There's More To Beer In Louisiana Than Abita

For a recent trip to New Orleans, we scoured the interwebs to see if we could put together a brewery crawl.  We were a little concerned because we hadn't seen too many Louisiana beers come down the pike; Abita and Dixie.  But much to our delight, we came across 30+ breweries - many of them right in New Orleans.  I felt a crawl coming on.

In the city, we visited Brieux Carre, Crescent City, Courtyard, Urban South and NOLA.  We enjoyed beers from Great Raft, Parish, Gnarly Barley, Bayou Teche, Tin Roof, and Port Orleans.

The Bulldog (Mid-City) Taphouse

Sunset outside the Bulldog (cemetery in the distance)

Courtyard Brewery

At the Courtyard

The Avenue Pub

Must Kuld - Estonian, not Louisianan

Lunch at Red Fish

Dinner at Felix'

Crescent City Brewery

NOLA

NOLA

Flight at Brieux Carre

Fridge at Cooter Brown's Taphouse

Cooter's oysters

We missed out on Wayward Owl, Second Line, Chafunkta, Chappapeela and a dozen or so more.

They're brewing some pretty tasty beers down there.  I guess we'll just have to go back.

Hosting A Small/Vertical Tasting

We have a couple of friends who are as nuts as we are about beer.  Especially about saving beer...for years.  Why do we do this?  So we can have a vertical tasting...we can compare a beer to itself based on the year it was brewed.  Example: We have four vintages of Pumpkinator (an imperial pumpkin beer from Saint Arnold, Houston) - 2011, 2012, 2014 & 2016.  In a vertical tasting, we can see how the beer's character has changed with age, different conditions, and the brew master's recipe itself.

In addition, we have a vertical of  Avery's Rumpkin and Tweak (2014 & 2015 - I'm heading out today to see if I can find a 2016 or 2017), and of Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barleywine (2015 and 2016).  One friend has a three year vertical of Old Horizontal from Victory, and the other has a couple of Stickee Monkees from Firestone Walker.

The key to a good vertical tasting is to pour a snifter of each vintage and try them against each other, rather than drinking all of one year before moving on to the next.  Let the beer breathe for a bit.  Slosh it around in the glass and get some air into it.  Put your hand over the top of the glass and swirl the beer around, then tent your hand and stick your nose in the glass to get a real sense of the aromas you've just released.  We find that the older the beer, the mellower it becomes.  The alcohol smooths out, flavors integrate and become less pronounced, and the mouthfeel usually gets a bit stickier.  Younger beers tend to show off all the flavors, older beers attenuate and secret bolder flavors into a more satisfying mix.

It's unfortunate that IPAs, Pales and Sessions are not appropriate for verticals...the hops just doesn't hold up over time.  Double IPAs are a little better at keeping their flavors, but the best options are the bigger beers, Porters, Stouts, Imperial Stouts, Barleywines, Belgians...you get the idea.

It's also vital that you have some good food to pair with each style.  Of course I'm always at the ready with some good nosh for a beer tasting.  Blue and creamy cheeses, milk and dark chocolates, salty crackers, caramels, stone fruit (jam, dried or fresh), a variety of nuts and olives, and cured meats.  Be sure to have plenty of water on hand, as well.

Cheers to a good tasting!  Enjoy!

Happy GABF Day!

Today is the first day (of three) of the Great American Beer Fest!

Before Joe and I moved to Denver, we only dreamed of attending this festival whose competing brewers touted wins to the world.  Now, as locals, we await - like children for Christmas - the opening of the doors and the resounding lilt of bagpipes announcing one of the greatest beer gatherings, like, ever. 

We went in 2012, 2013, 2014, & 2015.  We didn't go last year because we were moving (and had spent a fortune renovating).  But this year, I had my finger on the button to be one of the first to get tickets.  And here we are...day one.

Over the years the festival has gained traction as the craft brewing industry has exploded.  The first several years, it was a way for brewers to convene.  Tickets never sold out.  Last year, tickets sold out in about 47 minutes.

Denver - and most of Colorado - has jumped on the band wagon, claiming the whole week as Colorado Craft Beer Week.  There have been events at almost every major brewery; many restaurants get in on the action holding tap takeovers or special tappings.  It's really quite exciting to see brewers not only convening and competing, but taking an interest in their fans, and brewing special beers for the occasion. 

This year there are just over 800 breweries in attendance - and more than 3900 different beers.  We have tickets for tonight and Friday night, but will only taste around 250 beers (at a couple of sips at a time - pours are about an ounce, and Joe and I share...it's the only way).

So, I've picked out the beer t-shirt I'm wearing (a vintage GABF shirt), I've made an attack plan, and noted a couple of the special must-have beers (Sam Adams Utopias).  I think I'm ready!

Cheers!

Hosting a Beer Tasting

Almost four years ago, Joe and I hosted a beer tasting party for our new friends in Denver.  There we were, beer lovers in a truly beer-loving state; we couldn't wait to drop some knowledge on our Colorado friends in hopes that they would get the beer itch - and scratch it with us.

The whole idea of a tasting is to introduce great (and various) beers alongside perfectly paired food in order to bring out the characteristics of each beer.  So many folks hate an IPA because "it's so bitter."  But pair it with some rich spicy food, and the malty backbone and balance of the beer will shine through.  Food makes all the difference in how we discern flavors - and the distinct traits - in different beer styles.

