to offer the best of all worlds.

How do you make your brisket?

We only use prime beef brisket and smoke whole briskets over post oak for 14-18 hours! Using whole briskets allows us to offer our guests lean, fatty or burnt ends when ordering the plates. Also, love. We make it with love.

What are burnt ends?

When smoking briskets this long, the ends and deckle get “burnt” creating an intense flavor and char that guests love.

What wood do you use?

We smoke our pork shoulder and brisket over post oak. This is the most intense smoking wood we can find and creates a deep and long finish on our smoked meats. For ribs, chicken, and salmon we use cherry wood, which provides a little more nuance and sweetness to these more delicate meats.

What are burnt end t-ravs?

We make ravioli from scratch and then stuff them with burnt ends and cheddar, bread them and deep fry them. A STL specialty married with BBQ magic.

What's a popover?

It’s an eggy, airy, cheddar and bacon muffin that we serve with our platters. It’s pretty delicious!

What does BBQ is for Besties mean?

BBQ is love and friendship, we hope you can taste the difference this love makes and will become our bestie forever.

Describe your sauces.
  • My Sweet Bestie: classic (sweet heat) and smokey
  • Hotangy – medium spicy vinegar wash
  • Mustarolina – tangy scratch made mustard bbq sauce
  • I Can’t Even – De Arbol chili and apricot sauce (it won’t kill you though)
  • Alabama Ranch – an Alabama white sauce that is egg based with horseradish and black pepper (by request only, when in store)

Whiskey FAQs

Well, what is whiskey?
Whiskey: A spirit which is fermented from the grain mash of rye, barley, corn, wheat, and other malted grain, in charred oak barrels.
What’s the difference between Rye, Bourbon, Malt Whiskey or Corn Whiskey?

The answer lies within each Liquor’s Grain Bill (mash recipe), since each liquor has it’s own recipe:

  • Rye Whiskey: Has a Mash of at least 51% Rye.
  • Bourbon: Has a Mash of at least 51% Corn.
  • Malt Whiskey: Has a Mash of at least 51% Malted grain usually.
  • Corn Whiskey: Has a Mash of at least 80% Corn.
So what’s the difference between each kind?
  • Rye Whiskey: Has a spicier sometimes fruitier flavor.
  • Bourbon: Has a fuller more savory flavor.
  • Malt Whiskey: Neutral and powerful flavor.
Are there other designations for differing between Whiskeys?

The other important factor for whiskeys are their respective origins:

  • Scotch Whisky: besides being spelled without the “e” originates from Scotland.
  • Canadian/Irish Whiskey: originates from Canada and Ireland respectively.
  • Bourbon: the product of American ingenuity.
What does the proof on the bottle mean?

Simply put, by cutting liquor’s proof in half you get the percent of alcohol in the bottle.

Where do we get proof from?

Suspicious buyers used to mix gunpowder with whiskey and lit it; if nothing happened it was watered down if it exploded it was “proof” that it was 100% whiskey.

Is there a proof limit to Bourbon?

It can be no more than 180 proof.

Should I drink whiskey straight or on the rocks? Does it make a difference?

It’s your drink, drink it how you like it. Most distillers consider that a whiskey’s flavor is enhanced by having a small addition of water: either with one cube on the rocks or adding a drop of water straight up.

So tell me more about the Bourbon
  • It’s a whiskey that is distilled from 51% corn mash.
  • It can only be called bourbon if it originates in the United States of America.
  • By law, bourbon must be aged in NEW charred oak barrels.
  • Unlike other whiskeys, the only thing that can be added to bourbon during its production is water.
Does the aging process vary between the style of whiskeys?
  • Whiskeys: are all aged in some form of oak cask: for most international whiskeys a minimum of 3 years, American whiskeys can be less than this as long as the ages is listed.
  • Bourbons: A brand-new white oak cask is charred on the interior with a blowtorch before the liquor is poured in to be aged.
  • Scotches: Is aged initially in a second-hand cask, usually a bourbon cask. Then it is transferred to another cask to give it its finish.
Why are whiskey’s aged for so long?

The short answer is the climate. Unlike Tequila and Rum which come from the Caribbean and Mexico, whiskey’s originate in countries of colder climates; Canada, Scotland, and the United States.

Is there an age range I should order?

There is no hard and fast number for a good age and many whiskeys are blends of different ages. Although we are always trying a whiskey that’s old enough to order its own whiskey.

What’s the difference between Single Cask, Single Malt, or Blended Whiskeys?
  • Single Malt: The bottle came from a single distillery and a single malted grain. It consists of whiskeys from differing barrels and ages, put together in a specific combination to keep the flavor consistent over time.
  • Single Cask/Barrel:This style of whiskey comes from only one individual cask, meaning the taste of these whiskies changes distinctly from cask to cask.
  • Blended Whiskey: the most common variety is made of a mixture of different types of grain whisky usually from a multitude of distilleries.
Where does whiskey come from?

The first confirmed existence of whiskey is in Ireland in 1405.

What does the word “Whiskey” mean?

Whiskey comes from the Gaelic term Uisege Beatha which means the “water of life.”

Can whiskey save my life?

We are glad you asked, single malt whisky has been found to contain significant amounts of ellagic acidan antioxidant known to help prevent cancer.

Why do distillers say angel’s love whiskey?

Going back hundreds of years, distillers found that from every barrel about 4% of whiskey was “stolen” by angels so they could check to see if it was okay – an amount we now know is due to evaporation.

Why do the Scottish spell whisky without an “e”?

The Scot’s spell it without the “e” because they believe more vowels waste time which could be spent drinking.