So recently I received an email from Stone Brewing's Public Relations Specialist Sabrina LoPiccolo about meeting with owner Greg Koch at Avenue Pub before the Stone Tap Takeover this past Thursday night during Louisiana Craft Brewers Week. I think I was expected to do a professional sit down interview but yeah, that's just not really me. Just sitting down, drinking beer and chatting about beer was all I wanted to do.
I have to admit I got that opportunity. What a great time. I had the opportunity to try their The Tiger Cub saison and we just chatted about beer. I did inquire about his thoughts on our lack of craft breweries in the state compared to other states. His answer was a good one when he stated he isn't from here so doesn't know. Honest answer. He did throw in that San Diego alone has over 80 breweries compared to Louisiana's 7. Ugh.
He stated he had an amazing meal at Cochon and enjoyed some beers at NOLA Brewing.
He also apparently LOVED Parish Brewing's Farmhouse IPA. Here is a pick courtesy Avenue Pub:
Polly also mentioned that despite being really tired he set his alarm for 4:30am and came back to the Pub at 5am in order to greet the oil/gas workers and medical workers that work the night shifts. Classy move Greg, classy move!
Thanks for coming to New Orleans and I hope you enjoyed your time here Greg!
Brasserie Cantillon busted out there annual Zwanze Day list for 2013 and Avenue Pub will once again be host on September 14th! I think I may actually be able to go for once!!
Avenue Pub is in some damn good company with bars like Church Key out of D.C. and Monk's Cafe in Philly. So great to see a New Orleans beer bar on this list. Actually, you know what, lemme take that back. ALL these other bars are in great company- The Avenue Pub!! Take note anyone who comes up with a Best Beer Bar in NOLA list! If AP ain't on it you screwed up. Click here for Avenue Pub's Zwanze Day FB page.
In other news Abita Brewing hit me with a double whammy today. First, they will be releasing Andygator in 6 packs. The anticipated release date is "sometime in early October." I don't know if they are doing away with the 22 oz version. I doubt it but I'm not sure.
And for you hop fans Abita will be adding a new Harvest beer to the lineup. It will be a grapefruit IPA called Grapefruit Harvest IPA. This brew will be releasing in December and it uses local grapefruits grown in Plaquemines Parish. Looking forward to this one!
Okay, so basically I copy and pasted from Avenue Pub's website. Okay, so I DID copy and paste from Avenue Pubs website. It's easier.
American Craft Beer Week events happen at other venues but I need those other venues to reach out to me if you want the events posted. American Craft Beer Week 2012, May 13th - 19th
The Brewers Association, the national non-profit association on behalf of the majority of today’s U.S. breweries, and publishers of CraftBeer.com, celebrate the culmination of these events each May with American Craft Beer Week (ACBW), The Mother of All Beer Weeks. A chance to introduce Beer Lovers to some of the finest new brews in the country!
Click to read the “Declaration Of Beer Independence” (PDF file)
(This is NOT the final list. we are still waiting on commitments from breweries -subject to change)
Sunday May 12
Kick off Crawfish boil with Bayou Teche!
Join the Knott brothers as we eat some mudbugs and drink their very special beer!
Baiser Francais (French Kiss with Alsatian Hops)
Cocodrie Belgian
Tripel
Passionee dry hopped with New Zealand hop varietal Moteuka
Monday May 13
Southern Tier Rolls out in La
2 Time IPA
Live
Pumking
Crème Brûlée
Oat
Mokah
Hope Sun (Bottle Pour)
Tuesday May 14
Beer & It’s Bourbon
Tuesdays are our whiskey education days so during ACBW we serve up some spectacular Bourbon Barrel Aged beers with a side of the Bourbon in whose barrels they are cellared. Many of these will be online throughout the week but Tuesday will be the only night we will pour the bourbon with the beer. All are a la carte so if you just want the beer that's okay too.
Against the Grain Bo & Luke w/ Pappy Van Winkle 12 yr
Brooklyn Cuvee Elijah Ghost Bottles w/ Elijah Craig 12 yr
Bayou Teche Barrel aged Biere Joie w/ Jack Daniels
Northcoast Old Rapsutin Barrel Aged w/ Heaven Hill
Holy shit we have some seriously awesome beer happenings going on in the next couple of months! Be ready my friends be ready. Have your liver prepared!!! Check it:
Be among the first ever to drink Abita out of cans! Join us for our pub crawl through some of New Orleans' best bars as we unveil Amber, Purple Haze and Jockamo IPA before they're available in stores and bars. Each beer purchased during the pub crawl is only $2!
NEW ORLEANS, La. (January 30, 2012) This year for the release of Flambeau Red Ale NOLA Brewing Company is having a Bar Crawl through the historic French Quarter before the Krewe du Vieux parade. The Krewe du Brew Bar Crawl theme will be "Mardi Gras on Fire" and costumes are encouraged.
The Bar Crawl is set to begin promptly at 1:00pm starting at R-Bar (1431 Royal St). From R-Bar the Bar Crawl will then head over to Balcony Music Club (1331 Decatur St) at 2:30. After Balcony Music Club the Bar Crawl will meet at Turtle Bay (1119 Decatur St) at 3:45. Then to end the Bar Crawl everyone will meet at Molly's at the Market (1107 Decatur St) at 5:00. Each bar will be serving the Flambeau Red for $3.00 a pint during our hour there. The Krewe du Vieux Parade starts at 6:30 so everyone will be in perfect position.
