The Beer Buddha™: A New Orleans Beer Blog

When The Gargoyle Comes Marching In....He Brews With NOLA Brewing.

2012-01-16T15:48:00.000-08:00

Do you remember in my Beerodamus' New Orleans Beer Scene 2012 post when I said, "NOLA Brewing will team up with another southern brewery to make a kick ass collaboration beer. I really feel this one. For real." Remember that? Well, it turns out I was right. Sort of.

I did say another Southern brewery but I didn't specify what South. At least this is what I am going with. Turns out NOLA Brewing is brewing a collaboration brew with Stone Brewing Company. That's right, you kept hearing from Polly over at Avenue Pub that Brewmaster Mitch Steel was coming to town and now you know why! I know, I know. You're thinking, "Stone Brewing isn't a Southern brewery you dumbass". But here is where I win on a technicality. Technically, Stone Brewing IS a Southern brewery. A Southern California brewery. Winning.

The beer they are brewing is going to be an Imperial Porter called Pour Me Something Mistah and is made with satsuma peels and Steens cane syrup. It will only be available on draft and will be available(tentatively) on February 11th. Avenue Pub will be hosting the release party. When I get more details I will let you know.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

The Beer Buddha's Beer Geeks Guide To Mardi Gras 2012 Edition

2012-01-10T11:57:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again!!! CARNIVAL TIME! And also time for the 2012 edition of The Beer Buddha's Beer Geeks Guide To Mardi Gras!! That's right! Your favorite guide to where to drink great beer while doing the Mardi Gras mambo!

Last years guide was a great success and even ended up being published in The Gambit! In this years addition you will still see your favorites but also some places that weren't on the list last year either because they weren't around or because I completely forgot. Yes, beer will do that too you.

THE FRENCH QUARTER

Most likely if you're coming for Mardi Gras this is where you will spend most of your time. We locals know to pretty much stay away but we do like to venture down there during Mardi Gras to watch out of towners make complete idiots out of themselves. It's quite fun! The following places are my recommendations on where you should be able to find good beer:

1) Club Decatur- They have a decent tap list with beers like Stone, Sierra Nevada, NOLA and Abita. They also have a decent bottle list. I would recommend getting bottles. Not sure the last time those taps have been cleaned.

2) Rouses on Royal St.- This is a grocery store but they've got a great selection of beer. Stone, Bayou Teche, Abita, etc. REMEMBER: You CAN walk around the streets with beer but it needs to be either in a can or a plastic cup.

3) Rouses in the CBD- This is the new fancy schmancy Rouses they built this past summer. Located close to Lee Circle this is a great place to pick up a quick sixer or case of your favorite brew.

CBD/Warehouse District

This is the area located according to the City Planning Commission: Iberville, Decatur and Canal Streets to the north, the Mississippi River to the east, the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, Julia and Magazine Streets and the Pontchartrain Expressway to the south and South Claiborne Avenue, Cleveland and South and North Derbigny Streets to the west. Basically it's the area with all the big buildings not in the French Quarter. Not much going on in this area beer wise but here is my pick:

1) Gordon Biersch- There is no beer to go option but if you want to get away from the crush and chaos of the crowd this is a great place to get fresh beer and good food.

2) Cochon Butcher- GREAT food and nice beer selection. Not sure how I missed this place last year but this year I make amends. This place is a must go! Pork and beer? It doesn't get any better. I recommend the Cubano with the Bayou Teche LA 31 Biere Pale.

FRENCHMAN STREET

If you're looking for good music go to Frenchman Street. If you're looking for good music and good beer go here:

1) dba- Owned by the late Ray Deter this is similar to the one in New York. The one in New Orleans however seems to focus more on music than beer. Still has a good beer selection though.

UPTOWN

For all tense and purposes we're going to just use the term Uptown. There is more to Uptown than just Uptown but we'll just make it easy. I'm sure people will want to argue with me but let it go. Let's make it easy for the tourists.

1) Avenue Pub- In my opinion there is no other place to go bar wise. You can catch almost ALL the parades from right here and also have the best beers in the city to choose from. Please note that the beers will be served in plastic cups because of the no glass outside rule and because it'll get way too busy in there for them to serve in proper glassware.

2) Steins Deli- If you're looking for a great selection to take back to your hotel room look no further than Steins. You can't drink on premise but you can stock up here. My favorite sandwich? The Rachel. Get it.

3)Slice Pizza- Damn good beer selection and even better pizza! AND located right on the parade route.

4) Squeal- This BBQ joint has a very nice selection of craft beer while also having some kick ass BBQ. Oh and the BBQ tacos kick major ass!

5) Whole Foods- It's Whole Foods. You've been to Whole Foods I'm sure. This one on Magazine St has a great beer selection. Perhaps one day they will have taps like their stores in New York.

6) Breaux Mart- This small locally owned grocery store also located on Magazine St has a nice diverse selection of craft and imports. They even have a section devoted solely to local beers.

7) Cooter Browns - a legend in New Orleans. Nice beer selection on tap and huge bottle selection. DO NOT go by their online beer list as it hasn't been updated in a long time. They have beers on the list that aren't even distributed here. I would highly recommend the cheese fries, Radiator's Special and the NOLA Philly.

8) The Bulldog - Large selection of beers on tap and decent bottle selection. Nice outdoor patio which can be irrelevant in cold weather. Lately however we have been blessed with unseasonably warm weather. Perhaps it can stick around for Mardi Gras! Check out the outside fountain made from taps and also make sure to try the Crawfish Banditos.

