Louisiana Craft Brewers Week Is Here!

So, it's here, one of the best beer weeks in the state, Louisiana Craft Brewers Week! I posted last week about a full lineup of events in the BR/Northshore/NOLA area, but here's the link to that again.

For tonight though, you have two opportunities to check out the Gnarly Barley / Chafunkta collaboration brew in Baton Rouge! The beer details have been announced, and it's an 8% Black IPA named "Black Tooth Grin." The beer will be tapped at the Chimes East at 5 PM, and at The Pelican House at 8 PM. These will be the only Baton Rouge events featuring the beer, and it's likely to move fast. 

Also, be sure to get your ticket for the Louisiana Brewers Bash at The Irish House in New Orleans this Wednesday.  Nine breweries from Louisiana will be featured with two special beers each. I'm really looking forward to this one.

(Yes, I know this is last year's logo... but I don't think a new one was put out?)

Beer University at The Chimes

As some of you might have heard or seen, the Chimes Around The World program is no longer with us. This definitely makes me a little sad as I remember the old days with the beer-stained cards that we would fill out as we tried various beers from all sorts of different countries and always finished it off with a Little Kings Cream Ale. I don't know how that became a tradition, I think it goes back to when my cousin Travis and I finished our first round of Around The World and somehow ended up on that beer as #60, from there on out it was always the clincher.  

I managed it three times on my own, plus twice more as part of my kickball team's celebration and attempt at going Around The World in one night.  We'd bring 12 or more team members and friends, get a big table, and knock out 60 in a night, earning "Pirates Of The Caribballin'" a couple of plaques if you look for them. Great times, great memories, the problem is, not a whole lot of great beer. Unfortunately a lot of those offerings from random countries were quite mediocre. I'm not saying all the foreign beer was bad, because there are plenty of imports that are excellent, but in order to get to 20 countries you had to suck it up a few times and drink some swill.

Tyler, the current beer manager at The Chimes on campus, recognized this problem, and realized that if The Chimes was going to return to glory as a craft beer bar, they were going to have to ditch all the foreign filler. So it was out with Around The World, and in with Beer University.  

Rather than drinking 60 beers from 20 countries, in order to complete your "undergraduate degree," you need to drink 50 different beers from up to 15 "courses" such as Beginner Pale Ale, Intro to Imperial Stouts, or Study Abroad Germany.  In conjunction with their Beer U, the Chimes is now also offering all of their beers in 10 oz. pours as well as their traditional 20 oz. imperial pints.

Once you complete your undergraduate degree, you get a Chimes t-shirt, but then the fun begins and you can go for your Beer U Masters and PhD.  Tyler told me that those "degrees" are going to require some of the specialty beers that come through, the more rare stuff like Parish's Ghost In The Machine or a keg of Bourbon County Stout.  Once those advanced degrees are completed you can get your name up on the wall just like they used to do for Around The World.  

All in all I think it's a good program, and it's a great thing to see the foreign filler depart in place of more American craft and quality foreign beers. I'll be working toward my degree, I'm already 5 beers in!

American Craft Beer Week in Baton Rouge

Yeah, we're not New Orleans and as much better as the Baton Rouge beer scene has become, we still have no Avenue Pub.  If you want the best that Louisiana has to offer, that's your location... or check out the Beer Buddha for other New Orleans area picks. 

Unfortunately a lot of what I see about American Craft Beer Week in Baton Rouge is dominated by the "crafty" brands rather than the craft brands.  Crap like Blue Moon and Third Shift... maybe they're fooling some people, but not me.  That said, there is still plenty going on right here in Baton Rouge, and plenty to get excited about!  Here's the lineup:

Monday, May 13th:
4 PM - Close - The Bulldog - Southern Tier Rollout Party
6 PM - The Cove - Tin Roof's "Parliament Pale Ale" will be served, which is a Voodoo Bengal fermented with 1099 Whitbread yeast.  They describe it as: "Mild malty, slight fruity flavor, good flocculation, less tart and dry than normal british ale yeast."
6-7 PM - Chimes East - Sam Adams
7-8 PM - Chimes East - Sierra Nevada


Tuesday, May 14th:
6 PM - Chimes Covington - Tin Roof's "Blonde, James Blonde" will be on tap.  Just like above it's the normal blonde ale with the 1099 Whitbread yeast.  (Okay, so it's not BR, but it's BR's brewery...)
6-7 PM - Red Zeppelin - Magic Hat / Stone / Brooklyn 
6-Close - The Cove - Southern Tier Rollout Party 
7-8 PM - The Bulldog - Abita Special Release – Turbodog aged in Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels

Wednesday, May 15th:
6 PM - The Bulldog - Tin Roof Parade Ground Coffee Porter aged in bourbon soaked oak chips . Aging for 6 months! This is probably what I'm most excited about in Baton Rouge.
6 PM - Pelican House - Green Flash / Schmaltz / Harpoon
6:30-7:30 PM - Mellow Mushroom - Abita
8:30-9:30 PM - Mellow Mushroom - NOLA 

Thursday, May 16th:
5:30 PM - Pelican House - Tin Roof Double Dry Hopped Juke Joint IPA— simcoe, centennial, cascade, columbus– A hop heads dream. 

