Support Local Beer: Bayou Teche Brewery

The wife and I had an opportunity for a weekend trip to Breaux Bridge back in May and if you've spent any time exploring South Louisiana, you know about Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville. And if you haven't been yet, make sure you add it on your list.

Amongst some folks in the beer nerd community Bayou Teche get's a bad rap for their beer which is bullshit. Their beer is great. Bayou Teche's beer isn't just about what's in the glass it's about the entire experience.

The first thing you'll notice is that this place doesn't feel like some sterile warehouse with a few picnic tables thrown outside. It feels like Louisiana. From the giant outdoor space to the live music, the food, the people, and even the dogs running around, it's got that laid back Acadiana vibe that makes you want to stay a little longer than you planned.

You can no longer find this beer in stores or bars. Bayou Teche pulled out of distribution years ago and shifted to tap room only model. They decided to pull out of distribution for a number of reasons but mostly slim margins, distribution issues and state alcohol regulations. And the decision to shift to an outdoor venue with pizza, tiki drinks and arcade games has paid off.

Currently they are expanding their seating inside the brewery and also partnering with Hotel Lafayette in downtown Lafayette to occupy a 4,500-square-foot space in the $19 million hotel which is expected to open mid-year 2026 and will feature their beer, tiki drinks and food.

And speaking of food, let's talk about Cajun Saucer Pizza.

Look, I know pizza isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you're driving through Cajun Country, but trust me on this one. Whether you're grabbing a classic pie or something loaded with Louisiana flavors such as the Bobby Boucherie, it's the perfect pairing with a cold beer on a warm afternoon. The wife and I got a pepperoni pizza(wife is boring) and some boudin egg rolls which are my vice for real.

The brewery itself has become one of those destinations that people from Baton Rouge, Lafayette, and beyond will gladly make the drive for. And after a few visits, it's easy to see why.

Maybe it's the beer. Maybe it's the pizza. Maybe it's the live music drifting through the air while the sun starts setting over Acadiana. Whatever it is, Bayou Teche Brewing has figured out something a lot of places haven't. They've created a spot where people genuinely enjoy spending time together and experiencing Acadian culture.

In a world where local breweries are struggling daily that's worth raising a glass to.

So the next time you're headed through Breaux Bridge, Arnaudville, or just looking for a reason to take a Louisiana day trip, make the stop. Go support local. Grab a beer. Order a pizza. Stay awhile.

ADDRESS: 1002 North Ln, Arnaudville, LA 70512

HOURS:

Monday-Closed

Tuesday-12pm-8pm

Wednesday 12pm-8pm

Thursday 12pm-8pm

Friday 12pm–9pm

Saturday 12pm–9pm

Sunday 11am–6pm

Brew Dogs New Orleans Episode Airs Tomorrow

Tomorrow 08/20 the Brew Dogs episode that was filmed here with NOLA Brewing and Bayou Teche Brewing will be airing! Most of you know about the event because, well, you were there.  

I have to admit the beer was not that great but the experience was awesome.  Really great of these guys to pick New Orleans to be represented among all the great beer cities.  

Here is a quick synopsis from Esquire:

In the NOLA episode of BREW DOGS, hosts James Watt and Martin Dickie create a New Orleans-inspired beer using local ingredients like Rose of Jericho (the "resurrection plant") and mayhaw fruit, brewed entirely on the back of a fan boat in the bayou. After a brief timeout from brewing to compete with Bayou Tech Brewing to see who can make the best craft beer pairings with local Cajun cuisine, the BREW DOGS then continue to the French Quarter to reveal their revival beer and convert a few local craft beer fans along the way.

I was lucky enough to see an advance screener for the show and will admit it was pretty awesome. Much better than the beer!  I saw a lot of familiar faces in the show as well!  Get ready cause if you were there you are probably in this episode!


Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

TWO SCOTTISH CRAFT BEER RENEGADES. TEN AMERICAN BEER LOVING LOCALES.

BREW DOGS RETURNS FOR SEASON TWO ON ESQUIRE NETWORK JUNE 25

LOS ANGELES – June 6, 2014 – James Watt and Martin Dickie, founders of the UK’s fastest growing brewery and creators of the world’s strongest ale, return to create more craft beer anarchy when season two of BREW DOGS premieres Wednesday, June 25 at 9/8c on Esquire Network.

In each of the 10, one-hour BREW DOGS episodes, James and Martinvisit a different American beer town, celebrate distinctive craft beers andcreate their own locally-inspired draft. Along the way, they break every rule in modern brewing, seek out (sometimes bizarre) local ingredients for theirbrew, and challenge American brewers to help them create the most outrageousbeers on earth.

BREW DOGS episodes include:

·       Alaska – Cut off from civilization in the Alaskan wilderness, James and Martin brew a survivalist beer with glacier water, spruce tips, winterberries, and a few old airplane parts.

·       Chicago -- In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, James and Martin team up with Revolution Brewing in Chicago to create the “greenest” beer ever, and not just in terms of color. For the brewing process, they enlist the aid of an engineer to build a wind-powered brew system atop one of the manyhigh rises in Chicago’s famous skyline.