Flambeau Red Ale™ differs from the classic red ale style by the addition of a rich malt bill and hops. “We feel the hop addition plays well with the mix of pale and dark malts to create balanced, hoppy red ale,” said Kirk Coco President of NOLA Brewing Company. NOLA Brewing Company will offer Flambeau Red Ale™ only as a Spring seasonal so enjoy it while it's here. The company already boasts a number of high-quality microbrews including Hopitoulas™, Irish Channel Stout™, Hurricane Saison™, NOLA Blonde™, NOLA Brown™, 7th Street Wheat™ and Smoky Mary™.
So do you remember the Top of the Hops festival that they held on the North Shore last year? It was a good festival but it was on the North Shore. Yeah I know, some of you readers are on the North Shore but to me it just doesn't make much sense. Hold the festival in New Orleans. I complained both years about them holding this event over there and apparently some others did too because they decided to move it to New Orleans. They also changed the name.
Please welcome the New Orleans International Beer Festival! It appears tickets are $40 and you can get the via Ticketmaster. The event will be held at the newly built Champions Square which is awesome. Get your tickets now before they sell out! Have fun!
Now I know Avenue Pub is doing some events for Mardi Gras but I can't access their website right now so check back later!
EDIT: Here are the Avenue Pub events! Thanks Polly!
Beer events for the first four parades at Mardi Gras
Our balcony, great beer!
For the second year we have taken the first week of Mardi Gras to line up some great beer events. This is the weekend that the balcony is open to the public. We, of course, want our beer peeps up there and the best way to get them to show up and watch the parades with us is to line up some great beers. Drinking the beers will get you access to the balcony for the parades(first come first serve of course) there will be lots of industry people in town for these events and I'm sure they will be even more fun that last year!
Friday Feb 10th
Saint Arnolds night: Divine Reserve 11 & the rollout of their Newest beer Bitter Belgian.
Krewe of Oshun parade start 6pm, by the pub by 8pm
Saturday Feb 11th
Stone Brewing & NOLA collaboration rollout:" Pour Me somethin' Mistah" on cask and in draft. plus a couple of other goodies that stone is sending and a special cask of their wheat with grains of paradise.Krewe of Ponchatrian parade Start 2pm, by the Pub 330pm
Krewe of Sparta parade start 6pm, by the Pub 730Pm
Krewe of Pygmalion parade start 6;45pm, by the pub 830pm
http://www.facebook.com/AvenuePubNOLA?sk=notes_drafts#!/events/228247680590591/
Sunday Feb 12th
Sierra Nevada Releases Torpedo on Draft!
Krewe of Carrollton parade start 12 noon, by the pub 130pm
Krewe of King Arthur parade start 1pm by the Pub 3pm
http://www.facebook.com/AvenuePubNOLA?sk=notes_drafts#!/events/351036021582176/
Wens Feb 15th
Abita night!
Rum Barrel Aged Abbey Ale & Double dry hopped Jackamo on cask.
Krewe of Druids parade start 630, by the pub 8pm
Krewe of Nyx, parade start 7pm, by the pub 830.
So it's true! Sweden can make something other than bikini models and IKEA furniture and we have proof! Once again The Avenue Pub has gone above and beyond to get us New Orleanians the chance at trying the best beers in the world!
From The Avenue Pub:
The Kindness of Strangers Swedish beer event January 21st, 2012
In April of last year I met the owner of a very famous beer bar in Sweden. Stene loves New Orleans and wanted to throw a Mardi Gras party at his bar in Stockholm. Working with Shelton Bros we figured out a way to ship kegs of Abita and NOLA to Sweden. The idea was that they would be filled with Swedish beer and then returned to the Pub. Those kegs are on their way back to us now and we have scheduled the event for Saturday Jan 21st. what I didnt expect was the beers Stene would choose to send us. More than a few have never been in the US before and there is little chance they will return. The Stormskaporter is surely one of the most coveted imperial stouts in the world. It's made in tiny batches and only available in a few places in Sweden. Stene basically gave us one of his allocated kegs. An extraordinary gift.
The Stormskaporter will be the most expensive keg I've ever bought. once the US taxes and registering fees are paid the keg will cost $675 for a 1/4 barrel. That's before our local distributor gets hold of it. Shelton is donating their labor on this so there is no mark up expect for shipping. Because of this generosity we have decided to make at least part of this event charitable. The brewers of Narke lost their son to cancer very recently and we are waiting for their direction on how to donate the funds. We don't have a price yet on the rest of the beers so I haven't set a price or format for the event. We are letting Boucherie have some of the kegs for a Swedish beer dinner. More on that after the first of the year!
Please share this email around to all your beer loving friends. These beers is worth the trip:)
NOLA Brewing releases their smoked beer called Smoky Mary on September 6th!!! If I'm not mistaken the beer is named after the Ponchartrain Railroad which was not only the first railroad west of the Alleghenies but also the second oldest in the country. According to the website it was nicknamed Smoky Mary because it used coal and "belched smoke and left a sooty residue in its path".
I've had the luxury of trying this one and loved it! Trust me! Get on over to Avenue Pub and try this one! Here are the details:
Where: Avenue Pub
When: Tuesday September 6th
Time: 6pm-9pm
Join us for the Smokey Mary Premier Pub Stall. We'll start and end this pub stall with our friends at Avenue Pub! Come by at 6:00 and get yourself acquainted with our latest seasonal brew, Smokey Mary.
Our Smokey Mary is, in our humble opinion, an awesome ale.
We took the Munich malt from our malt bill and smoked it with local pecan wood for 2.5 hours. We then put that malt back into the recipe of a "Fest" style ale.
The issue of smoking in bars and restaurants is a very touchy issue especially here in Louisiana right now. There are a lot of groups out there that are trying to force restaurants(This is a done deal already), bars and casinos to become non smoking. Since I don't smoke I don't see it as an issue but the rights of smokers has to come into play somewhere. It's a pretty serious issue.