6-8 PM - The Bulldog - Stone Brewing Best By 5/17/2013 IPA + a surprise variation of one of your favorite Stone brews + free Stone glass
Harpoon Barrel Series + free Harpoon glass
Brooklyn Brewmaster Series + free Brooklyn glass

Friday, May 17th:
5:00 PM - Tin Roof Brewery - Food Truck Friday Benefiting Cancer Services of Greater Baton Roug! Live music, Food  Trucks, and a great time! Goes until 9 PM.
5-6 PM - The Bulldog - NOLA Brewing has a cask of their "Girl Scout Cookie" which I believe is a mint-flavored Irish Channel Stout?  I'm interested in this one for sure. 
6-7 PM - The Bulldog - Samuel Adams Little White Rye

Saturday, May 18th:
5-6 PM - The Bulldog - IWS Showcase – Special tappings of specialty beers from artisan brewers. Prairie ‘Merica, Brash Bullocks, Yeastie Boys, Pot Kettle Black

Sunday, May 19th:
All Day - The Bulldog - Pot Luck – come get the best sort of leftovers ever!

Thanks to TheAleRunner, Brenton Day, for more information about the Bulldog's American Craft Beer Week events.
 
That's all that I've seen in town, other than the "crafty" tastings that I'm not going to post about.  I really like that Tin Roof Brewing is stepping up their Craft Beer Week game with some special releases.  I'm excited to try the NOLA Girl Scout Cookie as well. 

Review: Saint Arnold Bishop's Barrel No. 1

A while back I mentioned this upcoming brew from Saint Arnold Brewing Company (facebook - twitter), their first barrel-aged release under the new Bishop's Barrel series.  It's only available in a handful of bars/retaurants around town, but last I checked they still had some in stock.  Check The Bulldog, The Cove, and The Chimes for sure if you want to grab one before they are gone!  

This first release is a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, and they knocked this one out of the park.  I was a little concerned at first that not being able to buy it retail and age the beer would leave it a little too "hot" and boozy, but I think Saint Arnold did a nice job of aging this one for us to let it mellow out before it hit the market.  The reportedly aged it for a whopping 10 months in Knob Creek barrels and the bourbon influence is astounding.  The vanilla and oak bourbon notes play right into the rich malt character of the stout base.  The beer isn't one to be chugged down, but rather sipped, and can easily be shared with a friend if you don't want to take down one by yourself. 

It's not a cheap beer, but this is definitely one that deserves to be tried if you are a fan of top notch craft beer offerings.  I'm thrilled that this beer found its way to Louisiana and that we were able to get a decent supply at the local bars.  Try it before it's too late, you won't regret it at all!  Well done Saint Arnold, well done indeed.  

A Shoutout To Samuel Adams!

I really feel like Samuel Adams (AKA Boston Beer Company) is a brewery I tend to overlook.  Whether it's because I'm looking for something new, looking for something local, or just sticking to a few of my go-to beers I rarely seem to order up or pick up a Sam Adams.  When I reviewed the Winter Classics pack about 6 months ago I noted that the Boston Lager was an underrated beer and I stand by that.  This 365 in 2011 quest has led me to new beers but I'm going to remember to order some more Boston Lagers when there's nothing new on tap. 

Fortunately, my drinking adventures have recently led me to a few new Sam Adams beers... first was the Rustic Saison on tap at The Chimes.  It's a pretty light in alcohol (4.35%) Belgian saison style ale with a respectable B- score on BeerAdvocate.  I didn't have the chance to write out a review (I rarely do when I'm not reviewing properly at home) but I can say that I'd try this one again if I had the chance.  And definitely props to The Chimes for having something new on draft!  It seems like that's getting more and more rare these days.  Or maybe it's just me?

Shortly after checking out the Rustic Saison at the Chimes I found myself at The Bulldog with some friends, where they also had the Rustic Saison on tap.  After drinking another one of them I noticed that they also had the Sam Adams Wee Heavy in house.  Well... I knew what I was getting next!  The Wee Heavy is of course the same style it's named after... a 10% brew that the bartender rightfully warned me about.  He even asked me if I wanted a room temperature glass!  Um, of course I do... really unless it's a BMC product the room temperature glass should be standard and the frosted glass should be the special request, but at least he asked.  The 10% alcohol was noticeable, but I still really enjoyed this one... if I saw one in bottles I'd definitely pick it up to age.  