• Colorado – After meeting with an archeologist and scaling giant pine trees, James and Martin brew a modern take on an ancient beer style using primitive brewing equipment that they’ve actually built themselves.

·       Delaware -- James and Martin visit Dover Speedway, where they team up with Dogfish Head Brewery’s Sam Calagione and attempt to brew an all-new beer in the back of a truck racing around the Monster Mile—the world’s fastest one-mile oval.

·       Las Vegas -- In Las Vegas, where millions are won and lost every day, James and Martin brew the most expensive beer ever—even if that means melting down gold, shaving truffles, and finding water from halfway around the world.

·       Los Angeles – The BREW DOGS go head-to-head, competing alongside local home brewers to make the best new boundary-pushing beer in LA. Each team must successfully design their own brew, sourcing local ingredients.

·       Maui – Sugarcane and toasted coconut flavor James and Martin’s newest brew, a Hot Lava Rock beer based on the lifestyle and history of Maui—and brewed amid hula skirts and fire dancers at a local luau.

·       New Orleans – The BREW DOGS turn to swamp fruit and a voodoo priestess to create a revival beer in New Orleans. To capture the true bayou experience, they build a mobile brewery on the back of a fan boat.

·       NorCal – In an RV in Northern California, James and Martin make impromptu craft pairings with campfire food and create the ultimate collaboration beer with Sierra Nevada and Bear Republic, and brew it with the help of a local professor, the “Pope of Foam.”

·       North Carolina -- James and Martin brew the most caloric beer ever, a Maple Bacon Ice Cream Stout, in Durham, NC. And they do it on bikes. Burn calories while brewing calories.

BREW DOGS is produced for Esquire Network by Custom/Redtail Partners LLC. Executive producers are Steve Stockman, Chris Burke and Jared Cotton.

Google 360° Tour of Bayou Teche Brewing

Have you ever wished you could tour a brewery but weren't able to get there?  Maybe you live in a different state.  Maybe the brewery is hours away and you don't own a car.  It doesn't matter.  For whatever reason you can't get there.

For those of you who have been itching to check out Bayou Teche's brewery but haven't been able to here is a cool opportunity to do so and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your beer fridge.

I got an email from Stephen Young who attended the book signing at Maple Street Books the other night and he is a local photographer.  He shot a Google 360° view of the brewery and it is truly awesome.  You start in the tasting room seeing Laurin Knott double fisting some beer and Karlos and Byron jamming out.  You can tour the entire brewery and also check out the water waste treatment and crawfish pond in the back!  Grab a Bayou Teche beer and Enjoy!

Google tour created by JStephenYoung.com

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Bayou Teche Brewery's Loup Garou Awarded Silver Medal

Congrats to Bayou Teche Brewing!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BAYOU TECHE BREWERY’S LOUP GAROU AWARDED SILVER MEDAL

Arnaudville, January 23, 2014 – Acadiana’s Bayou Teche Brewing’s recently released Loup Garou stout was recently awarded a silver medal in the Wood Aged Ale category of the annual World Beer Championships.  The competition, held by the Beverage Testing Institute is open to commercial beer brewers worldwide.  Beers are judged on a 100 point scale, and are evaluated by professional judges in a tasting room designed to minimize distractions.  Additionally the judges taste the beers blind – aware only of the category of beer, not the brand.  Said Bayou Teche’s brewmaster, Karlos Knott, “We have just released our Loup Garou beer and we just got the news and are still celebrating with a few of the bottles we had left at the brewery - we are just thrilled.”

The ale scored 87 points, and the tasting notes rated Loup Garou as highly recommended.  The judges’ notes also state that the beer has a black brown color and a dense aroma of wood charcoal, over roasted coffee, and burnt popcorn.  The beer finishes with a supple, dryish medium-to-full body and a finely carbonated cigar ash, grilled mustard greens, molasses and cocoa powder.

Said Knott, “For generations, Cajuns have told their children to hurry to bed or Loup Garou was going to get them – my brothers and I were scared by threats of his arrival by our parents and grandparents.”   Brewmaster Gar Hatcher says that the stout is brewed with werewolf-sized helpings of chocolate and roasted Belgian malts, brown sugar, and hops, then the ale is finished on oak.   The brewers suggest that this skillfully crafted, Belgian-style stout is ideal for sipping on well past bedtime, waiting on the fabled Loup Garou. 

The beer, like all of Bayou Teche’s ales are designed to go with the Cajun and Creole foods the brewers grew up with.  Knott suggests raw oysters as the perfect foil for the stout.  Says Knott, “We often slide a freshly shucked oyster in a shot glass and top it off with Loup Garou – that’s why there are so many oyster shells behind the brewery.”  The brewery also suggests pairing their new offering with Brie and French Triple-Crème style cheeses, smoked salmon or trout, dried country ham, a classic Rueben sandwich and rich vanilla ice cream.

Knott says that this is Bayou Teche Brewing’s fifth silver medal win at the competition in the brewery’s four year history.  The brewery’s distribution has grown and their beers are now available in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and New York.  Loup Garou is limited release for the brewery and only one batch is brewed a year.  Loup Garou stout is available currently available in bottles and on tap locally. 