My personal belief is that I don't want to have to sit in a room full of smoke especially when I am trying to enjoy a nice craft or import beer. Smoking ruins the better beer experience for not only the non smoker but the smoker as well. My dad quit smoking about 5 years or so ago and swears he can taste his beer better than when he smoked. He must be telling the truth because he now regularly goes out and buys craft beer especially one of his favorites Avery's The Kaiser.
One of my favorite craft beer destinations here in New Orleans, The Avenue Pub is a smokers bar and I put up with the smoking because A) it doesn't bother me too much(until John Coker blows smoke in my face!)and B) No other bar in the city that offers great craft selection is smoke free. My wife on the other hand isn't a fan of the smoking and makes me strip down to my skivvies on the porch when I get home from a night of craft beer appreciation at the Pub.
Today however I received an email from Polly at Avenue Pub that took me by surprise. Here it is(all typos are hers because I'm too lazy to fix them- sorry Polly!!):
The interior of the balcony will be smoke free until 11pm. Even those of us who smoke generally agree that good beer is more tasty in a non smokey room. Smoking will be allowed on the exterior balcony and in the downstairs bar during these times.
If you been in the bar in the past month you have noticed that the pub staff is trying to set a good example when it comes to smoking. Staff is no longer smoking behind the bar and for the most part not inside the pub at all during busy business hours. I'm not saying you wont see a graveyard bartender puff a cigarette or two at 6am....but most of us don't really care at that time of morning anyway:) a lot of us are smokers so its been a real adjustment but we think we are pulling it off with a minimum of crankiness. We know these events are only half measures for those who are really bothered by second hand smoke but we hope those in the muddy middle will come out and support these events as we try to make the pub a nicer place for everyone to enjoy really great beer! If you like appreciate this effort please make sure to say something nice to your bartender. Words of encouragement never fall on deaf ears.
The links are for the Facebook event and we encourage you click on them for more details!
This is great news for us non smokers. We do however need to remember our smoker friends out there and be understanding of the crankiness we may experience. Remember smoker friends we still love you.
Hell yeah! When May comes not only is it my birthday but it's also American Craft Beer Week!! And I find no irony in the fact that my birthday is the EXACT same week as American Craft Beer Week. I call that divine providence. Ok so maybe it's just chance but whatever.
American Craft Beer Week is the week we make sure to give 100% support to America's craft breweries. Sometimes we forget that a craft brewery is a small business and it's important to support them especially locally. This video says it better than I ever could:
Here in New Orleans this is the third year we've had big events celebrating ACBW. I have to say I think Polly from Avenue Pub is one of the driving forces behind a lot of what you see below so if you see her you should definitely say thanks! I do have one...negative comment about what you see below and I'm going to call out local distributor Crescent Crown on this one and all the bars that are hosting the event as well. I cannot stress to you how much Blue Moon is NOT a craft beer and doesn't belong on this list. I find it offensive that it has been included. Blue Moon is a Coors product that is made to try and capture the craft drinkers. People like it, I understand that, but it doesn't belong on this list. End of rant.
So make sure you get out there at least a couple times during this ACBW and support craft beer!
Sunday, May 15th
The Avenue Pub – Saint Arnold’s Divine Reserve tapping, 2pm.
Monday, May 16th
Barley Oak (Northshore) - Abita Vintage Oatmeal Stout on Nitrogen, one of two small batch brews Abita is making just for ACBW Barley Oak (Mandeville) – Abita Vintage Oatmeal Stout Draft on Nitrogen, 7:00-9:00pm Columbia St. Tap Room (Covington) – Blue Moon Sampling, 5:30-6:30pm Bulldog (Canal St.) – Abita Cask Conditioned Abbey Ale, 7:00-9:00pm Bulldog (MidCity) – Abita Double IPA Cask Heiner Brau (Northshore) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA Jimani Lounge (French Quarter) – Harpoon, 10:00 – 11:00 pm Lazy Magnolia (Mississippi) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA http://lazymagnolia.com Tin Roof Brewing Company (Baton Rouge) – hosting nightly tours. Doors open at 5pm. Tour starts at 5:30. Beer samples and live music to follow Lager’s (Metairie) – Abita Select sampling 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Tuesday, May 17th Barley Oak (Northshore) – NOLA Cask Ale on the beer engine, 7:30 pm Bridge Lounge (Magazine St.) – Brooklyn, 9:00 – 10:00 pm Bulldog (Magazine) – Abita Cask Conditioned Double IPA, 9:00-11:00pm, Sam Adams Small Batch for ACBW tapping Oak Aged Stout Bulldog (Canal) – Sam Adams Small Batch for ACBW tapping, Oak Aged Stout The Chimes (Covington) – Abita Abbey Ale Cask tasting, 7:00-9:00pm Cooter Browns (Uptown) – Blue Moon and Leinenkugal sampling, 7:00-8:00pm Fox & Hound (Harahan) – Blue Moon Seasonal sampling $2 pints, 7:00-8:00pm Swamp Room (Metairie) – Blue Moon Seasonal sampling $3 pints, 8:30-9:30pm Bridge Lounge (Uptown) – Brooklyn sampling, 9:00-10:00pm Heiner Brau (Northshore) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA. Lazy Magnolia (Mississippi) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA. Tin Roof Brewing Company (Baton Rouge) – hosting nightly tours. Doors open at 5:00 pm, tour starts at 5:30 pm. Beer samples and live music to follow.