Then, on a trip to the beach house, I noticed a couple of Sam Adams Brewmaster's Series beers in the back of the fridge.  Hmmm... no telling how old they were but they were new ones to me, so I enjoyed a Blackberry Witbier and a Hefeweizen out of a wine glass.  Yeah, a wine glass... what can I say it was that or plastic cups, and a large wine glass really is a decent way to drink a beer.  I'll also have to make a mental note to take a few stacks of pint glasses with me the next time I head down there... I certainly have enough to spare.  

Okay... that's all the Sam Adams love for now... I'm sure I'll try another few before this year is up, but I'm going to be sure to keep them in mind whenever I'm looking at a bunch of taps I've already tried and just want a tasty brew.

Review: Abita Select Black IPA

I'm going to go a little out of order here... but this is for a reason.  The Abita Select series typically only run for a couple of months before they're on to the next one, so I want to get this review in before it's completely archaic.  Not much point in reviewing a beer no one can try, right?  And unlike a lot of the beers I've covered on this 365 in 2011 trip, this one is most definitely available in BR.

On to the beer!  It was Monday night... Lundi Gras for those who know what I'm talking about, and I didn't have to go to work on Tuesday!  One of the perks of living in South Louisiana... we don't work on Fat Tuesday.  The Chimes does trivia every Monday night, so I figured it was a good chance to go drink a few new beers, play some trivia, have some cheese fries, and not worry about waking up early the next day!  Jeremy Wells and James Lawson decided to join in... and it was off to the bar.  

 

The main beer I wanted to try was the Abita Select Black IPA.  I had read good things about it from other beer bloggers, so it was time to try it for myself.  As usual, it came in an imperial pint glass, filled nearly to the top. James ordered a Guinness and the color was about the same through the bulk of the beer but the Abita was a little thinner on the edges, and a much smaller head.

The aroma was definitely a piney hop-forward hit, but there were roasted malt notes as well, and subtle hints of caramel.  The flavor was a lot like the aroma... piney hops and roasted malts with a very nice balance. I'm impressed with this one... really stays true to the style. It's not overly hoppy, but that's to be expected with Abita.

It's got a good mouthfeel, nothing real special here, but nothing bad either. The hops aren't overpowering, rendering a very drinkable brew that's not lacking in flavor either. 

Well done, Abita... it would be nice if these select brews that seem to usually impress could find their way into the regular lineup. Might help people forget that pub crawl mess??  Unless you're still boycotting, check this one out before it's too late!  And Abita, if you're reading, think about bottling some of these select brews... maybe as part of the "big beer" series?

 

My Rating: A-

BeerAdvocate: A- (through 4 reviews...)

Two Christmas Beers From Ridgeway Brewing.

On a recent trip to the Chimes this past weekend, after checking out the Fancy Lawnmower Beer from Saint Arnold, I decided to check out a few offerings on their holiday beer menu.  First on the list was Delirium Noel, a delicious Belgian ale that I've tried many times before.  I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for something strong and different, although a little pricey.  Since I'd had one recently it was time to look for something new, and the first one that caught my eye was "Lump Of Coal," a strong English stout.

I wish I had a better picture, but I'm still on the old iPhone 3G with no flash and a crappy camera.  Maybe after Christmas I'll have something better.  Anyway, back to the beer... as you can see it pours a predictable dark brown with a bubbly off-white head.  The aroma reminded me of plums and chocolate... not bad.  A little coffee bitterness in there too.  The taste was more of the same, but not very well balanced and the beer came across as a little watery.  The first hit of each sip was strong with chocolate and fruit flavors, but then nothing else came out.  A decent beer, but at $9 for a half-liter bottle, I'd skip it next time.

Second was the "Reindeer Droppings" English bitter, from Ridgeway Brewing, the same British brewery that produced the "Lump Of Coal" up above.  In fact, it seems most of their beers are holiday-themed offerings... interesting.  This one, as you can see, was a much lighter color, with a lighter head.  The smell was hoppy and grainy at the same time, and the taste came across much like a milder version of an American IPA.  It's cheaper than the "Lump Of Coal" at $6.50 for a half-liter, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking to try something new but not sure how hoppy they like their beers.  

In the end I rated both beers at a B-, which labels them as "worthy" according to BeerAdvocate and I can agree with that.  Due to the prices I'd definitely go back to the "Reindeer Droppings" first but either way it's good to see some new seasonal offerings.

Saint Arnold Lawnmower at The Chimes

It's here apparently! Unfortunately the Christmas Ale isn't tapped
yet. $6 for a pint, $5 for happy hour!

Magic Hat #9 @ The Chimes.