Cajun Brews: A Trip To Bayou Teche Brewing

My wife and I were recently invited by the wonderful folks of Bayou Teche Brewing to attend an invite only dinner that takes place at the brewery on the 31st of every month(that has 31 days).  Bayou Teche is located in Arnaudville, Louisiana and brews their flagship brew LA-31 Biere Pale as well as some other amazing beers such as Boucanèe, Passionné, Saison D’Écrevisses and Cocodrie. The drive into Breaux Bridge where we stayed is a quick, scenic two hour trip from New Orleans.

We stayed at the Bayou Cabins Bed and Breakfast which sits right along the winding Bayou Teche. The Bed and Breakfast is made up of 13 cozy cabins and 1 main cabin.  Our cabin was cabin 13, the Cypress Hideaway, which is a one room cabin with kitchen, bathroom, queen size bed and beautiful, 100 year old cypress wood floors.

We arrived about noon and since the dinner didn't start until that evening the wife and I took a trip into town.  Breaux Bridge is a small town of about 8000 people in St. Martin Parish and is not only designated "The Crawfish Capital of the World" but is home to former NFL Quarterback Jake Delhomme.

We had a quick lunch of oversized, tasty burgers and hand cut fries from Angelle's Old Fashion Burgers and took to walking around town which was made up largely of antique shops and restaurants. There were however some other highlights which were the statue of Scholastique Picou Breaux, the female Acadian who founded the town, and Joie de Vivre Coffee and Cultural Cafe which displays local artwork and has Cajun jam sessions on Saturdays starting at 11am.

After our jaunt through town we headed back to our cabin to freshen up and head out to the brewery. The excursion to the brewery in Arnaudville is a short 20 minute drive from Breaux Bridge.  The brewery appears out of place nestled amongst the fields of sugarcane, soybeans and old oak trees.  We felt like we were going the wrong way when snaking along the back roads which were lined with quaint tin roof homes.

Just as we were ready to turn around thinking we were in fact lost the brewery appeared!  A large, red metal structure the brewery sits on a large tract of land across the street from a sugarcane field. We later found out from Brewmaster Karlos Knott that the brewery sits on land which has been in the family since the 1790s.

Inside the taproom we met some wonderful folks from around the community as well as the Knott brothers mother and father.  I had the opportunity to listen to Papa Knott discuss crawfish farming while sipping on the taproom exclusive Hopilousas which is the breweries Tripel IPA Cocodrie but with additional dry hopping of Styrian hops from Alscae, France as well as a longer cold conditioning period. The dinner was catered by Peppers Catering and was an amazing red beans and rice with corn muffins which paired perfectly with the Acadie which is a Bière de Garde.

Karlos took us on a tour of the brewery where we had the chance to see a variety of beers being aged in Jack Daniel barrels and also had the opportunity to sample Miel Sauvage from the bright tank.  This new brew is a honey ale that uses honey from local Bernard Apiaries and is inspired by the Bière de Miel of France and will be released this month.  The label is inspired by Napoleon's Three Bee Flag of Elba and the beer is aged in Jack Daniel barrels for 100 days to represent Napoleon's exile to Elba.

The brewery tour continued on into the back field where Bayou Teche has teamed with ULL Research Scientists Whitney Broussard to create an artificial wetland to rid of their waste water.  They pump the waste water into one of three ponds in the field and by utilizing cattails and cypress trees they are able clean up the water.  And one of those ponds is a crawfish pond!

The next morning we met up with Dorsey Knott and his wife Laurin for breakfast.  Dorsey is the sales manager for Bayou Teche.  Laurin, my wife, and I had the eggs, toast and boudin while Dorsey had the Cajun sampler which also had hogs head cheese and cracklins.  The food was absolutely amazing and supplied us with much needed nourishment for the next part of our adventure.

We then drove out to McGees Landing for an Atchafalaya Basin swamp tour.  The Basin is about 20 miles in width and 150 miles in length which makes it the largest existing wetland in the United States.   Not a place I would want to get lost at night.  Armed with an ice cold bucket full of LA-31 we took off into the bayou.   There really is nothing more serene than a boat on the bayou with an ice cold beer.  It creates a tranquility you can't find in the city.

Our tour guide was supplied well in both humor and knowledge and didn't bat an eye as an Asian Carp flew out of the water and committed suicide on the front of the boat.  The trip took about 2 hours and we were lucky enough to catch some baby alligators living along the bank with mama gator sitting close by.

After the tour we took a quick trip to Crawfish Town USA for some crawfish boulettes and some other fried goodies and then headed home to New Orleans.  An amazing trip all around and just two hours outside the hustle and bustle of New Orleans and an hour outside Baton Rouge.  Such an easy trip for an amazing experience.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beer Review: Bayou Teche Cocodrie

Alright, so I've been drinking while writing this so I'm going to say something here that may be blasphemous to some. Not to the local Louisiana folks but maybe some New Yorkers.  I think Bayou Teche is the Brooklyn Brewery of Louisiana.  But Bayou Teche's beers may be better.

