Amidst a landscape of sprawling taprooms, Manny Negron's Little Lager stands out as a rare gem: a softly lit, shotgun-style bar offering a constantly rotating selection of foamy, craft brews. "I never enjoy seeing people stare at a huge menu for a long time," Negron laughs. "They get this analysis paralysis, where there's too much, so they can't pick. I wanted to eliminate that. I wanted to create a place where not only can you trust that the beer is good, but also that you're bound to get something new." On top of building an environment that's as welcoming as it is niche, Negron has distinguished himself by working with breweries near and far, reinforcing St. Louis' identity as a highly collaborative city with a historic passion for beer.
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Little Lager owner Manny Negron.
Located in Princeton Heights, Little Lager has a footprint of about 500 square feet; it was a salon in its former life. "I built it with low expectations," Negron says. "I was like, 'Yeah, people will come here and enjoy it; it'll be fine.' But the hardest part has been keeping up with demand." The bar's Halloween opening last year drew overwhelming attention, prompting Negron to upgrade its specialized LUKR draft system, essential for achieving those marshmallow-y, Czech-style pours.
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![little lager wall](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C888 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C984 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/a7/aa7f3b98-31da-11ef-9b81-e7e70fdfebd4/6678e946776a6.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1175 2008w)
Most of the bar's décor is thrifted or brought in from Negron's home.
![little lager interior](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C888 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C984 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/fc/9fcb4700-31da-11ef-9677-83a6ef081065/6678e93482055.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1175 2008w)
Now with eight taps in total – and a better sense of how business moves along – Little Lager is in fighting shape. Negron continually rotates beers in and out, running out of one and plugging in something new. "It's sad when people come in [for a specific beer] and find that it's gone already," he says. "But we update the menu on the website in real-time so people can see exactly what we have rolling that day." The rarity factor adds to the bar's charm, making Little Lager feel special in its small space, akin to an eight-seat ramen shop in Japan or some locally beloved café in Germany.
Guests can thank Negron for the bar's distinctive décor, most of it thrifted or repurposed, including the bar top from REFAB, crafted out of wood from a school gym in Ladue. He also handles the design work, frequently changing the Little Lager logo and freshening up merch with new stickers and enamel pins. Despite the small space, the tables and barstools are arranged thoughtfully, and there's a free little library in the back by the pink-lit bathroom. Plants hang in the windows, and on the far wall is a sunny splattering of painted-on lines and shapes.
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Often, Negron says, customers come in asking about a specific beer they've seen online. That, or they want to be surprised – people are extra curious about the foamy consistency of the lager itself. "You've probably heard a thousand times that we do milk pours and Czech-style pouring; that's derived from the two systems we have and their faucets," Negron says. "I go into that a lot every day: the foam, the three different pours we have, [for example]. That's where the education lies."
The beers themselves go through a five-panel sensory analysis designed to detect off-flavors such as caramel popcorn. "And then we also do a level of brilliance [test] for the beer, or how well you can see through it," Negron says. "Brilliance doesn't apply to every beer style, but for the American light lager? You want to be able to read someone's lips through that beer." One of his taps, outfitted with a handle made of turquoise-hued resin, came as a gift from Millpond Brewing in Millstadt, Illinois; he uses this one when a beer needs less aeration. The other system, with its Czech-style faucets, is under incredibly high pressure, resulting in an ultra-foamy beer laden with delicate, tiny bubbles.
![little lager bar](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C888 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C984 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/f7/af76799a-31da-11ef-92ba-7f10013514e1/6678e94ec84e4.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1175 2008w)
The back bar.
![amaros little lager](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=150%2C225 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=200%2C300 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=225%2C338 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=300%2C450 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=400%2C600 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=540%2C810 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=640%2C960 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=750%2C1125 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=990%2C1485 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C1553 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a3/9a30ccca-31da-11ef-bfb7-4b2ac6634509/6678e92b20398.image.jpg?resize=1175%2C1763 1200w)
Amaros.
A nice complement to the beers are the Amaros along the back wall, along with Malort served in three forms: by the shot, in soaked gummy bear form and as a nitro version. Developed in Chicago, the bitter Swedish spirit is notorious for splitting drinkers into love-it or hate-it camps. "We put a whole bottle of it in a whipped cream canister, add a nitro cartridge and shake it up," Negron explains. "It cascades the same way that a Guinness would." Understandably, he's also a fan of the Spaghett (Miller High Life, Aperol and lemon juice), available as well.
All science aside, Negron knows a lot about beer, and beer people, from gaining experience in places like Craft Beer Cellar, Wellspent Brewing Co. and Modern Brewery. After overcoming the growing pains any new business endures, he now has more time to collaborate with both local and out-of-town breweries. In many ways, this enthusiasm for collaborating with fellow St. Louisans on something integral to the city's identity is at the core of Little Lager. "The collaborations are always our best sellers," Negron adds. "We go out and do the brew day with the brewery, no matter where it is. We went to Duluth, Georgia, recently, and we've been as close as Urban Chestnut and Blue Jay in Midtown. It's fun to make something that's not only going to be tasty, but also follows that brewery's ethos. It's been a great learning experience, and all the beers have been excellent. It gives us a proof of concept."
![little lager beer collabs](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=150%2C100 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=200%2C133 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=225%2C150 225w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=300%2C200 300w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=400%2C267 400w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=540%2C360 540w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=640%2C427 640w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=750%2C500 750w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=990%2C660 990w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=1035%2C690 1035w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800 1200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=1333%2C888 1333w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=1476%2C984 1476w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/feastmagazine.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/42/b423054e-31da-11ef-8ad2-c7362af0855d/6678e956a2055.image.jpg?resize=1763%2C1175 2008w)
Little Lager collabs: Lost Tooth (Perennial); Milkpond (Millpond).
Looking forward, Negron hopes to keep working with breweries. While his business contributes to spreading a brewery's product within St. Louis, he also sees potential in working with folks from outside the area. "We've closed on Tuesdays now to support brewing more of these collaborations," he says. "Branching a bit away from St. Louis, too, because it could help introduce new brands to the city." Other than that, Negron says the bar already has some regulars, fitting in perfectly to the fabric of the neighborhood. "As far as what the future entails? I have no idea," Negron laughs. "But right now, we want to focus on being collaborative and learning as much as we can."
Little Lager, 5848 Hampton Ave., Princeton Heights, St. Louis, Missouri, littlelager.com