Illinois GA Airport Unveils New Brew

St. Nicholas Brewery's Wheelz Up IPA at KMDH is advertised as the “first beer brewed in a general aviation airport.”

Friday, February 24, 2023 at 10:55 AM ET

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St. Nicholas Brewing Co at Southern Illinois Airport offers a unique $100 hamburger stop or full weekend getaway in the Midwest. [Credit: Savanna Kathleen Photography and Caffeine Until Cocktails]

Key Takeaways:

St. Nicholas Brewing Co. at Southern Illinois Airport (KMDH) offers aviators a unique overnight destination for the "100-dollar hamburger" tradition, providing on-site brewed craft beers (including "Wheelz Up IPA"), artisanal cocktails, and a full menu.
The brewery serves as an economic development initiative, fostering connections between the local community and the aviation community, and often employs Southern Illinois University aviation students.
It encourages extended visits by offering access to nearby attractions like the Shawnee National Forest, hiking trails, and the college town of Carbondale, with staff assisting pilots with ground transportation and lodging options.

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The $100 hamburger outing is a beloved aviator tradition, and St. Nicholas Brewing Co at Southern Illinois Airport (KMDH) just north of college town Carbondale, offers pilots an opportunity to turn the tradition into an overnight outing with great food, craft beers and artisanal cocktails, and trails to explore by bicycle or on foot.

The brewery, which has two other locations in the area (all within a 45-mile radius), celebrated the tapping of its Wheelz Up IPA on Thursday, February 23, which it is advertising as the “first beer brewed in a general aviation airport.” The ale was brewed on-site at its airport location. The airport is one of the busiest airports in Illinois, after Chicago O’Hare and Midway.