9) Le Bon Temps - This place is a true dive bar and can get rowdy at times. I've seen(yes seen- I used to live right down the street) someone who had been shot right out front of the bar. That being said it's a must go to in my opinion because it's a great neighborhood bar. You can get NOLA on tap here as well. The night to go is Thursday nights to check out the Soul Rebels Brass Band. Go early cause it gets packed.

10) Midway Pizza- I really dig this place. They have a great beer selection and I really enjoy the pizza here. It's not quite deep dish but similar and good. They also do a lunch buffet. Yes, a buffet. Of pizza. Not that I need that.

11) Ms. Maes- Oh yeah I did. Located right at the corner of Magazine and Napoleon there is no better place to get your cheap beer(and well drinks!)fix then Ms Maes. Get your Miller High Lifes and wait to check out the 610 Stompers!

12) The Irish House- Authentic Irish upscale pub grub with an amazing beer list? Yes please. And no it isn't just Irish beer. They have options like Mikkeller, Lindeman's, Stone, Delirium and local favorites like Abita, NOLA and Heiner Brau.

13) J'anitas at the Rendon Inn - Another place with a great beer and food selection! J'anitas, which was formerly housed in Avenue Pub is now located in the Rendon Inn. With new owners of the bar and the addition of J'anitas you need to go visit. I recommend Buddha's Temptations with a NOLA Hopitoulas. For obvious reasons.

14) Boucherie Upscale southern cuisine with a fantastic beer list? Check. A bread pudding made from Krispy Kreme donuts? Check. Need I say more?

MIDCITY

If you're in Midcity it's only because a local dragged you to see Endymion. But if you find yourself out there here is where you go!

1) Cork & Bottle- This small store is mainly wine focused but has a nice beer selection. I used to be the former beer guy here so hopefully they kept it up!

2) The Bulldog Midcity - See The Bulldog Uptown. The difference is there is a lot more space at this location. Crawfish Banditos still apply.

3) Bayou Beer Garden Bayou Beer Garden is right near Cork & Bottle on Jefferson Hwy. Located in a unassuming double with neon all about this bar looks like your neighbor is just throwing a party. Great beer selection with nice food options. I recommend the Disco Fries with an Abita Andygator. Could be a really bad move but give it a try.

4) Crescent Pie and Sausage Company- Ah, pizza and beer. Almost seems to be a recurring theme here. But this place isn't just a pizza shop. It's a Bart Bell owned restaurant complete with Bad Bart's Black Jambalaya, pizza and also a wide array of amazing sandwich options. Did I mention that they have homemade sausages and a great craft beer selection too? Well then yeah there is that too.

METAIRIE

If for some reason you find yourself in Metairie for Mardi Gras here are my picks of where to drink your sorrows away.

1) Lagers- This place is like The Bulldogs younger ginger kid sister. Great beer selection and oh yeah they have crawfish banditos too!

2) Phil's Grill- Possibly one of the best burger joints in the area because you can create your own burger. I'm still working on them working with me to create the Beer Buddha Burger. 100% black angus on an onion roll with creole aioli, beer sauteed onions, bacon and havarti cheese served with your choice of LOCAL brew!! Vegetables? What's that? Maybe we can get this in the works for American Craft Beer Week? Come on Phil!! What do you say?

3) Martin Wine Cellar Metairie- This Martins location is right on the parade route and has the best beer selection out of all the locations. Their cold selection is kind of slim but they do have a nice selection. And while you're at it grab some grub! I recommend the boneless pork loin with some havarti. And yes you can drink some beer at the deli!

North Shore

Okay so if you find yourself on the North Shore you are kind of far away from Mardi Gras. BUT you aren't far from a great beer bar!

1) The Barley Oak- HUGE beer list with a great food menu. THIS is the place to drink good beer when on the North Shore!

WESTBANK

There are parades over on the West Bank but you probably don't want to go to them. You should however take a free ferry ride across the Mississippi and visit Algiers Point. Why? Because this place:

The Crown and Anchor- Remember hearing about little bars nestled in old neighborhoods that you could just walk to? Yeah this is that place. Great beer selection with a wonderful mix of English and local beers. Ciders too! No food options but you can bring some grub to the bar. My recommendation is to order from Gulf Pizza.

BEER BUDDHA'S TIPS AND THINGS TO REMEMBER

1) Don't be a douche. Tip your bartender.

2) You are "allowed" to drink outside. Make sure it's either in a plastic cup or in a can.

3) BE CAREFUL! Like any major urban city New Orleans can be dangerous. We have our share of crime so always beer aware.

4) Downtown generally equals the "adult" Mardi Gras whereas Uptown is mostly the "family" Mardi Gras. Gray areas occur.

5) If you don't like crowds Mardi Gras isn't the place for you but Uptown would be your best bet.

6) Try to drink local! We could use your money!

7) Showing your boobs and or junk is still a crime. You could still get arrested for this. But we do like boobies. At least I do.

8) Unlike the parades you've been to our floats throw stuff off of them so like your old football coach from high school said, "Keep your head on a swivel!" Or if you played golf, "FOUR!!!!" Getting a smack in the face from some beads isn't fun so pay attention.

9) Yes it's true the beads aren't jewels or anything valuable but be careful. People will fight and claw for those damn beads. And DON'T pick them up off the ground cause you may have a little old granny stepping on your hand to get them.

