Sunday, July 31, 2011

Stillwater Artisanal Ales Coming to Town


Louisiana continues to make major strides in the craft beer world in 2011. Not only did we pick up some great beers from Utah Brewers Cooperative, Stoudt's Brewing and the La Chouffe family but we will also be seeing Ommegang in the middle of August. I now just heard that we will be getting Stillwater Artisanal Ales along with the other brews from 12 Percent Importers. Wow! Now all we need is more craft/import beer drinkers and we'll be good!


Stillwater Artisinal was started by Brian Strumke who has a knack for brewing Belgian style saisons and sours. He is a Mikkeller-esque style brewer so there is no actual brewery and he floats around like a gypsy and brews at others facilities. I haven't had anything from this company yet but am really looking forward to it. They show some really solid scores on Beeradvocate.com. And check out the artwork on these labels! Very cool!



Congrats goes out to Southern Eagle Distributors for this pick up as well. Matt and crew have been doing a great job of scrambling and picking up some quality craft beer brands! Good job guys!

Can't wait to see these brews on the shelves!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

PS Don't forget to vote for your favorite New Orleans beer blog in The Gambit's Best of New Orleans 2011!!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Beer Fridge Fridays: July 29, 2011

Beer Fridge Fridays!!!!!


Today's fridge is from Nora McGunnigle aka NOLA Beer Bitch






Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

PS We wanna see your beer fridge! Send pics to thebeerbuddha@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Beer Review: Narragansett Lager


There are a lot of times where I just want to drink a beer that is light, crisp, clean, refreshing and cheap. You've heard me say, "light, crisp, clean and refreshing", many times in this blog. Sometimes a 120 IBU punch you in the mother fucking face hoppy brew just seriously isn't what I'm looking for. That and sometimes I don't want to spend $18 for a six pack. A lot of times I just want cheap and easy and most of the time a "macro" lager will fit the profile. Lately though I feel that in this age of craft beer popularity we sometimes forget to pay respect to the beers that preceded them.

Beers such as Hamms, Dixie, Olympia and National Bohemian(Natty Boh) were regional beers that were extremely popular back in the 50s and 60s. Most of these once local breweries were eventually bought out by larger companies such as Pabst or Miller and suffered. Recently though we have witnessed a resurgence in the "old school" beer especially the regional ones. Now if Dixie could get it's head out of it's ass and capitalize off of this.

I've been on a mission to pay homage to those regional beers that our grandfathers and fathers drank when they were younger. So far I've had the opportunity to have many you can't get here in Louisiana such as Olympia, Hamms and Lonestar. I'm still looking for others such as Natty Boh, Pearl(yeah I can only find Pearl Light. Fuck that!)and anything else anyone can recommend from their neck of the woods. I do have a Ranier in the fridge! Review to come soon!

I was lucky enough to recently get my hands on some Narragansett and realized I was down to my last can and hadn't officially review it yet for the blog! Here ya go!

Brewery: Narragansett Brewing

Beer: Lager

ABV: 5.10%

Louisiana Availability: None

Price Range: $4/six pack

Appearance: Nice large white head. Clear golden, straw color.

Smell: Huge graininess with the slightest hint of hops.

Taste: Very crisp and clean. Refreshing on the palate. Hints of cereal, grain and slight hoppy bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium high carbonation.

Overall: Crisp and clean lager with full flavor. Great beer. Now I just wish they distributed here in NOLA.

Score: 3.5 out of 5 Buddhas Photobucket

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

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

Monday, July 25, 2011

Abita Brewing To Can Their Beers

From Abita.com



(New Orleans, LA) –The Abita Brewing Company is pleased to announce it plans to offer three of its flagship brews in cans: Amber, Purple Haze and Jockamo I.P.A.


Abita Quality Always Comes First

Abita Brewing Company President David Blossman said, “The canning technology is something that we’ve been researching and investigating for a long time. We feel confident that today’s cans are a quality solution that will preserve and protect the flavor of Abita.” Continued Blossman, “For many years people associated craft beer with glass bottles only, but the perception and the technology of the aluminum beverage can has really changed.”

The new Abita cans will be coated with a special water-based lining to protect and preserve the great taste of the beer. This lining insulates the beer from the can’s interior surface. Canning also limits exposure to UV light and oxygen, two elements that can damage the taste of beer.

Abita Goes Where You Go

“You can take cans to the places we love in Louisiana where glass might not be convenient or allowed...parades, fishing, tubing, golfing, the beach,” said Blossman. “Louisiana is the Sportsman’s Paradise, Mardi Gras central and we’ve got the most dedicated tailgaters anywhere. We’ve made it even easier to bring Abita to the party, wherever it’s happening.”

“Cans go where glass bottles sometimes cannot--think about Louisiana’s 3,000 miles of coastline, over 400 annual festivals, 194 golf courses and 22 state parks. It all adds up to plenty of good reasons to put Abita Beer in cans.”

“Of course, I always preach the right way to drink a beer is to pour it into a proper glass. It’s the full sensory experience.” Blossman concluded.

Recycle and Renew, That’s Louisiana True

Aluminum cans are environmentally friendly. They are easy to recycle, weigh less to ship and the average new beer can is made of 40% recycled aluminum. “Abita has always been committed to a greener environment. We conserve energy and water, create our own bio-gas and drive greener vehicles. We use recycled content in our bottles and packaging materials. Aluminum cans are one more way Abita is working to keep our part of the world green and clean.”

Abita will offer the canned product in six and 12 packs and expect it to reach store shelves early in 2012. The canning will be based at the brewery in Abita Springs and Abita will also continue packaging in glass just as they have since they began brewing in 1986.