I compare the two because Brooklyn Brewery does a great job with the beer and food pairing thing.  A GREAT job.  Down here in Louisiana, Bayou Teche is doing the same thing but with mostly Cajun cuisine.  And man are they killing it.  In May, when they first released Cocodrie they threw a crawfish boil at Avenue Pub.  Really wish I could have made that one!

In terms of me saying that their beer is better well, that's just strictly my opinion.  You can judge for yourself though.  I do however find it ironic that Bayou Teche is distributed in New York.  Yeah, New York.  New Yorkers want this beer pretty damn bad.  Why is that ironic? Because Bayou Teche is limited pretty much to the Gulf South.  And New York.  WTF?  Ironic. Seriously. Take note Alanis Morissette.

I recently received a sample from the brewery of their Cocodrie Tripel IPA.  No, it's not a TRIPLE IPA.  It's a TRIPEL.  Think Belgian Tripel mixed with IPA.  Kinda like Jean Claude Van Damme with hops.

Coors Van Damme?  WTF?

Here is a description from their website:

Cocodrie is Cajun French for alligator, and this Belgian style ale is stuffed with enough hops to stand up to a sauce-piquant prepared with one. We recklessly crammed IPA-worthy additions of hops (six separate hop additions, plus dry hopping) into an elegant and tastefully brewed Tripel – the spice and fruit flavors from the yeasts mix with the sumptuous hop flavors to create a rich, yet dangerously drinkable IPA. 

Our interpretation of the celebrated Tripel IPA style of beer is crafted with a generous amount of Pilsner malt which insures this ale clocks in at just over 8 percent ABV. Our brewmaster, Gar Hatcher selected strains of French and Belgian yeasts for their complementary fruit and spice flavors which meld with the multiple additions of elegant European hops. Cocodrie is then dry-hopped with French and Styrian hops which provides this beer its fruity, citrus, herbal and spicy hop aroma.

Not sure why (maybe because I am feeling a little tipsy) but this beer screams drink me while enjoying some amazing cheese and french bread.  So I did.  And it was great.  If it wasn't so damn hot outside I would have enjoyed this outside on the patio.  But this is Louisiana.  Way too hot for all that.  At least right now.  And, well, I don't have a patio anyway.

I enjoyed this beer a lot.  Bayou Teche is really just doing it right.  The Louisiana craft beer scene is blowing up and they are proving to be one of the leaders.  They are doing more than just brewing a great beer they are creating a great Louisiana beer culture.

Here is my review:

Brewery:  Bayou Teche Brewing

Beer:  Cocodrie

Style:  Belgian IPA

ABV:  8%

Louisiana Availability:  Summer seasonal.  May-September

Price:  Not sure.  Mine was a sample.

Appearance:  Pours a hazy, golden orange.  Huge off white head.  Great lacing.

Smell:  Right off I get a wonderful hint of ripe fruit, pepper and fresh baked french bread.

Taste:  Hints of stone fruit(apricot?), bready maltiness, piney hops.  Hint of pepper as well.  The 8% really doesn't show which can be bad news for some.

Mouthfeel:  Medium body and medium carbonation.

Overall:  Wow.  Amazing beer.  I could drink this one all day!  But then again I shouldn't at 8%.  Go grab some while you still can.

Score:  4.5 out of 5 Buddhas  

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Fight Cystic Fibrosis By Drinking Beer(and wine) At The Grape & Grain Fundraiser

Hey Northshore peeps! Cystic Fibrosis sucks and the New Orleans chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is throwing a beer and wine event to help fund research and hopefully one day find a cure for CF.

You will have an opportunity to sample about 20 wines(if that's your thing) and some pretty awesome beers.  Here is a list of the beers at the event:

• Chafunkta 
• New Belgium 
• SweetWater 
• Covington Brewhouse 
• Tin Roof 
• Bayou Teche 
• Main Grain 
• Gnarly Barley 

It'll be held August 23rd at the Benedict’s Plantation and all proceeds are to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Tickets are $50 for General admission and $100 for VIP.

They will also have some local food to nosh on and a DJ so you can get out there and cut a rug.

Make sure you check this event out!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Bayou Teche Releasing Biere Joi Lagniappe

I got an exciting email this morning from the folks over at Bayou Teche Brewing!  In about three weeks they will be releasing a beer called Biere Joi Lagniappe which looks to be a coffee/chili beer.  If you were a fan of their Christmas release Joie à Tous (Joy to All) you gotta know you're gonna love this one!  I for one can't wait!  Here are the details I received from the brewery:


Bayou Teche Brewing is releasing the next in their Lagniappe Series of bieres, Biere Joi Lagniappe. Lagniappe is the Louisiana French word that expresses the little something extra that a merchant adds to your purchase. We aged a one-off, high gravity Bière Joi in oak barrels and threw in coffee from Mello Joy, chile de árbols from Primo’s Peppers, and chocolaty cacao nibs – just a little lagniappe.