Wednesday, May 18th
The Avenue Pub – Nano breweries tasting event: Draft – Dieu Du Ciel! Equinoxe du Printemps, Dieu Du Ciel! La Rescousse, Dieu Du Ciel! Aphrodite, Dieu Du Ciel! Péché Mortel, St. Somewhere Saison Athene, St. Somewhere Lectio Divina, High & Mighty from Will Shelton, Parish Brewing Canebrake, Stillwater/Struisse. Bottles – Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial, Jolly Pumpkin Madrugada Obscura, Jolly Pumpkin iO Saison The Barley Oak (Mandeville) – Shmaltz tasting (He’brew and Coney Island specialty) 7:00-9:00pm The District (Warehouse District) – Abita Cask Conditioned Double IPA, 8:00-10:00 pm Heiner Brau (Northshore) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA. Lazy Magnolia (Mississippi) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA http://lazymagnolia.com Tin Roof Brewing Company (Baton Rouge) – hosting nightly tours. Doors open at 5 pm. Tour starts at 5:30. Beer samples and live music to follow Cork and Bottle (Mid City) – Craft Beer tasting and prizes 9:00 am – 7:00 pm Acquistapace’s (Covington) – Multi brand sampling (Abita, Sam Adams, Brooklyn, Stone, Harpoon, Shmaltz) 5:00 – 7:00 pm Markey’s Bar (Marigny) – Multi Brand sampling (Abita, Harpoon, Brooklyn) 5:00 – 6:00 pm Howlin’ Wolf’s Den (Warehouse District) – Magic Hat #9 sampling 6:00 – 6:45 pm Stein’s Deli (Uptown) – Multi brand sampling (Abita, Brooklyn, Stone, Harpoon, Shmaltz) 4:00 – 6:00 pm Ernst Café (Warehouse District) – Full Sail/Session sampling 7:00 – 7:45 pm DBA of NOLA (Frenchmen St.) – Abita Select sampling 7:00-8:00pm The Industry (French Quarter) – Sam Adams sampling. 9:00-10:00pm Molly’s in the Market (French Quarter) – Brooklyn sampling, 9:15-10:00pm Ryan’s Irish Pub (French Quarter) – Blue Moon sampling, 8:00-9:00pm
Thursday, May 19th
Abita Beer Dinner Series – venue TBA, 6:30-9:30 pm Bulldog (MidCity) – Sam Adams Small Batch for ACBW tapping, Oak Aged Stout Heiner Brau (Northshore) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA Lazy Magnolia (Mississippi) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA Steins Deli (Magazine St.) – Brooklyn, Stone, Schmaltz, Harpoon Sampling, 4:00 – 5:00 pm The Bricks (Warehouse District) – Stone, 8:15 – 9:15 pm Tin Roof Brewing Company (Baton Rouge) hosting nightly tours. Doors open at 5 pm. Tour starts at 5:30. Beer samples and live music to follow Brunos Tavern (Uptown) – Abita sampling, 5:30-6:30pm Matt & Naddies (Uptown) – Abita Beer Dinner Series, 6:30-9:30pm Molly’s in the Market (French Quarter) – Harpoon sampling, 7:00-8:00pm Murphy’s (Westbank) – Blue Moon sampling, 8:00-9:00pm Old Point Bar (Westbank) – Blue Moon sampling, 9:30-10:30pm Le Bon Temps Roule (Uptown) – Magic Hat #9 sampling, 9:30-10:30pm
Friday, May 20th
Barley Oak (Northshore) - Stone Special release tapping party Heiner Brau (Northshore) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA Lazy Magnolia (Mississippi) – hosts nightly tours. Schedule TBA Tin Roof Brewing Company (Baton Rouge) – hosting nightly tours. Doors open at 5 pm. Tour starts at 5:30. Beer samples and live music to follow. NOLA Brewing – brewery tour, 2:00 – 4:00pm Barley Oak (Mandeville) – Multi Brand Event (Abita, Brooklyn, Stone, Shmaltz, Harpoon), 7:00-9:00pm Molly’s in the Market (French Quarter) – Magic Hat #9 sampling, 8:30-9:30pm The Avenue Pub “Locals Night” - Each of the local/regional breweries is contributing a special keg or cask for this evening. Brewers and owners will be present to meet with customers and talk about the ‘one off ‘ beers they created for the event. Abita Extra Citra Hopped Satsuma Wit Draft, Abita Cask Conditioned Double IPA, NOLA Cask Blueberry Wheat, Lazy Magnolia TBA, Bayou Teche TBA, Lazy Magnolia Bourbon Barrel Pecan, NOLA Single Hops Series (Blonde Dry hopped 4 different ways)
Saturday, May 21st Mellow Mushroom (Covington) – Mellow Fest, Blue Moon The Avenue Pub – ACBW Grand Tasting; as in years past, we turn over all our taps to Craft Beer, include bunches of new to the state and one off drafts and bottles. Tap list is still in the making (see below for what we know at this time).