About The Abita Brewing Company



The Abita Brewing Company was founded in Abita Springs, Louisiana in 1986 and is the
oldest and largest craft brewer in the southeast. Abita is the 22nd largest commercial
brewer by production volume in the nation and the 15th largest craft brewer in the United States. Sales for the company should exceed 130,000 barrels this year.

Abita Brewing Company produces seven flagship brews year-round: Abita Amber, Golden, Light, Turbodog, Purple Haze, Jockamo I.P.A. and Restoration Pale Ale. Abita also offers five seasonal beers, three Harvest brews, three Big Beers and a draft-only series of Select beers.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

New Orleans Beer Spotlight: Stein's Market & Deli


So I've been writing this blog for over three years and it just occurred to me that for some reason Stein's Deli has never been on the New Orleans Beer Spotlight. Weird. Not sure why.

If you live here in New Orleans and you are remotely interested in beer you know Stein's Deli. Even if you aren't interested in beer but maybe perhaps are a hipster, foodie or a combination of both(A fipster? A hipoodie?)you know Stein's Deli. If you don't I really can't help you. My advise would be to get out of your house and have a relationship with your city though.


I've always considered Dan, the owner of Stein's Deli, the Godfather of the better beer movement here in NOLA. He has been(and is still is)an important part of everything beer you see around town. Obviously we now have Avenue Pub, NOLA Brewing and even myself helping out the better beer movement here in town but I can promise you that virtually all of us can tie ourselves back to Dan Stein somehow.

Stein's Deli is a Jewish deli that sells kick ass beer. No poboys here. He sells mostly New York style sandwiches but you can also get some other fun ones like the steak and cheese and also the Cuban. That Philly steak and cheese he does is awesome too! Since Dan is from Philadelphia you would hope it is!


You can also buy specialty meats and cheeses and all sorts of other food related items. During my brief two year stint at Martin Wine Cellar I saw people freak out over those H & H bagels. Still not really sure why people love them so much but anyway, he sells those too.


Be prepared though when you walk in because it's a tight space and he devotes a lot of space to his beer!!! When you walk in you'll see a bunch of shelving off to the right with a row of coolers against the wall. That is your beer destination. You will see a wonderful selection of imports and craft. If you're there looking for some domestic stuff don't bother because Dan doesn't sell it. oh and don't think about drinking on premise. They don't allow it. Stupid laws and rules. I hope he gets it changed one day. Maybe a petition will help?


Be on the lookout because Stein's will occasionally host beer classes, beer and cheese pairings and other cool beer events. If you haven't been to Stein's Deli then you need to stop reading this and get your ass over there. Oh and if he comes across as an ass remember he really isn't. He's truly a nice guy. He's just a Yankee. It's their way!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Friday, July 15, 2011

Beer For Chicks....Finally

So I'm not usually one to get offended on behalf of certain genders, race, sexual orientations or whatever. I usually don't care that much. Perhaps my intellect just isn't high enough to be offended. Recently though I was introduced to a product that I actually was kind of offended on behalf of women.

Ladies and gentlemen(especially the ladies) meet Chick Beer.


Wow. It's really kind of all I can say. Everything about this beer is offensive to women. Here are some of the offensive lines straight from their own website:

Chick Beer finally gives women a beer choice that suits their tastes and their style

The bottle is designed to reflect the beautiful shape of a woman in a little black dress

The six-pack looks like you are carrying your beer in a hip stylish, purse.

Chick’s flavor is more soft and smooth, and less bitter.

Chick is the only beer brand designed for women, who drink 25% of all beer sold in the U.S.

Okay, so I'm sure there are more but I think this is enough for now. This beer sounds like a collaboration brew between Kim Kardashian and Anheuser Busch. I honestly thought all this was a joke at first but I am mistaken. This is real. Apparently the "owner and founder" is someone named Shazz. No last name. Kind of like Madonna. She wanted to create a beer for "us". She clearly has no clue about the craft beer movement. I've spent a lot of time around craft breweries(having briefly worked at one)and I can assure you that they don't sit around attempting to create beers marketed towards certain genders or racial groups. They create beer that they like. Period.

Oh and by the way it apparently took two years to develop this beer. You spent TWO years developing this beer and that's the name you come up with??? Ugh. Ladies I'm truly sorry that you have to be subjected to crap like this. It's truly unreal. I spoke to a girl today(who says she reads the blog by the way!) at the NOLA Brewing beer tour that said she was questioned about choosing to sample a Double IPA at a local beer festival here in Louisiana. They didn't think she was worthy or something. Sad.

Wake up people! This isn't the 40s. Women like beer with flavor and complexity. They don't need cheap marketing, gimmicks and certainly don't need to be pandered to. If you make a quality brew they'll drink it.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Beer Drinking Style

I've been away. I'm sorry. Sometimes life gets in the way of the awesome stuff and in my case that's what happened. I ended up getting promoted at work(yeah it surprised me too!)and of course with promotions not only does it mean mo' money but mo' problems.



Yeah I just did that right there. If you aren't visiting the site you just missed the video and are now wondering what it is I'm talking about.

Anyway, let's get this thing back on track. I thought what better way than by introducing a beer related product I recently discovered. Okay so I didn't discover them but recently heard about them. So we have shoes for basketball, soccer, football, golf, running, etc. but there aren't any shoes for drinking beer. Well, that's where I am wrong. Enter Brewshoes.



Hailing from that beer mecca Portland, Oregon, Brewshoes seem to be somehow related to Rogue Brewing. Not sure of the connection but who cares. These shoes look pretty kick ass. Hell, they have a beer bottle pattern on the bottom outsoles! You had me at beer Brewshoes. They remind me of one of my favorite pair of shoes from a company called Sanuk but these are for the serious beer drinker. SWEET! I will be ordering a pair from the these guys at the end of the month and will let you know how I like them!!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha