While Hip Hops was away last week, our St. Louis media colleagues reported something of a beer bombshell: Texas-based Flying Saucer Draught Emporium will open early next year in the Cupples 9 building at 1120 Spruce Street.

The beer bar and restaurant will be located about three blocks from Busch Stadium, featuring upward of 80 draft beers and a few hundred more in bottles. St. Louis will be home to the 15th Flying Saucer (there's already one in Kansas City) nationwide.

Owners are aiming for a January opening. Hip Hops spoke this afternoon with Keith Schlabs, an original Flying Saucer employee and its blogging "beer guru." Here, you can be a fly on the wall.

Hip Hops: Why St. Louis? What impressed you about the beer scene here?