10) Just because there is trash on the ground doesn't give you the right to throw more. Please respect our city and look for a trashcan. If it's full at least get the garbage in the general vicinity of the can.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FROM POLLY OF AVENUE PUB

1) It's a marathon not a sprint.

2) Most places charge for bathrooms but if they don't please try and buy something.

3) Know what you want before you approach the bar and order everything all at once. It'll make your life and your bartenders life much easier.

4) Get off your cell phone when ordering from your bartender.

5) TIP your bartender!

6) Don't play Jimmy Buffet on the jukebox over and over again.

7) Bringing food to the bartenders would be a nice gesture since most of them have probably not had something to eat for over 9 hours. Makes a great impression.

TOP 5 CANNED BEERS AVAILABLE IN NEW ORLEANS

1) NOLA Blonde- Yes you can drink NOLA on the parade route without dragging the party pack around now.

2) Abita- They will be releasing three of their beers in cans right before Mardi Gras. Sometime in late January perhaps. Turbodog in cans? Oh yes please.

3) Tin Roof Perfect Tin- This Baton Rouge beer is perfect for any parade.

4) Heiner Brau Kolsch- The perfect beer for the parade route in a can.

5) Miller High Life 16oz- cheap and good. Simple.

Well that's it folks. Hope you enjoyed the 2012 edition! As you can see we have some old standbys but also some new places to visit! If I forgot somewhere please let me know! Laissez les bons temps rouler!!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Twisted Pine Ghost Face Killah Coming to Louisiana

2012-01-04T18:58:00.000-08:00

Just saw on wwwthefullpint.com that the "spiciest beer in the world" will be distributed here in Louisiana.

Here is the link to the article

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

BAYOU TECHE BREWING RELEASES COURIR DE MARDI GRAS BIERE

2012-01-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

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.

The Beer Buddha's 2012 Resolutions

2011-12-31T07:37:00.000-08:00

1) Lose Weight. Even The Beer Buddha struggles with weight loss. I need to realize that just because I'm lifting pint glasses to my lips it doesn't mean I'm working out.

2) Start homebrewing. It's time I really start doing this. I think it can help me become a better writer. Okay not writer but beer drinker for sure. Brewstock here I come!

3) Stop picking on Abita. Apparently they feel like my opinion is biased and I am picking on them. I'm not picking on you but in the interest of supporting local beer I shall stop. At least I will try to stop. Perhaps a beer summit with myself and the owner? That would be cool. I do however need to do the beer tour. Haven't done it yet. Will they let me in?

4) Go to the Great American Beer Festival. This looks like it is going to happen. Stay tuned!

5) I need to get back to my weekly visits to Avenue Pub. Once I got promoted at work it become tough but I need to do this.

6) Drink and review more beers. Tough one I know.

7) Build a bar in my backyard. I've really wanted to do this for a while. Turn my whole backyard into some awesome island oasis with a bar and shit. Maybe 2012 will be the year it happens.

8) Host a big ass craft beer party at my backyard bar(see 7 if you skipped).

9) Beer trading. I do this occasionally but would like to try more beers from around the country and share all the local beers we are beginning to see.

10) Make 2012 another great year for beer in Louisiana!

Do you have any beer related resolutions for 2012? Comment on this post! We would love to hear them!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

The Beer Buddha's Top 10 List of the Best(and Worst) Beery Shit That Happened in New Orleans in 2011

2011-12-20T11:54:00.000-08:00

So a lot of people are coming out with these amazing Best of (insert whatever here) lists for 2011. Polly Adler of Avenue Pub and Nora McGunnigle of NOLA Beer Bitch and NOLA Beer Guide both came out with amazing Best Beers of 2011. Me? No, I'm not going to do that. They already did it and did it really well. Not sure I can top either of those lists.

No, instead I decided to do what I do best and use humor to mask the fact that I am a horrible writer. Get me in a crowd of people and I can talk beer all day but when it comes to writing things down my limited vocabulary and getting hit too hard while playing contact sports limits my ability. But then again perhaps that very thing is what makes you all actually read the blog?

So on to my list. What exactly is it about? Not really sure. It's a best of and worst of I guess. It will focus on New Orleans and the surrounding area however. That much I do know. At least I think it will. And I'm sure it may piss some people off too.

1) My Favorite Local Beer of 2011

So this is a tough one. Okay, maybe it isn't but I did try some great local beers this year but one really stood out. I will state now though that the beers I considered in this are beers that are actually distributed. But the one that I really enjoyed most was NOLA Brewing's Flambeau. I can hear it now, Abita is booing and yelling that I am biased. That brings me to the next category.

2) The Biggest Local Let Down of 2011

So yeah, I'm sure you saw this one coming but I think I am right when I say that Abita's 25th Anniversary Vanilla Doubledog was the biggest let down by a local brewery in 2011. Abita is the 15th largest craft brewer in the country and this beer is what they chose to celebrate 25 years of brewing. Don't get me wrong it's an okay beer I just expected something better. I got a lot of flack for my review and apparently alienated friends that work there but I believe that the score of 81 on Beeradvocate.com justifies my feelings.

3) Best Beer Festival of 2011

I went to a bunch of beer festivals this year and had a blast at all of them but one really stood out and it wasn't because of the beers being served but rather the style of the festival that made it stand out. NOLA on Tap, which was put on by The Bulldog was THE festival this year in my opinion. Not only did proceeds go to a good cause(LASPCA) but it was a pay as you drink festival. That's right, you didn't have to pay to get in. You just paid for a certain amount of tickets which you traded in for brews. Full size or sample size. In my opinion THIS is the future of beer fests in the country.

4) Best Beer Bar in 2011

Honestly this category really isn't fair but why punish one bar because all the others can't hold it's jockstrap? We all know The Avenue Pub is THE beer bar in not only New Orleans but in Louisiana. Nothing against all the other bars in the state but you ALL know you have a long way to go to be mentioned in the same sentence with AP.

5) Beer Bar Let Down of 2011

Yeah this is a category. Normally it wouldn't be but why not. I was that disappointed. The wife, kid and I took a trip to Baton Rouge(I don't know why but the wife wanted to go) and did a visit of some of BRs beery places. We went to Tin Roof which was awesome but based on reviews on BA we made the fateful decision to go to The Chimes for lunch. The beer selection was plentiful. Quality was bull shit. Attention bars who want to be a beer bar: It's quality not quantity.

6) Best Out Of State Brewery Entering Louisiana in 2011

This one really isn't all that hard since we didn't have too many coming to Louisiana in 2011 but I'm giving this one to Stillwater Artisinal Ales.

7) Bullshit Out of State Brewery Entering Louisiana in 2011

This one goes hands down to Fort Collins Brewery for entering into the state in of all places Baton Rouge and NOT in New Orleans. Please take the picture of New Orleans down from your site until you actually distribute here please.

8) Surprise Beer of 2011

Big Flats 1901. Yeah that just happened. What do you want me to say? This beer came in at like $3 for a sixer and it wasn't half bad. Sometimes you just need a cheap, tasteless beer to get you through. This one fits the bill.

9) Louisiana Beer Trend of 2011

The beer can. Tin Roof, NOLA Brewing and Abita are all releasing beer in cans. The first two didn't really surprise me but Abita jumping on the band wagon at the last minute shocked me a bit. Now they could have been planning the canning line for years for all I know but it does look like a lame attempt. It's as if they realized that NOLA Brewing and Tin Roof are going to do awesome sales during Mardi Gras because of the can choice so they decided to get in the game too. All goes back to my assumption that Abita is a reactive not proactive company. But who am I to judge. I'm only a consumer.

10) Brewery to look forward to in 2012

Can I just say all of them? Well sure I can because I'm writing the damn thing! 2012 is going to be a great year for beer in Louisiana!

Well there you have it. Hope you enjoyed it. Hope you all have a Merry Christmakwanzakah!!!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beerodamus' New Orleans Beer Scene 2012

2011-12-15T07:27:00.000-08:00

2012. While a lot of the world is preparing for the end thanks to incorrectly reading a calendar from a group of people who couldn't predict their own downfall, I will be looking forward to the many beertastic things I hope to see in New Orleans in 2012.

Do I know for sure these things are going to happen(or not happen)? No, of course not but damn it would pretty kick ass if they did! Here ya go! Beerodamus' New Orleans Beer Scene 2012!!!

1) NOLA Brewing will team up with another southern brewery to make a kick ass collaboration beer. I really feel this one. For real.

2) Louisiana will have one brewery win a medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival. The last Louisiana brewery to do this? Dixie in 1988 with a silver for their Dixie Amber Light.

3) Avenue Pub will continue to be the best beer bar in Louisiana. Duh.

4) We will begin to see a second wave of out of state craft breweries entering the state for distribution. Lagunitas will be one of them.

5) We will see at least 10 solid local breweries distributing in the state. New Orleans will still only have one.

6) We will find out the that rumor that Barcade will be opening a New Orleans location is true. And the story broke here. Just now. As you read it. Right now. Done been broke.

7) Abita will release a beer in bottles that will knock our socks off.

8) New Belgium Brewing will still not be distributing here in Louisiana. Neither will Yuengling.

9) More local New Orleans restaurants will figure out that carrying craft beer is where it's at. But they still won't hire anyone that will know anything about the beers thereby making their selection irrelevant.

10) New Orleans will begin to become a major player in the craft beer movement. We won't be mecca status but people will begin to recognize and respect our city as a great place for craft beer!

There you have it. My predictions for the New Orleans beer scene in 2012. If you have any that you think will happen feel free to comment! Would love to hear your thoughts!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

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

2011-12-13T10:38:00.000-08:00

“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.

New Brewery: 40 Arpent Brewing Co.

2011-12-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

I know this is last minute but I am just hearing about it this morning. It looks like we have been blessed with another local brewery. They are called 40 Arpent Brewing Co. and they will be introduced to the public tonite at the Rusty Nail from 6-9pm. It appears that they will also be looking for investors as well so if you are interested you need to go tonite.

40 Arpent Brewing is being spearheaded by Michael Naquin who co owns Beehive Hair Studio with his wife. As soon as I get more details regarding the brewery I will post on here.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

New Orleans Beer Guide: A New Local Beer Project

2011-11-28T15:00:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let you all know about a new beer project I am working on along with some other great local bloggers. Make sure you check out NOLA Beer Guide.

The Beer Buddha is still going to be around I just wanted to create a project that I could focus on New Orleans beer along with some other great writers. Check it out and stay tuned cause it's gonna be great!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beery Christmas: Beer Gifts For Your Beer Nerd 2011 Edition

2011-11-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

Turkey Day is over and the gift giving holidays are right around the corner. I say gift giving because why limit your gifts to only Christmas. I'm pretty sure they receive gifts during Hanukkah too! I came up with a nice little list of 10 items I think your significant beer nerd other would love to have! Enjoy!

1) Beer shoes

I really love these shoes from Brewshoes. I was going to have a beer clothing list but these shoes are so baddass I gave them their own. These shoes are not only great looking dress shoes but they also have a beer design on the sole of the shoes. Classic.

2) A membership to beer of the month club

Beer of the month clubs are a great idea. In the immortal words of Uncle Eddie from Christmas Vacation, "Clark, that's the gift that keeps on giving throughout the entire year". How truly wise of Uncle Eddie. You can receive beer all year long! My recommendation is to use www.craftbeerclub.com. I was fortunate enough to get a three month trial and loved the beers I received. All three months found me with beers I have never had a chance to try before. And that is hard to do.

3) Subscription to beer magazine and/or craft beer books

I recommend the following:

Magazine:

Draft Magazine

and Beer Magazine

Books:

The Oxford Companion to Beer by Garrett Oliver

The Great American Ale Trail by Christian DeBenedetti

Brewed Awakening by Joshua Bernstein

4) Beer memorabilia

I recommended this last year and will recommend it again. I love local New Orleans beer memorabilia and I'm sure your beer nerd would too. ebay is the easiest place to find what you are looking for. Some good ones to look up if you are from New Orleans are: Falstaff, Regal, Jax and Dixie.

5) Beer candy

What beer nerd wouldn't want hop infused chocolates? Check out Hopcandyinc.com for some great gift ideas for this holiday season and according to their website get your orders in early!

6) Beer T shirts

All beer geeks love beer shirts. All my peeps know that's pretty much all I wear. I will wear more than just craft beer shirts too. I love the old school beer shirts like the one pictured above. I recommend going to WearYourBeer.com. And yes they are a sponsor on this site! For a more local flair you can go to Funrock'n at 3109 Magazine St. They have some iron logos of breweries such as Falstaff and even Schwegmann's beer. They have shirts or you can bring your own.

7) Mixed beer case

Getting a mixed case of beer is always a great idea! Either from your local beer store like Steins Deli here in New Orleans or if you think your local beer nerd has exhausted his/her local resources go online. I recommend www.brewforia.com.

8) Homebrewing Equipment

Pic courtesy of Brewstock.com

Perhaps your local beer nerd has been considering homebrewing. Go to your local homebrew shop and either have the owner put together a kit for you or you can get a giftcard so your beer nerd can put together their own. Here in New Orleans the place to go is Brewstock which is located uptown at 3800 Dryades St.

9) Beercentric Restaurant Gift Certificate

pic courtesy savorcraftbeer.com

Most likely you live in a town that has a great restaurant that supports the craft beer movement. Buy your beer nerd a gift card to the restaurant! This gift can benefit you as well as most likely you'll be taken to dinner! Score! Some great craft beercentric restaurants here in the New Orleans area are my friends over at Squeal BBQ and also at Boucherie and Gordon Biersch.

10) Become a member-owner of a brewery

In Austin, Texas is a co-operative brew pub called Black Star Co-op. For a small fee of $150 you can buy your beer nerd one share in the brewery. And what are the benefits of being a member-owner? According to the brewery website:

-Voting power!
-Member appreciation events
-Patronage refunds
-Bragging rights
-”Beer with the Board” specials
-Free “Birthday” Beer
-Eligibility to join University Federal Credit Union www.ufcu.org
As the co-op develops, more benefits will become available.

This is such a unique and fun gift!!

If you have any fun beercentric gift ideas please share them with us!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Avenue Pub's The Kindness of Strangers Swedish Beer Event

2011-11-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

So it's true! Sweden can make something other than bikini models and IKEA furniture and we have proof! Once again The Avenue Pub has gone above and beyond to get us New Orleanians the chance at trying the best beers in the world!

From The Avenue Pub:

The Kindness of Strangers Swedish beer event January 21st, 2012

In April of last year I met the owner of a very famous beer bar in Sweden. Stene loves New Orleans and wanted to throw a Mardi Gras party at his bar in Stockholm. Working with Shelton Bros we figured out a way to ship kegs of Abita and NOLA to Sweden. The idea was that they would be filled with Swedish beer and then returned to the Pub. Those kegs are on their way back to us now and we have scheduled the event for Saturday Jan 21st. what I didnt expect was the beers Stene would choose to send us. More than a few have never been in the US before and there is little chance they will return. The Stormskaporter is surely one of the most coveted imperial stouts in the world. It's made in tiny batches and only available in a few places in Sweden. Stene basically gave us one of his allocated kegs. An extraordinary gift.

The Stormskaporter will be the most expensive keg I've ever bought. once the US taxes and registering fees are paid the keg will cost $675 for a 1/4 barrel. That's before our local distributor gets hold of it. Shelton is donating their labor on this so there is no mark up expect for shipping. Because of this generosity we have decided to make at least part of this event charitable. The brewers of Narke lost their son to cancer very recently and we are waiting for their direction on how to donate the funds. We don't have a price yet on the rest of the beers so I haven't set a price or format for the event. We are letting Boucherie have some of the kegs for a Swedish beer dinner. More on that after the first of the year!