I took this picture at The Chimes a few weeks ago, but mostly I'm
posting it to test out the full capabilities of mobile blogging! I see
something exciting at the store or the bar? I can snap a picture and
mobile blog it to let everyone know when there's a new beer or good
deal afoot. I think this might be a real good way to do something a
little different with the blog. What do you think?

Review: Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

File this one under:

Beer!

So, I took off from work this past Wednesday afternoon to prepare the turkey for Friendsgiving (which you can read more about at BiteandBooze, Jay's blog...) and I needed a few last-minute items such as aluminum foil, so I made the quick walk from my place to the Bet-R store across from Chelsea's.  Despite living so close I haven't made too many trips over to the Bet-R, but I remembered them having a decent little beer selection.  And I was thrilled to see some of the Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale from Stone brewing.  I had some of the regular Arrogant Bastard on tap at the Chimes a few weeks ago, and enjoyed it a lot, so I was thrilled to try this oak-barrel aged version!  It had no price tag on the 6-pack or on the shelf, so after a few confusing minutes for the cashier (sorry to the cute girl behind me!) she decided to ring it up for $8.99... a very fair price for a 6-pack of some good microbrew, in my opinion.

After that it was back to my place to do some turkey cooking, which involves a lot of waiting around making sure the oven isn't on fire.  In other words, the perfect opportunity to crack open a new beer and give it a taste.

I poured it from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass... hey look, an RSAK logo!  It has a clear deep red color with a small tan head... not a lot of retention in the first one although the second one had a huge head.  Hops and oak on the nose... a little sweet but the oak is definitely there.

Very nice flavor to it, the oak balances well with the hops, there's a little malt on the front of the sip too. Hops more on the back end, and more oak on the aftertaste. Very very good.  It clocks in a 7.2% alcohol but you would never know.  I didn't even know until I looked it up at BeerAdvocate to read a little more about the beer and write my quick review.  Just superb balance to this beer.

Good carbonation to it, very nice mouthfeel, easy to drink if you like hops at all. I'm a fan, definitely an improvement on the regular Arrogant Bastard.

Taste: A

Value: A  (Most likely at least...)

And some random thoughts... my scale told me yesterday morning that I needed to get back on the diet plan, as I'm 10 pounds up from my over the Summer low mark.  I guess that might mean a slight slow-down in beer reviews, but I'm sure I'll find room in the diet for a beer or two per week.  Or a glass of scotch, depending on the mood. 

Review: Stone Ales at The Chimes!

File this one under:

Beer!

I went by The Chimes (check out a food review here...) last Friday with a couple of friends, and had both of the Stone beers offered up, the Levitation Ale and the Arrogant Bastard Ale.  Both were superb so I made it a point to have another one of each (okay, two more of the Arrogant Bastard) when I ended up back at The Chimes last night after another Pirates kickball victory. 

I started off with another of the Levitation Ale, a weaker beer at 4.4% abv but still strong on taste.  It came out in an imperial pint about to overflow (bonus points for the strong pour) with a dark copper color and a small white head.  Looks good, that's for sure.

There is a hint of malt and caramel but the aroma is dominated mostly by the hops.  For an amber ale it has a lot of hop pressence, but that's not a bad thing at all.  In fact, for a California brew, it's pretty much expected.  This one's real easy to drink, goes down smooth and the taste is a well balanced concoction of caramel, spices, hops, and a little fruit.  I wouldn't go for this one (or any Stone beer) if you don't like the hops, but if you do, give it a try!  And at only $4 for a pint, can't beat that deal.

After the Levitation Ale, I ordered up another Arrogant Bastard Ale.  I love the name, reminds me of more than one person I know for sure.  At 7.2% abv and considered a 'stong ale' this one is basically a Levitation Ale on steroids, and it probably Stone's best known brew.  The coloration is very similar, and the taste profile overlaps a good bit.  You're still going to find a lot of the malt and caramel nicely blended with hops.  The hops aren't quite as strong on the front of each sip as the Levitation, but it's still a hoppy beer compared to most down here.  And just like the Levitation, this one clocks in as a cheap pint, only $3.75.  (Okay, I might have the two mixed up... but one was $4 and the other was $3.75... so... close enough.)

Now I'm really looking forward to a few other Stone beers on tap or in bottles.  I know several of their other beers have made their way to South LA, so I guess it's time to do some hunting. Cheers guys!

Taste: A-/A
Value: A+/A+
Avail.: B/B  (Waiting to see if the bottles make it into our market, but I think the draft is here to stay.)

Three random thoughts... the opening of the NBA season is on right now, and it just amazes me how much I'd rather be watching the World Series; I made a beer run to Marcello's today and picked up a few that I'd never tried, reviews coming soon I'm sure; and Chuchill's in BR is having a scotch tasting tomorrow evening, can't wait!