Saturday, November 27, 2010
Beer Review: Dog Bite High Gravity Lager
Just what we needed!!! More high strength brews marketed towards the poor urban areas of New Orleans!! And if you think I'm wrong check out video number 1.
Notice their focus on the 10% ABV and the size of the can. I know it doesn't seem like they're focusing on the hood but I promise you they are. Watch this little promotional spot for Dog Bite in New Orleans.
Yeah. I really don't have much to say about this one. Let's just get straight to my review. Video style:
Beer: Dog Bite HG Lager
Brewery: Rock Wall Brewing. AKA Genessee Brewing
Style: American Malt Liquor
ABV: 10%
Louisiana Availability: Yes, unfortunately.
Score:
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Friday, November 26, 2010
Beer Review: Great Northern Brewing Company Frog Hop Fresh Hopped Pale Ale
Comparisons. We always make them no matter what we're talking about. Take for example NFL Running Backs. I'll say John Riggins. You may say Walter Payton. Both were great in their own way but as much as I love John Riggins it's fair to say that Walter Payton was probably a better running back than The Diesel. Here in New Orleans we have the po-boy or poor boy sandwich. EVERYBODY has their favorite roast beef po-boy. I prefer Parkway Bakery and others may prefer Parasol's(now Tracy's).
The beer world is no different. And just like everything else there is always that benchmark you compare everything to. When it comes to American Pale Ales the benchmark that all others get compared to is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. SNPA is the gold standard of pales ales and well, it's not really fair to do that because many pale ales will be different due to the endless possibilities of ingredients used.
I was recently introduced to a brewery in Montana called The Great Northern Brewing Company. These guys and gals were nice enough to send out some samples to New Orleans for me to taste and review. The last two beers I have had from these folks have been solid beers and I hoped the Frog Hop would be no different. I cracked this bad boy open while preparing our family Thanksgiving feast yesterday. Here is my review:
Brewery: Great Northern Brewing Company
Beer: Frog Hop Fresh Hopped Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Pale
ABV: 5.0%
Louisiana Availability: NONE
Appearance: Pours a clear golden color with a huge, fluffy white head.
Smell: Grainy aroma with hints of citrus, pine and grass.
Taste: Similar to the nose there is a nice graininess with hints of citrus and pine. Nice slight hoppy bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation.
Overall: A very well balanced fresh hopped pale ale. Very easy to drink. A perfect beer to introduce to someone who is new to the wonderful world of hops as it is slight in its bitterness and well balanced.
Score: 3.5 out of 5 Buddhas
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Avenue Pub's New Menu with prices
This came last night from Polly. Prices and food look good:
Our new Menu with prices and cheese selections/beer pairings. Kitchen reopens for evening hours Tuesday at 4pm, we reopen for dayshift of the day after Thanksgiving. New Menu, New Chef, New price point..please give us feedback as you try the different items.
The Roast Beast – $5.75 A "hold in one hand "sized New Orleans Classic served on a small bun with sautéed onions, roma tomatoes, and a healthy smear of garlic aioli.
Beer pairing: Stouts, Brown ales, scotch ales
The Crabby Patty - $12.50A six ounce New Orleans crab cake sandwiched between a Kaiser bun with a tomato-basil aioli, fried leaks, with lettuce and tomato. A Half & half mix of La lump & claw meat with spices & a little bit of panke bread crumbs to hold it together.
Beer Pairing: Belgian wits, wheat beers, superb with Hitchino White nest ale, Blanc de chambly or Blanche de Bruxxelles
Pub Burger- $7.50 A homemade, handformed 6oz burger, cooked to order, with PLOT and cheddar cheese. Add Bacon$1 and $1 Bleu Cheese $1 Add Homemade Chili $1
Beer pairing: what doesn't go with a good cheeseburger? Our favorite= NOLA Hopitoulas or Bayou Teche.
Grown Up Grilled Cheese- $7.50 Drunken Goat & a secret blend of 2 other artisanal cheeses From St James Cheese Co, melted to gooey perfection, with a touch of sage, on sourdough bread.
Beer pairing: Just about anything. You can cut the richness of the cheese with a good pale ale(Stone, Sierra or Moylans)or enhance it with a rich Belgian ale( Brother Theolonius, Rochefort) or a nuanced belgian wit(Blanch de chambly or Blanche de Bruxxelles). Also great with a good earthy saison!