Please share this email around to all your beer loving friends. These beers is worth the trip:)

NILS OSCAR
Coffee Stout

Kalas ÖL (Dark lager)
Christmas Beer (Scottish style wee heavy 8%)
annual christmas beer, recipe changes each year no reviews yet as it is new.
Hop Yard (Strong IPA)

Närke

Slättöl

Skvatt Galen (With bog myrtle witch was used before hops was common)
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/narke-skvatt-galen/130786/
InternationALE

Smoked Porter
no review found
Tanngnjost & Tanngrisir (Smoked Double Bock)

Stormakts Porter Konjaks

Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri

Barley Wine 2009 ( Gold Medal today at World Beer Awards)
Tjockhult Tjinook ( first time on keg outside Oliver Twist & Akkurat)

Sotholmen Extra Stout

Mysingen Midvinterbryggd (Christmas ale in the style of Anchor Christmas)

Skebobruksbryggeri

Sovereign Golden Ale. ( Very easy to drink Britt styled Ale)

Oppigards TBA

-----------------------------------------------------------

Thanks Polly and gang for continuing to make New Orleans a much better beer town!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Brewhaha on Bayou Road

2011-11-15T12:50:00.000-08:00

Come celebrate New Orleans' brewing traditions at the 3rd Annual Brewhaha at it's new location on Bayou Rd! We'll have even more local brewers, coffee roasters, and artisans, plus great music and food.

When: Saturday, November 19 · 11:00am - 4:00pm

Where: Bayou Road (between North Broad and Desoto)
2500 Bayou Road
New Orleans, LA

Admission: FREE; Beer, Coffee, Food and Crafts are on sale

BEER:
Abita
NOLA Brewing
Lazy Magnolia
Bayou Teche
Heiner Brau/Covington
Tin Roof
Pelican Brewing (Tastings)
Mudbug Brewing (Tastings)

Brews:
Bayou Brew (Flavored Teas)
Society of New Orleans Baritas
Coffee Roasters of New Orleans

FOOD:
Crescent Pie & Sausage Co.
Buttermilk Drop Bakery
Coco Hut
Cajun King
Mchardy's Fried Chicken
Latino Farmers Cooperative
Big Will and the Warden

MUSIC:

11am ~ Opening Ceremony - Prayer Song and Libation - Zion Trinity
11:30 - 12:30 J.D. Hill Blues Band
1:00 - 2:00 Zion Trinity
2:30 - 3:30 Sharon Martin and First Take
3:30 - 4 Festival Closing Celebration & Ceremony

*Domino Sound Record Shack spinning rare grooves on the Brewhaha Stage during breaks.

Art/Craft Vendors:
Coming Real Soon (Picture will be posted also)

Happy Birthday Marine Corps AND Check Out Novemberfest 2011

2011-11-10T10:37:00.000-08:00

I know it may seem odd that I am wishing the Marine Corps a Happy Birthday but anyone who knows me well enoungh knows that my father is a retired Marine Corps colonel and I spent 22 years of my life as a Marine brat. How does this relate to beer you ask? The Marine Corps was born in a bar that's how! Happy Birthday Marines! Ooh Rah!

That being said a buddy of mine in Houma, LA named Jason Sanner is putting on a beer festival down in the swamps of Houma. This is the third year of the event and every year the proceeds go to a charity of his choice. This years he is donating the proceeds to local Iraq/ Afghanistan military veterans. Being a military brat this is important to me. Supporting our volunteer troops is a must in my opinion as they fight every day for our freedoms we seem to always take for granted.

Below are the details of this amazing three day event!

Novemberfest 2011 Weekend Schedule

Friday 11/25

6:30pm-2:00am: Art Versus Novemberfest
-featuring paintings, photography, and sculpture from over 20 local artists
-Music: Open Mic all night!
-Beer Specials all night on featured Novemberfest Craft and Import Brews

Saturday 11/26

2:00pm: Mud Bug Brewery Beer Pairing Lunch at The Duke
-5 sampler size courses expertly prepared by Chef Matt Dolese, paired with tastings of 5 ALL NEW Mudbug Brewery Beers! Cost is $40.00 per person in advance only.

6:00pm-2:00am: Novemberfest Main Event
-6pm: Mud Bug Brewery Exclusive Beer Tasting featuring Craft Beers brewed in Thibodaux that have never before been served to the public!
-6pm: Special Q&A Session with Mudbug Brewmeister Leith Adams
-6pm: Steaming Hot Beer-Marinated Grilled Bratwurst on the bun with all the trimmings.
-6pm til: Tastings of various other selected Novemberfest Featured Beers and Microbrews, with several available for purchase at a discount after tasting.
-8pm: Charity Raffle benefitting LOCAL military veterans injured while serving in the Middle East. (Prizes include… $150.00 tattoo from Eddie Snyder of TattooMania, Artwork by local artists, Gift Certificates to local businesses, Novemberfest merchandise, and More…)
-9pm til 1:45: Live music! (Bands To Be Announced)
*Admission to the Main Event is $10.00 for Beers, Bratwurst, and Bands or incl with P.O.P. Weekend Bracelet.*
*Admission Saturday night for Bands only is $5.00*

Sunday 11/27

1:00pm-Close: BBQ, Bikes, & Blues Sunday
-Live Blues music performed all day
-Full spread of delicious BBQ prepared by Chef Matt Dolese of The Duke and Mudbug’s special Roasted Chipotle Smoked Ale!!
-3pm: 2011 Novemberfest Critical Mass Bike Ride & AlleyCat Bike Race ($5 Entry fee for race)
*Admission for Sunday is $10.00 per person in advance or at the door*
[*Pay One Price Weekend Bracelets will be available for $50.00 at The Boxer & The Barrel in advance starting on November 17 and at the door on the weekend of the festival*]

I'm hoping to check out at least one of these days! Sounds like a great event and it's all for a great cause! Hope to see you there!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beer Fridge Friday: November 4, 2011

2011-11-04T17:07:00.000-07:00

Todays fridge comes to us from Adam over at Adam's Beer Blog. Thanks Adam!!