Tap list for tasting at The Avenue Pub:
1.Dieu Du Ciel! Equinoxe Du Printemps
2.Dieu Du Ciel! La Rescousse
3.Dieu Du Ciel! Aphrodite
4.Dieu Du Ciel! Péché Mortel
5.St. Somewhere Saison Athene
6.St. Somewhere Lectio Divina
7.Saint Arnold’s Summer Pilsner
8.Saint Arnold’s Divine Reserve
9.Brooklyn Cuvee De Noire (Cellared Kegs Exclusive To The Pub)
10.Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
11.Unibroue Raftman (New On Draft In The US)
12.Monks Belgian Wit
13.Unibroue Blanc De Chambly
14.Rogue Capt Sig’s
15.Rogue TBD
16.Hebrew TBD
17.NOLA Single Hop Series Vertical Tasting
18.NOLA Single Hops Series: 4 Blonde Ales each dry hopped a different way (these will be a different line up from the Single Hops that are being offered on Friday night)
19.Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere (New On Draft To La)
20.Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Ale (Cellared Kegs From Special Release, No Where Else On Draft)
21.Lazy Magnolia TBD
22.Lazy Magnolia TBD
23.Covington TBD
24.Abita Vintage Imperial Stout Draft
25.Abita Cask Conditioned Abbey Ale
26.Harpoon Quad
27.Harpoon 100 Barrel
28.Northcoast La Merle
29.Northcoast Old Raspy
30.Moylans Pomegranate Wheat Special Release
31.Moylans ESB On Nitro
I love stories or movies in which the little guy succeeds against all odds. You know what I'm talking about. You know the one where that scrappy kid from Goonies is trying out for Notre Dame football and keeps getting his ass kicked and he just won't quit because he has daddy issues and his brother is a douche and then the dude from Swingers shows up and is like, RUDY! RUDY!! Yeah Rudy, that's right. In my opinion there are two new breweries right now that are doing just that- Cigar City and The Bruery. Bucking traditional approaches of small, steady growth these two breweries seemed to have gone balls to the wall and it's paying off for them. Here is the moment you expect me to post a picture of Rudy Ruettiger but no, I give you THIS instead:
Yeah I just did that. Bet you didn't see that one coming at you huh? And if you're reading this via email and aren't getting pictures or videos you just totally missed it. You're welcome to those they DID get to see it.
Anywho, The Bruery from Placentia, California just celebrated their second anniversary this past summer. The demand for their beers is insane. In two years they've gone from start up brewery to rock star brewery. Hell, they're available in Florida for crying out loud. This past summer during a trip to the House of Mouse I was lucky enough to pick up a couple of bottles from these guys and one of them was the Saison Rue. We cracked open the bottle this past Friday night at our weekly Friday Pint Night at Avenue Pub. I keep telling you guys to come out via my Facebook page so no excuses and no whining about how you weren't invited. Here is my review:
Appearance: This beer poured a hazy amber with a nice foamy white head.
Smell: Interesting hints of tart green apples, pepper and a slight hint of fruity hoppiness.
Taste: Now don't take this the wrong way but main the flavor that dominates here is....Jagermeister. I know, I know but that's what I tasted. The Bruery website doesn't say they use anise but man that's what I got the most of. I also got slight hints of green apples, barnyard mustiness and pepper but the anise just dominated the taste for me.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with a lot of carbonation.
Overall: An absolutely great brew but the anise just kept throwing me off. I swear I tasted Jagermeister and it was driving me crazy. Don't worry Patrick Rue I I'm pretty sure I was the only one meaning my taste buds just suck. Oh well, I still enjoyed the hell out of it though and will grab another bottle whenever I see it.
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
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:
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!
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.
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.
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!
The lager. Probably one of the most misunderstood and wrongly blasted styles off beer there is by beer geeks(snobs?) Even the mention of lagers makes the beer snob froth at the mouth and spout of a diatribe about the big evil empire, BMC(Bud, Miller, Coors).
Many forget that Sam Adams, Brooklyn Brewing, Laguintas, Yuengling and many other American breweries produce very quality lagers. It's unfortunate to watch many newbies become enraptured in this growing hate of the lager. I used to hear many newbies make blanket statements regarding their hate or dislike of ales and now I'm hearing it regarding lagers. It's as if liking lagers will mean they won't be accepted into the beer geek crowd or something.
I for one get strange looks and comments when I am seen drinking Miller High Life at Avenue Pub. The Beer Buddha shouldn't drink macro beers! It's not right! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Whatever. I drink what I like(and what's available to me). I guarantee that if Yuengling was available in Louisiana I'd have a case available to me at all times that's for sure!
Anyways, I was lucky enough to receive a sample in the mail of Black Star Double Hopped Golden Lager from Great Northern Brewing Company out of Whitefish, Montana. This dry hopped lager is hopped with Mittelfruh and Saaz hops and made with 2-row malted barley. No adjunct grains are used in this beer so all you purists should be happy! Cool side note before I get to the review. Black Star is carried on all Virgin America Airline flights! Here is my review:
Appearance: Black Star poured a clear, golden straw color with a huge, fluffy white head. Lacing was present throughout.
Smell: Instantly hit with malty sweetness with slight hints of spiciness from the hops.
Taste: This is definitely an all malt brew. Very crisp and clean flavors with hints of malty sweetness and a typical lager graininess.
Mouthfeel: Crisp and clean with a medium light body.
Overall: A solid lager. I was fortunate enough to receive both a sample in the bottle and a sample in the can and I would say the can tastes much better. Perfect for grilling out on those hot summer days. And at 4.6% abv a somewhat sessionable brew.
Starting next week Avenue Pub will begin to focus on Belgian style beers. Here are the details courtesy the Pub:
Starting next week we will focus on Belgian beers and very high quality Belgian styles made by US and Canadian breweries.
Each tasting during the next four weeks will focus on these beers and be accompanied by an Amuse Bouche plate intended to enhance the beer's flavor. Unlike most of our tastings you will get to choose the beers you want to taste. A ticket will get you 5 pours either from the bottles we are pouring that night or any Belgian draft on the list. Because its impossible to know how long a keg will last us its difficult to tell you at this point which drafts will be online for each tasting. Suffice it to say they are all great and many are very hard to get. At any point during the month you will see on draft exceptional examples of all the Belgian styles: IPAs, Pale ales. Wits, Saisons, Sours, Triples & doubles. We found only one Belgian draft stout. Exceptional but hard to come by. The beers for the first week are set. Look for an email each Tuesday to fill you in on exactly what beers will be options for the next nights tasting.