The malt bill for this special release of Biere Joi is quite different from previous batches. Spiked heavily with French Coffee Kilned barley malt and a double dose of Belgian Dark Candi sugar, the ABV now hovers around 7.5%. After fermentation, the ale is racked into Jack Daniels barrels with then spiked with French roasted coffee from Mello Joi. After four months in the barrels, the best tasting barrels were racked onto and aged on locally grown organic Chile d’arbols from Pimmo’s Peppers and copious amounts of cacao nibs.

This very limited release (only about 150 cases) is Bayou Teche Brewing’s most complex (yet very approachable) beer. Biere Joi’s nose is entirely whiskey and oak – and lots of it. Our brewmaster, Gar Hatcher describes the first sip as “at first you notice the coffee, then in the middle a little of the woodsy-chile spice flavors of the d’arbols peak through. The finish is a long and tongue-coating chocolaty goodness – comparable to freshly baked fudge brownies.

Biere Joi – Lagniappe Series should be available in about three weeks or so. The beer is available in 22 oz. Belgian style bottles and in an extremely small amount of kegs (probably only one or two). It is the second in the five series of limited edition beers slated for release from our brewery in 2013.


Be on the lookout for this one for sure!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

BAYOU TECHE BREWING RELEASES COURIR DE MARDI GRAS BIERE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BAYOU TECHE BREWING RELEASES COURIR DE MARDI GRAS BIERE

Arnaudville, January 3, 2012 – Arnaudville’s Bayou Teche Brewing is releasing Courir de Mardi Gras, the brewery’s first seasonally produced beer. This limited edition beer honors Acadiana’s rural Mardi Gras traditions and is brewed as a Biere de Mars - a centuries old French style of farmhouse seasonal brew.
Says Bayou Teche’s brewmaster Karlos Knott, “Very few bottles of Biere de Mars are brought to the States from France. They are brewed in such small batches and are only released in March (Biere de Mars translates to March beer). These French beers are traditionally crafted at the beginning of winter with the farm’s freshest crop of barley, wheat and hops. The farm’s brewers then spend months aging what they consider their finest beer of the year.”
Continues Knott, “Bayou Teche Brewing’s Courir de Mardi Gras is our artisanal version of this elegant French ale. Biere de Mars is historically crafted with Pilsner, Munich, and a large dose of wheat malt – the wheat lends the beer a distinct, Spring-like quality.” When the brewers at Bayou Teche discovered this French style of ale, they decided to seasonally brew batches for South Louisianan’s pre-Lenten celebrations.

With originations in rural and Medieval France, several rural Cajun communities still celebrate the traditional Courir de Mardi Gras. Although there are variations, each Courir has a Le Capitaine who leads masked and costumed revelers on horseback to beg and gather ingredients for the large communal gumbo that lies at the end of their journey. A prized ingredient is a live chicken, which is often thrown into the air for the celebrants to chase through muddy fields.

Bayou Teche Brewing features organizations on the bottom of their six pack boxes that are working to preserve the unique cultures and environment of South Louisiana. For their Courir De Mardi Gras Beer, Bayou Teche’s Dorsey Knott says, “we wanted to recognizes the important work that Valcour Records is doing to preserve and showcase great Louisiana talent and roots music on the world stage. Valcour’s co-founders recognized that there was a remarkable wealth of talent in Acadiana that was under-represented and under-exposed. We wanted to thank them for the important work that they are doing.”

In conjucntion with the beers release, Valcour records is releasing their newest CD, The Best of Valcour Records Volume I. Said Valcour Records co-founder Joel Savoy, “This CD was created through a partnership with Bayou Teche Brewing Company and is designed to accompany their seasonal Mardi Gras beer: Courir de Mardi Gras. As you might expect, this CD makes a great sound track for any Mardi Gras celebration, just as the beer makes for a great beverage!” Courir de Mardi Gras six-packs will include a free download from the Best of Valcour Records CD Volume I CD.

The limited editon, seasonal batch of Bayou Teche Brewing’s Courir de Mardi Gras is now available in six packs and kegs across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Bayou Teche Brewing and Valcour Records Give Away the Ultimate Mardi Gras Package

“Courir de Mardi Gras” Facebook Photo Contest:

Bayou Teche Brewing and Valcour Records Give Away the Ultimate Mardi Gras Package

Arnaudville, La. – December 13, 2011 – What better way is there to celebrate Mardi Gras than by sipping on smooth Louisiana Biere and tapping to the tunes of the best of Louisiana music? Bayou Teche is celebrating by collaborating with Valcour Records on their latest "Best of Valcour Records” CD and with the creation of Courir De Mardi Gras beer. Now we want to see how others celebrate the beloved and unique holiday tradition.

Starting on January 9, 2011, Bayou Teche Facebook fans, and anyone else with a Facebook account, for that matter, will be asked to upload a favorite photo of their own “Courir de Mardi Gras” experience on Bayou Teche Brewing’s Facebook Page. Contestants’ photos will then be voted on by fans, and the photo with most votes by February 10 wins the Grand Prize below. Second and third place photos will also be awarded.