Cake Eaters- A Trio of delicious pan seared cakes! $9.75
Sweet Potato with brown sugar honey butter and minced andouille sausage.
Loaded Baker Cake with cheddar, bacon and chives, topped with a generous dollop of sour cream.
Risotto Cake made with a creamy feta, tomato and fennel risotto.
Beer pairings: stout, brown ale or any spiced ale.
Artisanal cheese board from St James cheese co. $11.50
Rotating cheese, candied bacon & fruit selected to pair with our rotating beer selection
Beer pairing: Just about any beer you want but especially good with pale ales & IPA's
Green Eggs and Ham- $5.75 Herb scrambled eggs wrapped around salted country ham, with a garlic cream cheese spread. It creates a nostalgia inducing pinwheel.
Beer pairings: Eggs & Belgians are just about a perfect combination, try La Fin Du Monde or any of our fabulous rotating Belgian Abby Ale taps.
Red Beans and Rice Wontons- $5.50 Creamy spicy red beans, stuffed in to wonton wrappers and fried to golden brown perfection. Served with a rice wine and mandarin vinaigrette. New Orleans tradition just got better.
Beer Pairing: Brown ale, stout, porter or IPA. this is a dish that can hold up to a hop bomb like Moylans or Stone.
To Die For Fries- $6.50 Waffle fries smothered in a cheddar garlic béchamel.
Add Bacon, Jalapeños or Homemade Chili. French fries without fixens' available for $4.75
Buddha’s Temptation- $7.00 Bleu cheese stuffed apricots, wrapped in bacon, skewered and deep fried, served with a balsamic reduction. Created by Craig Geiske & used with his kind permission.
Mini Tacos- $7.50 7 tacos, smothered in cheese sauce, sour cream and chives.
Beer pairing: Just about any beer you want but espcially good with pale ales & IPA's
Our new Menu with prices and cheese selections/beer pairings. Kitchen reopens for evening hours Tuesday at 4pm, we reopen for dayshift of the day after Thanksgiving. New Menu, New Chef, New price point..please give us feedback as you try the different items.
The Roast Beast – $5.75 A "hold in one hand "sized New Orleans Classic served on a small bun with sautéed onions, roma tomatoes, and a healthy smear of garlic aioli.
Beer pairing: Stouts, Brown ales, scotch ales
The Crabby Patty - $12.50A six ounce New Orleans crab cake sandwiched between a Kaiser bun with a tomato-basil aioli, fried leaks, with lettuce and tomato. A Half & half mix of La lump & claw meat with spices & a little bit of panke bread crumbs to hold it together.
Beer Pairing: Belgian wits, wheat beers, superb with Hitchino White nest ale, Blanc de chambly or Blanche de Bruxxelles
Pub Burger- $7.50 A homemade, handformed 6oz burger, cooked to order, with PLOT and cheddar cheese. Add Bacon$1 and $1 Bleu Cheese $1 Add Homemade Chili $1
Beer pairing: what doesn't go with a good cheeseburger? Our favorite= NOLA Hopitoulas or Bayou Teche.
Grown Up Grilled Cheese- $7.50 Drunken Goat & a secret blend of 2 other artisanal cheeses From St James Cheese Co, melted to gooey perfection, with a touch of sage, on sourdough bread.
Beer pairing: Just about anything. You can cut the richness of the cheese with a good pale ale(Stone, Sierra or Moylans)or enhance it with a rich Belgian ale( Brother Theolonius, Rochefort) or a nuanced belgian wit(Blanch de chambly or Blanche de Bruxxelles). Also great with a good earthy saison!
Cake Eaters- A Trio of delicious pan seared cakes! $9.75
Sweet Potato with brown sugar honey butter and minced andouille sausage.
Loaded Baker Cake with cheddar, bacon and chives, topped with a generous dollop of sour cream.
Risotto Cake made with a creamy feta, tomato and fennel risotto.
Beer pairings: stout, brown ale or any spiced ale.
Artisanal cheese board from St James cheese co. $11.50
Rotating cheese, candied bacon & fruit selected to pair with our rotating beer selection
Beer pairing: Just about any beer you want but especially good with pale ales & IPA's
Green Eggs and Ham- $5.75 Herb scrambled eggs wrapped around salted country ham, with a garlic cream cheese spread. It creates a nostalgia inducing pinwheel.