First you have to decide what beers you're going to serve.  This, could take months.  There are so many styles from which to choose.  You have to whittle it down somehow.  Maybe pick only Belgian beers, or only porters and stouts.  Hell, you could just do IPAs - East Coast, West Coast, Double, fruit-infused, dry-hopped, fresh-hopped, single-hopped...do you get my point?

Second is to decide what food goes best with each of your choices.  And make sure that your crowd tastes the appropriate beer with the appropriate food.  A rich chocolate torte does not go well with a grapefruit Shandy.  A light tuna salad is stomach turning with a big imperial porter.  A quick bit of research can help you select the pairings.

Finally, the beers and food you choose have to be accessible.  Don't put out an out-of-production cellared brew that no one else can get...save that for a bottle share.  And don't offer some insanely priced Madagascar delicacy.  Offer beers and foods that anyone can find.  If someone really likes a pairing, they'll want to be able to go out and recreate it for themselves.

The pdf attached here is the tasting notebook I so teacherly handed out to our tasters.  Each style was addressed separately, and we gave specific directions about which food should accompany each beer.  The party was a noteworthy success, and I've been told that most everyone has kept the handout as a reference guide for their beer drinking forays.  I hope you can use it, too!

WadingIn.com

Finally!  I've got a website that serves as a repository for all my favorite things: beer, travel, cooking, and random thoughts (I have soooo many).

wadingin.com

Check it out!

But, hey, this is the beer blog...so here's a beer story:  Today was the opening pre-sale day for the Great American Beer Fest!  Joe and I have tickets in hand for Thursday and Friday.

We've been to the GABF four times (2012-2015), but didn't go last year because we were renovating our new house and getting ready to move in; there was just way too much going on.  But we're back in the saddle this year, and I can't wait - 850 breweries and 3800 beers!

Clearly the GABF is one of - if not THE - largest beer fests in the world.  It's a crazy maze of brewers from all over the country, sprinkled with a few international brews, to offer an unsurpassed beer experience.  Tasting, brewing, and cooking classes are offered, you can attend the awards ceremony, shop in the bookstore or from the giant merchandise wall, you'll meet brewers, and, of course, taste amazing beer.  My favorite memory is from 2016 when Adam Avery, himself, handed me my pour of PumpKYn.  Awesome!

Two things:  If you want to go, the public sale starts tomorrow on Ticketmaster at 10:00am MDT. Tickets sold out last year in under an hour.  If you want to go next year, join the American Homebrewers Association.  AHA is the host for the party, and if you join (you don't actually have to be a homebrewer, but if you are, they're a great resource) you get advance sales to the GABF.  That's reason enough for me!

I'll be sure to report back on the fest.  In the meantime, Cheers!!

New Look and Coming Soon

It's about time.  After lolling around in retirement for a couple of years, I've finally gotten motivated.  I know, I know...the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

But I'm serious.  I'm developing a website that combines all my loves - traveling, beer, cooking, writing, and, of course, husband Joe.  The site's not quite ready yet, but when published, it will include a page on beers that will link to this blog.  My ultimate goal is to have a platform that showcases just how fun it is to travel, drink, cook, and, well, be me.

So here we are.  This evening, we're drinking the Breckenridge the Nitro Series Dry Irish Stout.  Partly because we can get a badge for it on Untappd, partly because it's St. Patrick's Day Eve, partly because it's New Brew Thursday, but mostly because we're watching basketball, and we're thirsty.  I have one bracket that's already flaming out and one that's still nearly perfect.  Kinda glad I'm not in Vegas.  It's a pretty darn good beer.  It's creamy with a bitter, roasted, malty bite.

Cheers, all!  Happy St. Paddy's Day.  Erin go braless!
Slainte!

Happy 2017!

I just realized it has been some time since I posted here last.  So, here are just some random beer thoughts:

I went to several beer festivals in 2016. The 3 faves? Big Texas Beer Festival (been every year since the beginning), Rails & Ales in Alamosa CO (been twice and enjoy hanging with Tracy & Joe and this year Cindy & Chuck too) and GABF (2nd time to go, this time on the Flying Saucer's dime)

Bell's is coming to Texas in March of 2017. I am kinda excited about this.

I met Dave Engbers, one of the founders of Founder's Brewing. He was an awesome guy who signed a koozie and a bottle of 2016 Backwoods Bastard. Still trying to decide if I drink the beer and keep the bottle or ... what the hell, I will drink it and keep the bottle :)

SweetWater Brewing came to Texas in 2016. I love their 420 Extra Pale Ale.

I finally broke 5,000 unique beers on Untappd. I had WAY TOO many beers in 2016 to accomplish this goal and my waistline proves that.

The one side of chasing so many unique beers is that I often overlook old favorites. I am trying to do that more now, but I do enjoy finding new beers.

I became an Untappd super user in December of 2015. It is kinda cool to be able to make changes and keep the database clean. Something I will share with all Untappd users. If you check in a beer that has fewer than total check ins, take a picture of the menu or tapwall to show the name of the beer. Also, if Untappd is missing vital information, PLEASE propose an edit. If you have a picture of the information on your checkin, it will make it MUCH easier to approve.

I love bottle shares with my friends. Sometimes, they are small shares just to get a badge beer in before it expires. Other times, it is just a general share.  I have found that up to 10 people is a good size group. Big enough to have quite a few beers to try and not so many you can't have at least an ounce of each beer.

Just my random thoughts!!

Enjoy,

Jonathan