You can come in any time during the week to drink the drafts. On the Wednesday night tastings we will open up the specialty bottles and pour those in in four ounce sizes. You do not have to participate in the tastings in order to purchase a 4 ounce pour of any of these draft selections. The Amuse Bouche plates are only for the tasting participants. Reservations for the tasting are appreciated and will help us make sure to have enough Amuse Bouche plates for all that want them. Available from J'anitas will be Flemish beef stew if you want an authentic meal to pair with your Belgian beers.
Wednesday Oct 20th @ 7:30
On draft:
Petrus Aged Pale ale( small batch sour)
Piraat Triple IPA
Witterke Belgian Wit
Dieu De Ciel Derniere Volante hoppy belgian pale ale
Stone Cali-belgique
Bottle openings
Golden Draack dark belgian triple
Monks Cafe sour flemish Red Ale
Troubadour Magma Belgian IPA
Troubadour Obscura Strong Belgian Ale
Amuse bouche:
Buddhas temptation, smoked havarti in filo dough, imported cheeses
$18 tasting includes tax but not gratuity. please dont forget to tip.
Addtional bottles that will appear on the Wednesday night tastings:
Vichtenaar Oude Bruin
Kasteel Rouge
Kasteel Triple
De Ranke Saison
Triple Carmelite
Duchess De Bourgonge
St Bernardus Abbey Ale
Rochfort 8
Rocherfort 10
Drafts that will rotate for the tastings as kegs blow:
Geants Goliath triple
De Ranke Guldenburg double
Columba Corsican wit
Blaugies Saison d'Epeautre
De la Senne Corsican Wit
De La Senne stoutrik
De La Senne Equinox
De Ranke Noir Dottignes
Petrus Oude Bruin
La Rulles Triple
De Glazen Toren, Jan de Litche belgian wit
Hitochino White Nest Ale
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
PS And remember on most Friday nights you can join the NOLA Beeradvocate group upstairs for some beers! To find out times and dates you can join our Facebook page by clicking the link.
OK beer nerds get your thinking caps on. Ray Daniels from Cicerone.org will be here to test your beer knowledge and get you certified. This test is extremely hard so be prepared!
From Polly Watts from Avenue Pub:
The second level cicerone test will be administered on Sept 29th in New Orleans. A review class will take place the afternoon before on Sept 28th.
As several of my employees are attending Ray Daniels is giving us a group rate that will come out to about 40 bucks per person for the review class. You do not need to be registered for the test in order to take the review class. This will be a in person, live review class conducted by Mr Daniels.
If you are interested in taking the second level test you may register online. if you are interested in the review course please email me at theavenuepub@gmail.com
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
PS If you don't know what the Cicerone test is than you shouldn't take it.
So it looks like you won't be making it to Octoberfest this year. You're going to miss out on all that wonderful German beer, hot chicks in Dirndls and the massive headache that comes after a night of complete debauchery. You're stuck at home in New Orleans(not too shabby!)and you're itching for some Octoberfest celebrations. Here is a great list of things to do to celebrate right here at home.
1) Deutsches-Haus Hello?! It's the Deutshes-Haus and it's Octoberfest. I don't think I need to say anymore.
Dates:
Friday, September 24th 4 pm till midnight
Saturday, September 25th 1pm till midnight
Friday, October 1st 4 pm till midnight
Saturday, October 2nd 1pm till midnight
Friday, October 8th 4 pm till midnight
Saturday, October 9th 1pm till midnight
Friday, October 15th 4 pm till midnight
Saturday, October 16th 1pm till midnight
Friday, October 22nd 4 pm till midnight
Saturday, October 23rd 1pm till midnight
2) The Avenue Pub - Looking for some of the best and rarest German selections in town for Octoberfest? Look no further than Avenue Pub. Polly from Avenue Pub had so much to say in her email regarding her Octoberfest selection that I just figured it would be easier for me to just cut and paste it. Here ya go!
Our October fest beers are starting to come in and we are putting them on just a little bit early! It's best to drink these while they are fresh. We will rotate the rare stuff with the great but easier to access beers like Ayinger and Spaten. You will notice some lower prices on many of our imports this year. We have lowered the price on both Schneider Aventinus and Schneider Weiss by $1.50 a pint. Craig and Kimmie will be busy in the kitchen making their German potato salad next week. Look for dinner and lunch specials like Hophenfeffer and German sausages.
The modern draft system beers are first followed by the cask lagers. These beers are expensive and we are trying to keep the cost down. Please don't ask for free tastes. Everything except the Weiss beers can be sold in 4 ounce pours.
Modern draft system beers:
On tap now:
Klosterbrauerei Weissenohe Altfränkisch - this märzen's recipe is based on that of the traditional beer made and consumed at this monastery-brewery. Schneider Aventinus- the beer that turned my mother into a beer drinker. She just calls it 'that beer". It's a wheat dopplebock. Rich lovely and according to The Alstrom brothers a 'gift from god". Ayinger Octoberfest - the best Octoberfest we can access on a regular basis. From the well loved Ayinger brewery its a classic american octoberfest import. Schneider Weiss- the best Weiss beer that is easy for us to come by on draft. its an excellent beer, rich with the banana clove Schneider yeast.
On tap as space opens up:
Spaten Munich dunkel Lager - This is a fairly new release into the US market. We had it earlier in the summer and it was quite well recieved. Kapuziner Weisse - a traditional light and refreshing, unpasteurized weissebier from Kulmbach. Mönchshof Festbier - this märzen is brewed twice a year: once for Kulmbacher Bierwoche--Kulmbach's equivalent to Munich's Oktoberfest--and once for the Weinachtsfest. Get it while you can! Mönchshof Kellerbier - a bit more malt-forward and sweet than traditional Franconian kellerbiers, this lager is still incredibly easy to drink.