Beer pairings: Eggs & Belgians are just about a perfect combination, try La Fin Du Monde or any of our fabulous rotating Belgian Abby Ale taps.
Red Beans and Rice Wontons- $5.50 Creamy spicy red beans, stuffed in to wonton wrappers and fried to golden brown perfection. Served with a rice wine and mandarin vinaigrette. New Orleans tradition just got better.
Beer Pairing: Brown ale, stout, porter or IPA. this is a dish that can hold up to a hop bomb like Moylans or Stone.
To Die For Fries- $6.50 Waffle fries smothered in a cheddar garlic béchamel.
Add Bacon, Jalapeños or Homemade Chili. French fries without fixens' available for $4.75
Buddha’s Temptation- $7.00 Bleu cheese stuffed apricots, wrapped in bacon, skewered and deep fried, served with a balsamic reduction. Created by Craig Geiske & used with his kind permission.
Mini Tacos- $7.50 7 tacos, smothered in cheese sauce, sour cream and chives.
Beer pairing: Just about any beer you want but espcially good with pale ales & IPA's
Elaborate Thanksgiving Beer and Dinner Pairing
OK so I've thought about this for a couple weeks. I was going to come up with this elaborate Thanksgiving beer pairing guide but I just couldn't do it. Not that I can't but rather I just didn't really care all that much to do it after thinking about it.
So before you curse me to the bowls of hell for not caring about a beer and food pairing hear me out. Thanksgiving is such an odd holiday to pair beer with especially here in Louisiana. There is cajun fried turkey, regular turkey, turducken, tofurkey, turturken, okay so I stole that last one from an episode of How I Met Your Mother but still. Hell, some people don't even eat turkey but ham with their meal. And then we have the dressing. No, not stuffing but dressing. There is oyster dressing, corn bread dressing, crawfish dressing, sausage dressing, shrimp and rice dressing etc, etc. Notice I haven't even gotten to the other sides yet.
At the end I just decided that you should just drink whatever beer you want to drink. Who cares if it pairs well with your food. As long as you like it and you think it goes with whatever you're eating then who cares. Personally I'd buy something local like Abita, NOLA or Bayou Teche. Most local beers are brewed specifically with Southern Louisiana cuisine in mind so will pair well with almost anything we have.
Whatever you decide to drink remember what Thanksgiving is truly about. No not Indians and Pilgrims. But rather a time you can get together with friends and family on some random Thursday, get hammered, watch football and make fun of that weird uncle who's gone batshit crazy. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Thanksgiving Recipe: Beer Baked Mac n' Cheese
Photo courtesy of the LA Times.
This is the Beer Baked Mac N' Cheese Recipe from the Rackhouse Pub in Denver, Colorado. I will be making this one Thanksgiving Day!! The recipe comes courtesy of the LA Times.
Rackhouse Pub Beer Baked Mac N Cheese
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup amber beer(I recommend something local like Abita Amber)
2 cups half and half
1/2 pound Brie
2 packages (16 ounces) cream cheese
1 1/2 cups crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 box (16-ounce) penne pasta, cooked and drained
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium, heavy-bottom pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a light roux. Slowly whisk in the beer and half and half.
3. Add the Brie and cream cheese to the sauce, stirring until the cheeses are melted and incorporated. Stir in the Gorgonzola, cheddar and 1 cup Parmesan cheese.
4. Stir in the pasta, taste and adjust the seasonings as desired with salt and pepper (some of the cheese will be salty and the mixture may need only a little salt, if any).
5. Pour the mixture into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Top the mixture by sprinkling over the remaining Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the toppings are crisp and golden, about 1 hour.
6. Cool slightly before serving.
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
This is the Beer Baked Mac N' Cheese Recipe from the Rackhouse Pub in Denver, Colorado. I will be making this one Thanksgiving Day!! The recipe comes courtesy of the LA Times.
Rackhouse Pub Beer Baked Mac N Cheese
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup amber beer(I recommend something local like Abita Amber)
2 cups half and half
1/2 pound Brie
2 packages (16 ounces) cream cheese
1 1/2 cups crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 box (16-ounce) penne pasta, cooked and drained
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup panko or bread crumbs
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium, heavy-bottom pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a light roux. Slowly whisk in the beer and half and half.