Grand Prize:
● “Best of Valcour Records” Cajun Music CD
● Traditional Courir de Mardi Gras Costume
● Assorted Bayou Teche Brewing gift bag

2nd Place Prize:
● “Best of Valcour Records” CD
● Bayou Teche gift bag

3rd Place Prize:
● “Best of Valcour Records” CD

**All winners must be 21 years of age or older.

“The promotion with Valcour Records on their new CD and our beer is a celebration of all that’s traditional and rural. We can’t wait to share both the beer and music with our customers,” says Brewmaster at Bayou Teche Brewing, Karlos Knott. “Not only will we be giving people a chance to win prizes in this contest, but they’ll be provided with 1 download from the CD with every purchase of Courir de Mardi Gras Beer.”

Bien faire et laisser dire!

For more information, contest details will be posted on www.facebook.com/bayoutechebrewing by Dec. 26, 2011, or call (337) 233-1010. And for more information on the “Best of Valcour Records,” visit Valcour Record’s website. To find Courir de Mardi Gras, visit Bayou Teche’s dealer listing.

Bayou Teche Biere Noire Coming Soon!

I always look forward to seeing what our locals breweries will be coming up with next. The folks at Bayou Teche emailed me a couple weeks back about a new beer called Biere Noire they will be releasing. I really look forward to trying it! Here is that email:

Bayou Teche Brewing will be releasing our Biere Noire in later this month. Biere Noire is brewed loosely as a German Alt Schwarzbier - a style of beer not brewed anymore. I drank some while stationed in Germany, I believe the Brewery was Alt Marburger - and I think they stopped brewing in the 90s sometimes. The beer was like a traditional German black lager, brewed with the tastier Alt style ale yeast. We wanted to resurrect this wonderful style with our Biere Noire. We will release a limited number of bottles in July and early August, by the end of August you should be able to find bottles wherever Bayou Teche bieres are sold.

The description from our website:

On our grandparents’ farm, our grandmother would brew a grègue of café noir every morning for our grandfather’s pre-dawn breakfast. At the end of each week, after the obligatory Sunday dinner, she would brew numerous pots of it. Each and every one of the adults would then sip demitasses of the strong black coffee, laughing loudly and speaking French even louder.
We wanted to create a beer that paid homage to what café noir meant to our French speaking ancestors. Café noir was more than a cup of coffee – its presence conveyed love and appreciation, and expressed a cheerful welcome.
We use specially roasted German malts and select American hops which provide our LA-31 Bière Noire a small bite of noble bitterness and a dry, French roasted coffee flavor. It goes great with grilled steaks, hamburgers, or sausage po-boys, any spicy blackened Cajun dish, or a dinner table surrounded by those you most cherish.

Votre Sante

Man that sounds incredible! Can't wait! Look for it at your local bottle shop!


Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Bayou Teche Brewing Showcased at SAVOR

Just received this via email from Karlos from Bayou Teche Brewing. Congrats Bayou Teche!!!


Arnaudville, May 5, 2011 – Bayou Teche Brewing has been selected to be a representative brewery highlighting the pleasures of fine food enjoyed with amazing craft beer at the sold-out SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience in Washington, D.C. on June 3 and 4. Of the more than 1600 craft breweries currently in America, only 72 have been selected for this honor. Bayou Teche Brewing is the only brewery from Louisiana chosen for this year’s event, and one of only a handful from the South.Presented by the Brewers Association and now in its fourth year, SAVOR is considered the benchmark of beer and food pairing events and will illuminate the sensory delights of craft beer for those in attendance. “Our family started our little brewery just over a year ago knowing that we wanted to craft beers to compliment Cajun and Creole cuisines and lifestyles – to be selected at the nation’s premiere food and beer event to us is a big honor. My brothers and I, and our families are looking forward to being in our nation’s capitol for the event,” said Karlos Knott, Brewmaster of Bayou Teche Brewing.

As American palates continue to become more sophisticated, many have discovered that craft beer is the perfect complement to food. Wine Spectator wrote of the combination potential, in the March 2011 issue, “One reason for beer’s versatility is that beer makers have more to work with than wine makers. Particularly in the United States where they are less fettered by tradition.”

With the success of craft brewers and their fuller flavored beers, it was only a matter of time before beer and food pairings gained attention. Today, many of the best restaurants in the world have made room on their menus for craft beer and food pairings. Even Food & Wine magazine is recognizing craft beer's tremendous potential: "The results [of collaborations] are often beers that are as complex as wine and just as food friendly."

During SAVOR, Bayou Teche Brewing will be serving LA-31 Biere Pale paired with Shrimp in a Blanket. The chefs responsible for the beer and food parings feel that the beer’s malt offers up a slight nuttiness and sweetness that will complement the natural salt of the shrimp. The grit cake blanket will finish up the balanced bite. Also poured will be the brewery’s Boucanee smoked wheat beer which will be served with Poblano and Corn Salsa. The light cherrywood smoked beer and the roasted poblano pepper of the salsa will combine to give one short burst of intense smokiness before the beer takes over and calms the palate.

