DRINKING BUDDIES

Thursday, November 11, 2010

A Few Good Beers Part One

Like I promised here is the long awaited "Few Good Beers" I've been talking about.  Just to start off I'm going to  brag about my rich heritage and wonderful homeland by reviewing local beers!  If there is one MAJOR reason to come down to New Orleans and the surrounding areas is to try the most amazing beer on the planet.  We have New Orleans Lager and Ale (NOLA) in the heart of the city, Lazy Magnolia out of Kiln, MS; the home of Brett Favre, Covington Brewhouse and Heinerbrau in Covington, LA where I live, and Abita which is not only my personal favorite beer but it's also just a few short minutes to my east from my house!

So sit back, grab your favorite brew and get ready to open your mind and start buying plane tickets.  You'll want to be here in time for Mardi Gras this upcoming March and I'll let you know exactly what to grab while you're here!

New Orleans Lager and Ale Co.  Hopitoulas India Pale Ale

First is NOLA.  Previously available on tap only, it is now conveniently sold in draft packs in stores locally for around $34 for a 5.7 Liter package.  The one beer that really stands out in the crowd with these guys is the Hopitoulis IPA.  What the Hell does Hopitoulas mean you ask?  Well NOLA is located on the corner of 7th street and Tchoupitoulas (pronounced CHOP A TOO LUSS) St. in New Orleans, and like the name implies, the taste is much like walking down a street paved with hops.  You get all the good bittersweet fruitiness that you would find in such IPA's like Sierra Nevada's Torpedo without having the ultra thickness that comes with it.  The best part is, it's always on tap in the comfort of your own home!  If there is one beer on this list you can absolutely not get anywhere else but NOLA, it is NOLA draft Hopitoulas IPA!

Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Ale

Sorry for the lack of picture but the best way to image Southern Pecan is sparkling coffee with no cream or sugar added!  Solid black with nearly no visibility and the creamy foam head is much like the nutty white top on freshly brewed espresso.  The taste is almost exactly what the name implies, and even though it is brewed in Mississippi, the pecans are grown here in Louisiana!  It is fresh and crisp but has some serious depth and complexity as far as a beer goes.  Much like Samuel Smiths or other nut brown ales, it holds a very serious bold taste of roasted pecans and hazelnuts, but the smooth refreshing taste of a lighter lager.  You can usually find this brew for about $7.99 per 6 pack (12oz bottles)

Lazy Magnolia is also the mastermind behind another wonderful brew called LA 31 Biere Pale but is brewed under the name Bayou Teche.  Since they have their own blog, I'll leave the good news up to them on that one. But it is another great beer that you cannot pass up!

Covington Brewhouse Pilsner and Bock
This one I'm going to keep kinda short because not too much can be said about these two.  Recently released in 2010, I've only tried each a few times.  Unfortunately I wasn't too impressed with either one.  The Pilsner was seriously lacking in flavor and body and had me craving a Miller Lite.  The Bock on the other hand was very packed with a heavy boiled-peanut type flavor.  Not the most desirable when it comes to beer.  I would love a second opinion of these two and just hoping that I may have come across a bad brew....  Retails for about $8.99 per 6 pack (12oz bottles).

Abita Pecan Harvest Ale

I know what you're thinking, "Another Pecan beer?"  And the answer is, "YES!  ANOTHER PECAN BEER!!!"  You don't understand!  Pecans are the best thing since sliced bread down here.  And we make sliced bread with pecans too!  A little different from Lazy Magnolia's brew, Abita's Pecan Ale has a little more bitterness to it because of it retaining so much of it's natural hoppy flavor and is a little bit more smoky due to its heavy infusion of the pecan's natural oils.  A great beer to drink with any kind of boiled seafood or creamy cheeses..  Another great brew from my favorite brewery on the planet.  Be sure to pay attention for the second half of this update to come in just a few short days for a follow up on Abita's other brews.  Also retails for about $7.49 per 6 pack (12oz bottles), about 50 cents cheaper than the normal line.

Hope you enjoy!  And ever more so I hope you all can find some of these great beers out towards you!  If not, let me know, we'll see what we can do!

(Just to note, used all photos without permission from the owner)

35 comments:

  1. Pecans are awesome, I have to agree

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  2. Wow, I guess I really suck at this because I have never tried any of those. Thanks for the suggestions!

    WereAndWillBe.blogspot.com

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  3. Man pecan beer looks so good! I have to try it sometiem!

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  4. Whoa, you're pretty knowledgeable about beer. They all sound good. Pecan beer does indeed sound good.

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  5. so those are a must try for me. Thanks for reviewing.

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  6. Good post! Looking forward to reading you next one

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  7. More European beers since these are by far the best around !! Also, no Heineken... I´d rather drink my own piss than Heineken...

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  8. I feel lame for not having tried any of these. Look awesome though.

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  9. That pecan beer sounds pretty good.

    I've had a few different Abitas before, and I WASN'T impressed, but I tried some of their GOOFY stuff like "Purple Haze".

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  10. are these american? iove never had american beer oddly enough

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  11. never heard of any of these beers, Canada doesn't seem to have these ;O

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  12. this is a good follow up to your last post

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  13. nice, I'm looking forward to the next one

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  14. I've never seen any of these Up North.

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  15. I'll have to send my buddy to your blog. He is the biggest beer snob I know, and I'm sure he would be interested in what you have to say.

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  16. Pecan beer sounds damn good. I'll have to keep my eye out.

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  17. Looking forward to trying a few of those!

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  18. Beer is really great.
    I might just go to the pub right now!

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  19. Will follow a fellow man from Louisiana. The pecan stuff sounds good.

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  20. Nice stuff - sounds awesome.

    You should try some Leinenkugal if you get a chance. ;)

    (Following)

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  21. Dude, even though I have never drunk beer in my life, I think I will have to try the Pecan one. It looks like coffee, as you said, and it probably tastes like coffee and nuts... then I think I will like it!

    I love coffee. Coffee plus alcohol must taste divine. =]

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  22. Surprisingly I've never had any of those. wtf is wrong with me? I have some drinking to do! Also, how's the flu? Feeling any better?

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  23. Beers are so different from places to places! Never even heard of one of these but I bet I know many kind you never even seen! But well, if I ever see one of these one day! :P

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