3. Add the Brie and cream cheese to the sauce, stirring until the cheeses are melted and incorporated. Stir in the Gorgonzola, cheddar and 1 cup Parmesan cheese.
4. Stir in the pasta, taste and adjust the seasonings as desired with salt and pepper (some of the cheese will be salty and the mixture may need only a little salt, if any).
5. Pour the mixture into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Top the mixture by sprinkling over the remaining Parmesan cheese and panko crumbs. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the toppings are crisp and golden, about 1 hour.
6. Cool slightly before serving.
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
J'anitas Update
I have it on good authority that J'anitas has found a new home at the Rendon Inn. Congrats to J'anitas and the Rendon Inn!!!
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
J'anitas Leaving Avenue Pub
So, it's official. J'anitas, the culinary team of Craig and Kim Giesecke, will be out of the kitchen at Avenue Pub as of November 21st. The huge success of Avenue Pub and J'anitas has made it very difficult on both parties. The kitchen was too small to organize the amount of food business the Pub was seeing on weekends. Beer customers were having to wait for seats being occupied by non alcohol drinking customers who were there for the wonderful food and well, it's a beer bar not a restaurant. Both Polly and Craig made many attempts to appease customers but in the end this seemed like the most logical decision.
Here is a letter sent out last night to Mug Club members explaining the change in more detail:
Here is a little teaser menu from Joel I also received with the email:
The Roast Beast - A "hold in one hand "sized New Orleans Classic served on a small bun with sautéed onions, roma tomatoes, and a healthy smear of garlic aioli.
Beer pairing: Stouts, Brown ales, scotch ales
The Crabby Patty - A six ounce New Orleans crab cake sandwiched between a Kaiser bun with a tomato-basil aioli, fried leaks, with lettuce and tomato.
Beer Pairing: Belgian wits, wheat beers, superb with Hitchino White nest ale, Blanc de chambly or Blanche de Bruxxelles
Green Eggs and Ham- Herb scrambled eggs wrapped around salted country ham, with a garlic cream cheese spread. It creates a nostalgia inducing pinwheel.
Beer pairings: Eggs & Belgians are just about a perfect combination, try La Fin Du Monde or any of our fabulous rotating Belgian Abby Ale taps.
Red Beans and Rice Wontons- Creamy spicy red beans, stuffed in to wonton wrappers and fried to golden brown perfection. Served with a rice wine and mandarin vinaigrette. New Orleans tradition just got better.
Beer Pairing: Brown ale, stout, porter or IPA. this is a dish that can hold up to a hop bomb like Moylans or Stone.
Cake Eater- Three delicious pan seared cakes!
Sweet Potato with brown sugar honey butter and minced andouille sausage.
Loaded Baker Cake with cheddar, bacon and chives, topped with a generous dollop of sour cream.
Risotto Cake made with a creamy feta, tomato and fennel risotto.
Beer pairings: stout, brown ale or any spiced ale.
To Die For Fries- Waffle fries smothered in a cheddar garlic béchamel.
Add Bacon and Jalapeños
Add Homemade Chili.
Beer pairing: Just about any beer you want but especially good with pale ales & IPA's
Mini Tacos- A classic SIN item. 7 tacos, smothered in cheese sauce, sour cream and chives.
Beer pairing: Just about any beer you want but espcially good with pale ales & IPA's
Pub Burger- A homemade, handformed 6oz burger, cooked to order, with PLOT and cheddar cheese.
Add Bacon and Bleu Cheese
Add Homemade Chili
Add Bacon
Beer pairing: what doesn't go with a good cheesburger? Our favorite= NOLA Hopitoulas or Bayou teche La 31.
Buddha’s Temptation- Bleu cheese stuffed apricots, wrapped in bacon, skewered and deep fried, served with a balsamic reduction.
Grown Up Grilled Cheese- Three types of artisan cheese, melted to gooey perfection, with a touch of sage, on sourdough bread.
Beer pairing: Just about anything. You can cut the richness of the cheese with a good Pale( Stone, Sierra Nevada or Moylans) ale or enhance it with a rich Belgian ale( brother theolonius, rochefort) or a nuanced belgian wit( Blanc de chambly or Blanche de Bruxxelles). Also great with a good earthy saison!