Anstich Cask Lagers on Firkin Friday
A bit of back story on some of the beers( the names you DON'T recognize). Just like last year we have been able to get some unpasteurized German beers from small and sometimes tiny little breweries in the Francion region of Germany. We are able to serve these because the owner of Weissenhoe/Kulmbacher has made it his personal mission to export these beers to the US. In Europe the big boys run rampant over the small family owned craft breweries. Many of these little places are finding it hard to survive with all the mass produced beer that people are consuming. The owner of Weissenhoe sees export to the US craft beer market as one way to improve his fellow brewer's prospects. He brings his kegs around to these farmhouse breweries and has them filled. They then get stored in his "caves' until they are shipped on one his pallets to the US. Only 225 of these kegs came into the country and we were lucky enough to be on the allocation list with the importer. Most went to big beer markets like NYC. The closet market that got them to us is Chicago and DC. These breweries do not normally distribute outside of their little hamlets.
We got 10 Anstich (named after the region from which they originate) and we will serve them each Friday night at 630 until they are gone. We will tap one or 2 kegs per night depending on demand. They are small gravity cask lagers and they need to be drunk the night we tap them. Each holds about 35 pints of beer. Last year we served 5 of these in one night and they were gone in less than 2 hours. This year we have a few more and we are spreading them out.
We are not requiring RSVP BUT we will accept reservations. Please don't make reservations if you don't plan to be on time. I haven't been given the price on these yet so I can't say exactly how much they will cost. Look for a price between 6 and 7 dollars a pint.
These are the beers in the order we will serve them:
Brauerei Zehender Mönchsambacher Lager - a traditional kellerbier from Mönchsambach, Upper Franconia. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, well-hopped, and utterly drinkable. Brauerei Sauer Rossdorfer Urbräu - A light, hoppy, kellerbier done in the Franconian tradition by a family-owned brewery just outside of Bamberg. Brauerei Ahornberger Landbier Dunkel - A slightly unusual landbier in that it's made with dark roasted malts; this one is still dry and goes down way too easily. Brauerei Bayer Ungespundetes Landbier - Another earthy, dry Franconian lager fermented ungespundet (in an open barrel) at the Bayer keller in Theinheim. Brauerei Löwenbräu Buttenheim Kellerbier - Not the Lion's Brewery with which you're probably familiar. This one has been in the same family since 1880, passing the brewing tradition along through the generations. This characterful kellerbier is produced in minute quantity, and the care that goes into the brewing really shows. Klosterbrauerei Weissenohe Eucharius Märzen (a.k.a. Monk's Fest) - A 5% festbier from the second-oldest brewery in the world at the monastery in Weissenohe.
3) Heiner Brau- If you're on the Northshore make sure you make your way over to check out Heiner Brau's Octoberfest celebration. I really enjoy his Covington Brewhouse Pilsner!
Covington's Microbrewery
Oktoberfest 2010
A Traditional Bavarian FAMILY Event
226 Lockwood Street, Downtown Covington
5:00 - 8:00 PM, Friday, October 8th
2:00 - 9:00 PM, Saturday, October 9th
Live Music
Bring Your Own Blankets/Chairs and Join Us, Rain or Shine!
Admission is FREE!
German-Style Catering - Covington's Beck ‘n Call Café
On Sale: Covington Brewhouse "Bayou Bock" or "Ponchartrain Pilsner", Strawberry Ale and Heiner Brau Oktoberfest
Wow. Other than the smoking hot German chicks I keep making you stare at I think staying in New Orleans might be a better deal. You save on airfare and your beer selection is frickin' incredible!!! Now we just need hot ladies in Dirndls. And for my female readers I have no idea what you want but I hope you get it too!
When you think craft beer bars in New Orleans images of Cooter Browns and The Bulldog was what immediately popped in your head. Not anymore. Like a craft beer juggernaut Avenue Pub has gone from seedy dive bar to one of the top beer bars in the entire South in little over a year. Owner Polly Watts unwavering dedication and unique ability in convincing distributors to bring in better beer has made Avenue Pub a hub for beer geeks everywhere.
I couldn't imagine anyone better to represent the bar side of craft beer then Polly. Here is my interview with her. Enjoy!
1) What are you personal goals for craft beer and the craft beer culture in New Orleans?
My personal goal is for the Pub to continue to be THE place to look for high end craft beer, new craft releases & allocated beers. I'd like to see us have better access to special releases like Stone Cali-Belgique and Harpoon 100 barrel series beers. We have made a lot of progress in this area but we still don't get the allocated collaborations like SN(Sierra Nevada) Life and Limb. I'd like to see the state have access to quite a few breweries that aren't currently in our market. DFH(Dogfish Head), Boulevard, Deschutes...just to name a few. We aren't ready...as a beer culture yet...to support all those beers so I'd like to see it grow organically rather than all at once.
Another big gap in our market is really good European beers. Unfortunately a bunch of the really great European beers we have access to in bottles are brought in by a distributor that doesn't take care of his beer and ships unrefrigerated product. With unpasteurized beer that's a big NO NO. Beers like Weihenstephaner( great beer and great price point) which should be fairly common draft offerings in bars all over the city aren't available because the distributor that brings them in isn't really a functioning beer distributor.
2)What is your favorite macro beer?