This year’s educational salons at SAVOR will feature the participation of well-known chefs and craft brewers and require a separate ticket purchase. Just 11 breweries are honored with participation in these small, very limited ticket Salons and Bayou Teche was chosen. Their Salon – whose tickets sold out in 20 minutes is named, Joie De Vivre (Joy Of Living): Beers Crafted For Cajun, Creole And Foods Of The Deep South; will feature their Grenade passion fruit beer and Boucanne paired with oysters, andouille, Spanish and Dutch cheeses, and raw oysters. The Brewers Association website warns this year’s attendees to get there on time before everyone from Bayou Teche Brewing eats all of the oysters!

Beer Review: Bayou Teche Brewing Biere Noel

I love seasonal beers. To me they're the perfect reminder of the season that's coming. For example when you start seeing those pumpkin beers start to come in around September you know fall is right around the corner. Not only are seasonal beers great for friendly seasonal reminders but they also present the chance for a brewery to really express themselves in ways their regular lineups sometimes can't.

Last night I was fortunate enough to receive a sample of Bayou Teche's Biere Noel which will be a winter seasonal released next year. Aged in oak barrels and spiked with Cherry Bounce which is a Cajun liquor this beer is perfect for winter. It has a nice warming booziness for those cold, winter nights. Here is my review!

Brewery: Bayou Teche Brewing

Beer: Biere Noel

ABV: Unknown

Louisiana Availability: Seasonal Winter. Releases next year.

Price Range: Unknown

Appearance: This beer poured a wonderfully dark chocolate with a massive, rocky, tan head. Lacing was present throughout.

Smell: Nice boozy aroma with hints of chocolate, toffee and burnt sugar. Reminds me of the wonderful smell that comes from the Domino sugar plant in Arabi across the river from my house.

Taste: Huge chocolate and toffee sweetness in the front with hints of cherry from the Cherry Bounce. Finishes very dry. Nice flavors from the oak barrels balances out the Cherry Bounce. (Cajun liquor made with moonshine, cherries and cane sugar)

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation. Very dry.

Overall: Wow. Great winter seasonal from Bayou Teche! Looking forward to being able to get this regularly next year!

Score: 4.5 out of 5 Buddhas

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

PS Hey Bayou Teche! Releasing these beers in 22oz or 750ml bottles would be a great idea!

Beer Review: Bayou Teche Brewing Grenade

Over the past three years I've taken considerable efforts to be involved in the local Louisiana beer scene. I've seen us go from one "craft" brewery to nearly 5 and counting. Despite all the obstacles that Louisiana breweries have to traverse in order to open we are slowly seeing them open and flourish.

One of those breweries is Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville, Louisiana. I could go into a long history of the brewery which I would get all my information from their website or I could just let you read it on their website. Yeah, you can read it on their website. Why the hell would I regurgitate to you that which is already on their website? I wouldn't. So if you want their history visit here.

One thing I will tell you is these guys(and gal) are awesome. They show up to practically every event. When it comes to brand support these folks certainly get an A+ from me. And like your typical Cajun they don't just show up they SHOW up. They did an event not to long ago at St. James Cheese Company and my buddy over there Justin Cheese Trosclair said they knocked it out of the park. It's things like this that build brand loyalty.

I've been fortunate enough to have the Grenade before on tap at the WYES beer tasting at NOLA Brewing and the beer is fantastic. I think it loses a step when bottled but it's still a solid brew. Here is my review of the beer:

Brewery: Bayou Teche Brewery

Beer: Grenade

ABV: Not listed. I would guess around 5%. Perhaps someone from the brewery can comment.

Louisiana Availability: Yes. Year round.

Appearance: Grenade poured a honey gold color with a nice white head which dissipated quickly. No lacing present.

Smell: A nice guava like aroma with a low hop character but malt forward which adds a nice bready/grainy aroma.

Taste: The flavor is very malt forward with a nice tartness from the passion fruit aka granade. Very slight hop bitterness

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation.

Overall: A nice fruity wheat beer for those damn hot Louisiana summers. I've had this beer on tap at the WYES beer tasting and it loses some of that fruitiness in the bottle BUT is still a solid brew. I think that's one of the toughest jobs of a brewer is to maintain that flavor in the bottle that you taste on draft. Especially when someone else is bottling for you. Overall though another solid brew for Bayou Teche and another win for Louisiana!!

Score: 3.5 out of 5 Buddhas

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Southern Eagle Becomes A Serious Craft Beer Player in New Orleans

Perennial craft beer underdog Southern Eagle has shown that they want to be serious players in the local craft beer market by recently adding a new employee. This is huge. It's like when the New Orleans Saints signed Drew Brees huge.

Last Monday Matt McKiernan the former marketing and sales guy for Lazy Magnolia Brewery in Kiln, Mississippi began his new job as craft beer guru for the local New Orleans Bud distributor and I feel his presense will make them a true player in the craft beer market.

Southern Eagle has already showed some promise by grabbing the rights to Lazy Magnolia, local brewery Bayou Teche and also their short stint with NOLA Brewing showed they have the sales ability to sell good craft beer. Adding Matt to the mix will hopefully be the final piece to the puzzle.