Artisanal cheese board to arrive soon!
rotating cheese selected to pair with our rotating beer selection
Both J'anitas and of course Avenue Pub have been wonderful to me and the rest of the New Orleans beer community. I have feeling that this break up will result in some great things for both parties. Stay tuned!
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Here is a letter sent out last night to Mug Club members explaining the change in more detail:
After 18 months J'anitas and the Avenue Pub have decided to separate their businesses. We here at the pub have become close to Craig and Kimmie and wish them the best. We sincerely hope Craig's wonderful cooking pop up in a restaurant near us soon. They have a couple of great options they are looking at but in the meantime if anyone knows of a possible lunch and early dinner establishment please let them know. They have their own facebook page but you can always email me with the info and I'll pass it along to them. They will be in the pub until Sunday November 21st.
We know this announcement will come as a disappointment to many of our customers. Please know that as the owner I take our menu offerings and the service that accompanies it as seriously as I do the craft beer we work so hard to bring in. As we move forward into 2011 we will continue to work hard at insuring our beer is the best available anywhere in the state and that we have delicious, reasonably priced food to accompany those beers.
Transition Schedule
November 22nd the Pub kitchen will be closed for cleaning and improvements.
Evening hours (4 pm till)will resume on Tuesday November 23rd with the new menu
Daytime hours will resume on Friday November 26th with the new menu.
A little bit about our new chef Joel White.
Joel is a craft beer lover with lengthy experience in very busy commercial kitchens. We look forward to the special pub fare menu items he has created for our craft beer drinkers. His concept is upscale pub food like handmade burgers, risotto cakes and crab cakes on a bun with house made bechamel, house roast beef with horseradish aoili. Consistent with the Pub's focus this food will be the perfect accompaniment to craft beer. Old favorites like the mini tacos and cheese fries will stick around but have a little flair added from Joel. Craig's signature Buddha's Temptation( named for the Beer Buddha, a regular customer) will remain with Craig's gracious permission.
Here is a little teaser menu from Joel I also received with the email:
The Roast Beast - A "hold in one hand "sized New Orleans Classic served on a small bun with sautéed onions, roma tomatoes, and a healthy smear of garlic aioli.
Beer pairing: Stouts, Brown ales, scotch ales
The Crabby Patty - A six ounce New Orleans crab cake sandwiched between a Kaiser bun with a tomato-basil aioli, fried leaks, with lettuce and tomato.
Beer Pairing: Belgian wits, wheat beers, superb with Hitchino White nest ale, Blanc de chambly or Blanche de Bruxxelles
Green Eggs and Ham- Herb scrambled eggs wrapped around salted country ham, with a garlic cream cheese spread. It creates a nostalgia inducing pinwheel.
Beer pairings: Eggs & Belgians are just about a perfect combination, try La Fin Du Monde or any of our fabulous rotating Belgian Abby Ale taps.
Red Beans and Rice Wontons- Creamy spicy red beans, stuffed in to wonton wrappers and fried to golden brown perfection. Served with a rice wine and mandarin vinaigrette. New Orleans tradition just got better.
Beer Pairing: Brown ale, stout, porter or IPA. this is a dish that can hold up to a hop bomb like Moylans or Stone.
Cake Eater- Three delicious pan seared cakes!
Sweet Potato with brown sugar honey butter and minced andouille sausage.
Loaded Baker Cake with cheddar, bacon and chives, topped with a generous dollop of sour cream.
Risotto Cake made with a creamy feta, tomato and fennel risotto.
Beer pairings: stout, brown ale or any spiced ale.
To Die For Fries- Waffle fries smothered in a cheddar garlic béchamel.
Add Bacon and Jalapeños
Add Homemade Chili.
Beer pairing: Just about any beer you want but especially good with pale ales & IPA's
Mini Tacos- A classic SIN item. 7 tacos, smothered in cheese sauce, sour cream and chives.
Beer pairing: Just about any beer you want but espcially good with pale ales & IPA's
Pub Burger- A homemade, handformed 6oz burger, cooked to order, with PLOT and cheddar cheese.
Add Bacon and Bleu Cheese
Add Homemade Chili
Add Bacon
Beer pairing: what doesn't go with a good cheesburger? Our favorite= NOLA Hopitoulas or Bayou teche La 31.
Buddha’s Temptation- Bleu cheese stuffed apricots, wrapped in bacon, skewered and deep fried, served with a balsamic reduction.