I don't drink macros. I don't have anything against other people drinking them but I have never liked them. For years and years I would have told you that I didn't drink beer at all because all I had ever been exposed to was macros and macro imports. Everybody drinks beer for different reasons...or combination of reasons. I drink for taste alone. The getting drunk side is really kind of a bad side effect for me. The result is that I don't drink anything just to relax. I get why people drink macros and some of that is that the person wants to drink 5 or 6 beers and not get hammered but that's not my personality. Unlike a lot of beer geeks I can see why someone would drink BMC(Bud, Miller, Coors) and still be a serious beer aficionado. I don't think the two are mutually exclusive.
3) What do you see for the future of craft beer in Louisiana?
I see great things! Our market has opened up tremendously in the last 18 months. Over 300 people came to my American Craft Beer tasting...that's over double last year. Breweries like Abita have started bringing cask ale to all sorts of places that didn't have it before. Bars throughout the city are starting to take their line cleaning seriously, replacing lines and experimenting with beers they wouldn't have given a second look to before.
4) Are there any future or upcoming plans with Avenue Pub which craft beer drinkers in New Orleans would like to hear about?
WOW...it's a long list. Obviously the August 28th Rare beer fundraiser. My Octoberfest kegs will be even better than last year and we will be getting some more German gravity kegs for the month. I have just started work on a cask festival...looking to November or early February. Moylans will be entering the market on draft in the next 30 days...there is lots to look forward to this year!
5) Which member of the original Charlie's Angels TV show was your favorite and why?
Jaclyn Smith...I liked her hair!
6) If you were stranded on a deserted island and had one beer available to you which beer would it be?
On a hot desert island? That would have to be Mahr's Ungespundet-hefetrüb.
7) Louisiana tends to get skipped over by a lot of craft breweries when it comes to distribution, They'll be available in Florida and Texas but not Louisiana. Why do you think this happens and what can we do to fix it?
Florida gets the beers because they have one or two major markets. Texas...the same reason. They get those beers because of the volume that Dallas, Austin & Houston sell. LA really only has New Orleans at this point. Baton Rouge has huge potential but isn't there yet...the same with Lafayette. The ONLY thing that will really fix it is for more people in the state to buy more craft beer. There are lots of reasons we don't sell as much as we should in LA...and some of those obstacles are dissolving but that's what it all comes down to...sales.
To give you an example...Stone came in almost a year ago and everybody thought the world as we know it would change. Still, a year later The Pub is responsible for 50% of their draft sales. That's pretty impressive in our little "pond" but on the large framework that's not where we need to be as a state to get beers like DFH.
At this point...and I really, really believe this....everybody who cares about craft beer in LA needs to work their asses off to get people in LA to buy the craft beer that's already here. People complain about a lack of choice but really we have some great options now that people AREN'T drinking. Drink the stuff we have...like Stone, Harpoon, Brooklyn and the others will come. DFH or Deschutes entering this market at this moment would not expand the beer culture...it would just cannibalize the existing brands. This has already happened in Alabama...their new law got passed...everyone got very excited and rushed into the market and I don't think sales have measured up to the expectation. Brooklyn just pulled out of Alabama.
The biggest thing that will change the community in terms of craft beer sales is more high quality local breweries. NOLA has done amazing things for the beer culture here. People will try a beer just because its local and then start investigating. I'll bet NOLA Hopitoulas turned hundreds of people on to a beer style they never thought about trying before. If I had to narrow down to one thing that has made the BIGGEST difference in our state beer culture NOLA Brewing and its success would be the one thing. Bayou Teche is enjoying the same success and my hopes for Parish brewing are just as high.
If you take a close look at the great beer markets in the country they are all markets that have really solid local breweries. I don't think it's the chicken and egg scenario. I think the local breweries expand demand in a way that new beer from out of state...no matter how good....can never do.
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Thanks for reading the blog and I hope you enjoyed the interview with Polly. More to come! If you have anyone you'd like to see me interview let me know by emailing me at thebeerbuddha@gmail.com.
During my last visit to my favorite bar Avenue Pub a couple weeks ago I was at the downstairs bar and overheard some dude making fun of someone ordering a Miller Light. Yeah I'm sure sometimes I poke fun at the BMC guys or make fun of ladies who order beer that "tastes closest to Bud Light"(just order a Bud Light then) but I also have no problem drinking their product either and I'm careful what I say. In fact I have a 12 pack of Miller High Life in my fridge right now. I also have my wife, who is going on a trip to Texas next week, picking me up a case of Lone Star tall boys and looking for some Pearl in cans as well.
It drives me insane when I hear people state, "I don't touch BMC stuff it sucks!" or "This bar isn't a real bar if it carries macro swill." Blah, blah, blah. Get over yourself.
Don't get me wrong I enjoy seeing that craft beer is steadily gaining in sales. It's fantastic but I can't stand when I'm looked at funny when I order a Miller High Life or PBR from the bar. I LIKE Miller High Life so what? I can buy a 12 pack of Miller High Life for $8. That is about the same price as 1 six pack of craft beer. Sometimes I want something I can drink a lot of for cheap. It's like McDonalds or Rallys(Rally's is awesome. Checkers to all you Yankee readers.) Sometimes I don't want a fancy burger that costs me $15. I just want a double bacon cheeseburger, large fries and goddamn litre of cola. And no I don't want it Dimpa sized for a quarter.(If you don't get the last 2 sentences you have some movie watching to do.)
And think about this for a second. If you are bashing macro beers at a bar you could be bashing some dudes favorite beer who just might have been thinking about trying that new local, craft beer that just came out. You just made yourself look like the pretentious douche you are and may have just turned off a potential new craft beer consumer. So thanks a lot beer snob. You sir a douche and are actually hurting the craft beer movement. So think before you open your big douchey mouth again.