In my opinion we have some breweries that are or should be looking to be coming into the state here pretty soon and Matt's reputation should help Southern Eagle land those breweries. Good luck Matt!!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beer Review: Bayou Teche LA 31

So it appears that by an overwhelming margin readers want me to review beers. I appreciate the feedback and will leave the poll up until June 11th just in case. But I thought today would be a great time for a review. I had an opportunity last night at the WYES Private Beer Tasting to meet some of the crew from Bayou Teche Brewery out of Arnaudville, LA and drink some of their new beer. I won't tell you what it is but it was incredible and was brewed with passion fruit.

Anyways, I was informed that Bayou Teche had been told that "The Beer Buddha doesn't like LA 31." It's interesting how rumors get around and I guess I should be happy that I'm known well enough that I am the subject of a beer rumor but seriously. The first time I had Bayou Teche LA 31 was out of a bottle to which I didn't know the conditions it had been through. The bottle I had was not a good bottle of beer. I reserved my judgement until I had it again. I do my best not to judge a beer until I have enough of it to judge it. A perfect example is New Orleans Beer Company Pirates Blood. I've tried this beer twice and I can honestly say this is the most vile beer I have ever tasted. But anyways I have had Bayou Teche LA again, and again, and again and I continue to enjoy it. So without further ado I start my beer reviews again with Bayou Teche LA 31.

Brewery: Bayou Teche Brewery

Beer: LA 31

Style: American Pale Ale

Recommended Glassware: Pint Glass

Appearance: The beer was a nice golden orange with nice white head. Lacing present throughout and creates nice webbing.

Smell: Nice pungent hop aroma with hints of citrus.

Taste: Nicely balanced pale ale. Has a wonderful hop kick which is balanced nicely with the malty sweetness. The hops provide a nice citrus flavor. I could drink this all day.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation.

Overall: This is a very well done pale ale. I originally had a bad experience with this beer in the bottle but on draft it was very drinkable and what one should expect with a pale ale. With this company Louisiana is slowly becoming a serious contender for great breweries in the South.

Score: 4 out of 5 Buddhas


Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

March Beer Madness

March is going to be a great month for beer here in Louisiana.  Get your liver ready because there is going to be A LOT of beer consumption going on.  In addition to the two beer festivals I mentioned in my last post we have some official brewery roll outs and Avenue Pub is going to be a madhouse of brew.

Events at Avenue Pub

February 27th

NOLA Dry hopped Hopitoulas on Cask this Saturday @ 5pm

Craig and Kimmie have come up with an amazing special to go with this;
Frenched Lamb over Barley in a chicken cheddar Reduction with Sauteed Green beans.
The dinner special starts today and will be available all weekend. It was designed for the IPA but it goes pretty damn well with the new whiskey barrel aged Rogue too.

March 11th 

The First Top 100 beers tasting 

Dieu de Ciel! Peche Mortel on draft

Cantillon St Lamvinus

La fin Du Monde

Bells Hopslam*

3 Floyds Dreadnaught*

Goose Island Bourbon Country Stout*

* Pulled from Polly's private stock will be and not available for individual sale.

March 27th 

The Second Top 100 Beer Tasting

Olfabrikken Porter

Fantome Saison

St Bernardus

Founder's Breakfast Stout*

Great Divide Old Ruffian*

* Pulled from Polly's private stock will be and not available for individual sale.

Other Draft Beers Coming in March to Avenue Pub

Dieu du Ciel! Péché Mortel Stout
Dieu du Ciel! Aphrodite
Dieu du Ciel! Dernière Volonté
Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA
Cantillon Vigneronne

Brewery Roll Outs

Bayou Teche Brewery

Enters the New Orleans market March 18th

Schmaltz Brewing Company

March 24,25,26- Three day roll out event.  Avenue Pub will have some really cool kegs just for the event.

NOLA Brewing Company

Releases their highly anticipated(and delicious I might add) Hurricane Saison.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Back in The Big Easy

So we made it safe and sound back to the Big Easy on Friday. I haven't posted anything for awhile cause I've been trying to settle in and look for some employment. That and we have a virus on our computer which is making life hell for me. I did have the chance to stop by The Avenue Pub, Steins Deli and NOLA Brewing which was a breath of fresh air compared to the Panhandle. No offense to my people out there but man there was just nothing going on out there. I was lucky enough to try NOLA Brewing's Saison which was nice. Peter, NOLA's Brewmaster, said they had decided to change up the recipe and remove some of the sugar which they believe was making it too sweet. It was definitely on the sweet side but was still pretty good.

I was told by Kirk that NOLA Brewing hopes to be bottling by the end of this year. I think the people of New Orleans are really looking forward to being able to pick up some NOLA beer in bottles. They do have the NOLA draft packs out there on the market so be on the lookout. I saw some NOLA Hopitoulas at Rouses on Tchoupitoulas St for $36.99.

Apparently Bayou Teche Brewing is bottling their beer and were handing out samples of their LA 31 to local bars and stores here in town on Monday. If I can get my hands on a sample I'll be sure to review it here on the website.

As most of you know the New Orleans Saints are in the Superbowl and the city is gearing up for Mardi Gras as well. The next couple weeks I will probably be sporadically posting if I survive. No job + Mardi Gras = Hella Good Time.

Cheers and Who Dat!!

The Beer Buddha