Grown Up Grilled Cheese- Three types of artisan cheese, melted to gooey perfection, with a touch of sage, on sourdough bread.
Beer pairing: Just about anything. You can cut the richness of the cheese with a good Pale( Stone, Sierra Nevada or Moylans) ale or enhance it with a rich Belgian ale( brother theolonius, rochefort) or a nuanced belgian wit( Blanc de chambly or Blanche de Bruxxelles). Also great with a good earthy saison!
Artisanal cheese board to arrive soon!
rotating cheese selected to pair with our rotating beer selection
Both J'anitas and of course Avenue Pub have been wonderful to me and the rest of the New Orleans beer community. I have feeling that this break up will result in some great things for both parties. Stay tuned!
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Beer Review: Great Northern Brewing Company Snow Ghost Winter Lager
I'm one of those weird guys that feel certain styles of beer should only be consumed during certain seasons. Don't get me wrong, if you want to drink a russian imperial stout during the middle of summer that's your prerogative.
Yeah I just did that. Anyways, I'm just one of those guys that thinks darker beers should be consumed in cooler weather. A stout during the oppressive Louisiana summers just doesn't work for me. That's why I enjoy the fall and winter so much.
Yeah, yeah I know the winter beers do come out around the middle of September but that's a whole new post for another time. For me a dark, flavorful beer is perfect for the colder winter months.
Just yesterday a package from the folks at Great Northern Brewing Company arrived at my doorstep with some of their seasonal and specialty line up brews. Today was pretty damn cold and I felt that it was the perfect time to crack open the Snow Ghost they sent me.
If you don't recognize this pic then I lose respect for you.
Here is my review:
Brewery: The Great Northern Brewing Company
Beer: Snow Ghost Winter Lager
Style: Munich Dunkel Lager (per BA)
ABV: 5.9%
Louisiana Availability: None
Appearance: This beer poured a nice dark brown with a nice ruby hue. It had a nice foamy, tan head with great sticky lacing.
Smell: Wonderfully rich aroma of coffee and roasted malts.
Taste: Wow. Great rich and complex flavors of roasted malt, chocolate and toffee with a moderate but well balanced bitterness from the hops.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation.
Overall: A fantastic seasonal from these guys. Wish we could get this down in New Orleans.
Score: 3.5 out of 5 Buddhas
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Beer Review: NOLA Brewing Irish Channel Stout
NOLA Brewing released their Irish Channel Stout this past Tuesday and I was lucky enough to try it on cask this Friday night at Avenue Pub. I must say I think NOLA has another hit on their hands with this one. Not sure what their plans are in terms of keeping this a seasonal or year round offering but as a seasonal this one is solid. I think a stout in the heat of a New Orleans summer would be a slow seller but that's just my opinion. Anyways, get out there and drink this one New Orleans!
PS I have it on good authority that the Red Ale that will be making an appearance around Mardi Gras will be called Flambeaux Red.
Here is my review of the Irish Channel Stout:
Brewery: NOLA Brewing Company
Beer: Irish Channel Stout
Style: Dry Stout
ABV: 6.8%
Louisiana Availability: Yes, seasonal.
Appearance: The beer pours a dark black with a huge, foamy tan head. Lacing was present throughout. NOTE: I noticed this by looking at others beers since the beer I tasted was in a mug from the Mug Club at Avenue Pub.
Smell: Incredible hints of coffee, bittersweet chocolate and roasted malts.
Taste: Bittersweet chocolate is the most evident flavor in this brew but there are also hints of coffee. A very nice dry stout with a nice bitterness from the hops as well which creates a subtle complexity that lures you in for another taste. Be careful because this bad boy comes in at 6.8% alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Despite being a stout it's actually more medium bodied with little carbonation(which could be a result of being on cask)
Overall: Could this be one of NOLA Brewing's best beers? Very close. I'm still partial to Hopitoulas but NOLA has a true winner on their hands with this one. Good job guys and gal.
Score:
4.5 out of 5 Buddhas
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Thursday, November 4, 2010
2nd Annual Broad Street BrewHaHa
Just saw this in The Gambit:
COME BACK TO BROAD TO CELEBRATE THE BEER- AND COFFEE-BREWING TRADITIONS OF NEW ORLEANS!