We need your beer fridge pics! Send 'em to thebeerbuddha@gmail.com!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beer Fridge Friday: October 28, 2011

2011-10-28T04:52:00.000-07:00

My little brother sent us a picture of his beer fridge. I still don't get the Miller Lite's when he has access to Yuengling but whatever. Thanks Jordan!

We want to see your beer fridge so send us your pics to thebeerbuddha@gmail.com!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Saint Arnold Santo Release Party

2011-10-27T08:18:00.000-07:00

From Fat Harry's:

Saint Arnold Santo Release Party

Where: Fat Harry's
When: Saturday October 29
Time: 8:00pm - 11:00pm

Come out and be the first in New Orleans to drink Saint Arnold's Santo. It is a Black Kolsch and delicious. Essentially it is brewed using a Kölsch recipe with the addition of Munich and black malt. It is light bodied and floral yet with a distinct dark malt flavor. Also, Nicole with Saint Arnold will be around passing out some pretty cool Saint Arnold gear.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Abita Releases Its Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout

2011-10-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

From Abita.com

Photo courtesy Abita.com

Brew made with real Louisiana Oysters

Abita is proud to introduce their newest Select brew, made with real Louisiana oysters. Last year the Abita Brewing Company sponsored a home brew competition and offered the winning brewer a unique prize, a chance for their beer to be brewed by Abita and distributed as an Abita Select offering. The winning home brewer is Kerry Dale Yoes of Zachary, with Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout.

Photo courtesy of Abita.com

Home brewers from around the region gathered in November of last year at the Abita Brewery to compete. Yoes’ beer was the judges favorite and earned him the “Andy Award.” The award was named in honor of Abita’s first home brew contest winner, Andy Thomas who created the base recipe for Abita Andygator many years ago.

Abita Celebrates Louisiana Seafood

“We are especially pleased to offer this new Select because it contains real Louisiana oysters,” said David Blossman, President of Abita Beer. “We want the world to know that seafood fresh from Louisiana is ready and waiting for them to enjoy in so many ways...including as an ingredient in craft beer. Using Louisiana ingredients in our brews, from strawberries and satsumas to pecans and oysters, is just another way Abita Beer keeps their promise to always stay Louisiana True.”

Abita’s Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout is made with pale, caramel, roasted and chocolate malts. Oats are also added to give the beer a fuller and sweeter taste. The roasted malts give the beer its dark color, as well as its intense flavor and aroma. The flavors of toffee and chocolate are prevalent but not overpowering. The beer is hopped with Willamette hops. Since the beer gets so much flavor from the malts there is not a lot of hop flavor. There is just enough bitterness to complement the sweetness of the malt. Finally, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters are added to the boil. The salt from the oysters gives the beer a more intense aroma and mouthfeel.

Abita Select is an exclusive premium draft product line from Abita that features a new style every few months. These specialty brews can be found only on tap and only at certain restaurants and bars. Consumers can locate Abita Select by using the beer finder on the Abita website or downloading the free Abita iPhone app.

About the Abita Brewing Company

The Abita Brewing Company was founded in Abita Springs, La., in 1986 and is the
oldest and largest craft brewer in the southeast. Abita is the 24th 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, four Big Beers and a draft-only series of Select beers.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beer Fridge Friday: October 21, 2011

2011-10-21T04:53:00.000-07:00

Brenton Day from Baton Rouge sent us his pic! Enjoy!

We need your beer fridge pics! Send 'em to thebeerbuddha@gmail.com

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Parish Brewing Bottle Designs

2011-10-15T04:49:00.000-07:00

Andrew posted these to his Facebook page last night. The bottle designs look amazing!

Can't wait to get these down here in New Orleans!!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beer Review: The Bruery Autumn Maple

2011-10-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

I really like success stories like The Bruery. This California brewery been around for about 2 years and already they are in 21 states including Florida where I was fortunate enough to pick up the beer on review. It's your typical homebrewer turned commercial brewer story but The Bruery is anything but typical. They are a brewery that enjoys pushing the boundary of what is possible and are constantly pumping out new and inventive brews to the craft beer drinking public.

I took a little vacation to Ocean Springs, Mississippi about 3 weeks ago and the wife let me take her along on a quick run into Pensacola which is two hours away. Hell, Mississippi didn't have anything so why not?

We first stopped in at Four Winds which based on Beeradvocate.com reviews was supposed to be the "BEST" beer store in the Panhandle. Let me stop here and say I was seriously offended after having walked into this place. Look, I worked at Chans Wine World in Destin and Destin IS part of the Panhandle. Chan's puts this store to SHAME. And I'm not saying that because I worked there but just in general. Unorganized, unsanitary and numerous health code violations. And the beer selection was pathetic. One of the things I cannot stand in a beer selection is it not being organized. It drives me wild.

My wife and I just up and left and walked over to Richies East which was a little better but not much. At least I could find what I was looking for. Perhaps I should move to Pensacola and open a beer store. Hmmmm.