WHAT: Broad Street Brewhaha
WHEN: Saturday, November 13th, from 11AM to 4PM
WHERE: 300 N Broad Street, at Bienville, on the ROOF of the former Schwegmanns grocery store
DESCRIPTION: 'a celebration of New Orleans' beer- and coffee-brewing traditions,' the Brewhaha will have all of the local microbrewers, as well as the Coffee Roasters of New Orleans, serving their beer and coffee. There will also be music, food, and vendors from the Broad Street Flea Market.
COST: admission is FREE; beer, food, and crafts will be for sale
Breweries:
Abita
NOLA Brewing
Lazy Magnolia
Heiner Brau
Bayou Teche
Coffee Roasters of New Orleans
Broad St Brewhaha
Sponsoring organization: Broad Community Connections
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Beer Dinner: Crescent Pie & Sausage Company and NOLA Brewing
Just saw this from NOLA Brewing. Menu looks freakin' awesome! Here ya go:
Join the NOLA Brew Crew at Crescent Pie and Sausage Company on Tuesday, November 9 for a special 4-course beer dinner. We'll be pairing four of Crescent Pie & Sausage's delicious dishes with one of our local brews plus an aperitif to get the night started.
Aperitif will be served at 6:30, seating at 7:00. $65 per person, limited seating. Please call 504-482-2426 or 718-288-1256 to make your reservation today!!
MENU
...
Aperitif
a variety of house-made sausages paired with 7th Street Wheat - wheat beer made with fresh lemon-basil
First Course
Beer braised jumbo shrimp with arugula & fennel vinaigrette paired with NOLA Blonde Ale dry hopped with Citra and Centennial Hops
Second Course
Brat style ham shank with three onion merliton hash and a mustard cream sauce paired with the Hopitoulas IPA with triple the dry hops
Third Course
Seared & glazed duck breast with dried cherries and collard greens paired with a NOLA Brown Ale aged with dark cherries.
Fourth Course
Chocolate pound cake with caramel and vanilla ice cream paired with the Irish Channel Stout.
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
REMINDER! NOLA Brewing Irish Channel Stout Release Tonite!
Don't forget that NOLA Brewing's newest seasonal release, Irish Channel Stout, is coming out tonite at Le Bon Temps!! The party starts at 6pm and ends at 9pm. For all those working late tonite you can head over to Avenue Pub and they will have a release at 10pm. Oh and give some props to NOLA's new website! Love it!
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Labels:
Avenue Pub,
Irish Channel Stout,
Le Bon Temps,
NOLA Brewing
Beer Review: Southern Tier Iniquity
Road trips are the best. I love visiting other cities and towns. Getting to experience their culture, food, drink, etc is an incredible thing. Sometimes we get wrapped up in our own world and never get this experience.
My wife and I have been married for nearly 13 years and we've made it a point since day one to try and take big and small trips throughout the year. Being a beer nerd one of the things that I like to do when planning a trip is to check on the breweries, beer stores and beer bars available in the town/city we are visiting. It's pretty easy to do thanks to the internet. It's real easy if you utilize Beeradvocate.com's Beerfly Directory
Anyways, on a recent trip to Orlando to visit my family and take my kid to Disney we made a stop at The Liquor Loft in Tallahasse, Florida. I wrote about that store here. On that trip I was lucky enough to grab some great beers. One of them is Southern Tier's Iniquity which is a Black IPA or Cascadian Dark Ale. I just got around to writing a review on it so here ya go:
Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Company. Tells you pretty much everything beer related you can do in a given town.
Beer: Iniquity
Style: Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale(per BA)
ABV: 8.9%
Louisiana Availability: NONE
Appearance: This brew pours a nice dark black with ruby highlights. The head is a nice and frothy tan color. Lacing present throughout.
Smell: The aroma has a nice piney hoppiness with hints of citrus and roasted malt, chocolate and caramel.
Taste: GREAT brew! As in the nose it has a nice hoppy bitterness with hints of roasted malt, chocolate, caramel and toffee. The roasted malt in the IPA really creates a well balanced brew.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation.
Overall: Incredible brew!!! The Black IPA is a style we're seeing more of and I love them!
Score: 4.5 out of 5 Buddhas
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
Labels:
Beer Review,
Black IPA,
Iniquity,
Liquor Loft,
Southern Tier
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