Anyway, enough of that. I picked up The Bruery Autumn Maple and cracked this bad boy open today. It says they used yams but I'm from the South. What's a yam? They're called sweet potatoes. Below is my review. And as a bonus I also posted a Sweet Potato Pie Recipe from the Queen of Soul Leah Chase from Dookie Chase restaurant. Enjoy!

Brewery: The Bruery

Beer: Autumn Maple

Style: Belgian Style Brown Ale

ABV: 10%

Louisiana Availability: No

Price Range: $8-10

Appearance: Amazing rich, rust colored brew. Nice frothy head with nice sticky lacing.

Smell: Immediately hit with the smell of SWEET POTATO(I am from the South). Smells so much like a sweet potato pie. Hints of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg with a dominant hint of sweet molasses.

Taste: This is like a sweet potato pie in the bottle. All the attributes are there. Like in the nose: sweet potato, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses and vanilla. VERY sweet beer. Flavors are very pronounced when beer warms up.

Mouthfeel: Medium full body with low to medium carbonation.

Overall: This is definitely a beer to serve during Thanksgiving. Perhaps as a dessert beer. Extremely sweet almost too much so. I would like to try the oak aged one. i bet that must balance out that sweetness a bit with a nice boozy bourbon kick.

Score: 3.5 out of 5 Buddhas

Me drinking beer with Leah Chase.

And now here is the recipe!

Sweet Potato Pie- Leah Chase's Recipe

Crust:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup finely-chopped pecans

1/2 cup cold butter (the original recipe calls for vegetable shortening)

1/4 cups ice-cold water, or as needed

In a food processor, pulse together all the dry ingredients and the butter into short bursts until the mixture forms pea-sized lumps. Add the water through the feed chute as you pulse until the mixture forms a stiff dough and pulls away from the sides of the food processor bowl. Form the dough into a 6-inch disk and wrap it in plastic; chill for one hour. The dough can be made in advance. It can be kept refrigerated for several days and even frozen.

Filling:

2 large sweet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs total), peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon melted butter

Pecan halves for decoration

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Roll the chilled pie dough into a 12-inch round and press into a 9-inch pie pan. Flute the edges. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the crust is set and beginning to brown slightly. Remove the pie pan from the oven and let it cool.

3. Put the sweet potatoes into a medium pot and cover them with water by an inch. Bring to a boil. Boil slowly until the potatoes are tender with no absolutely no resistance at the center when pieced with a fork.

4. Drain off the water and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Do not use a potato ricer or food processor.

5. As you mash the potatoes, add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; then whisk in the eggs, milk, and vanilla. The butter goes in last.

6. Once the filling is well-mixed, pour it into the baked pie crust. Arrange pecan halves around the outside edges and sprinkle the top of the pie with more ground cinnamon. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the filling is set and the edges of the crust have browned.

7. Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Beer Fridge Friday: October 14, 2011

2011-10-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Uh oh! We missed last week so I had to come at you strong! Ray Grace sent us three pics! Enjoy!

We need your beer fridge pics! Send 'em to thebeerbuddha@gmail.com

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

5 Brewtacular Halloween Brews

2011-10-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

A scene from AMCs The Walking Dead.

Halloween is right around the corner!!! My family and I have been slowly putting up the decorations and thinking about possible costumes. The kid is going as Dorothy from Wizard of Oz this year and didn't like my idea of Zombie Dorothy. Not sure about the wife but I may go as Guy Fieri if I can find a spiked wig. I think I can pull it off for sure. Just some pinky rings, an armband and a button up shirt with some Dickie shorts right? Oh, and the sunglasses on backwards.

Here in New Orleans, Halloween seems to be more of an adult holiday than a kid holiday. Parties everywhere! And of course Bourbon Street becomes one huge Halloween party every year! It's crazy!

If you're having a party and are looking for some special beverages that'll help make it that much more "Halloween", I have a list of great beers that not only taste great but have great Halloween tie ins as well.

1) Coney Island Freaktoberfest- How could you not start off with this blood red lager from Shmaltz Brewing Companies Coney Island line-up? When a beer comes in at 6.66% abv and is made with 6 malts and 6 hops it IS the perfect Halloween beer. This one will blow your mind from a sensory standpoint. Trust me.

2) Reaper Ale Mortality Stout- It's called Mortality Stout and has a skull on the front. What more could you ask for? This foreign stout from Reaper Ale in California pours a dark black and has hints of roasted malt and mocha. Oh, and check out the website for sure! Great Halloween website!!

3) Brasserie Dieu du Ciel! Rigor Mortis ABT- This Quad style ale from Dieu du Ciel! is great for Halloween for obvious reasons. It is a nice malty beer with hints of chocolate, caramel and dark fruit.

4) Squatters Brewpub Hell's Keep- This amazing golden strong ale from Squatters Brewpub in Utah is perfect for Halloween. Great taste and amazing logo.

5) Squatters Brewpub Outer Darkness- This Russian Imperial Stout again from Squatters Brewpub has an amazingly rich flavor of roasted malts, chocolate and coffee with hints of licorice and molasses. And the logo on the bottle is awesome.

So there you have it! I'm sure there are more and I would love to hear your thoughts of great beers for Halloween so leave a comment! Happy haunting!

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

Spent Grain Dog Biscuits: Halloween Style

2011-10-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

Spent grain. There are all sorts of things you can do with it. Make bread, place in your compost pile or even do what NOLA Brewing does and give it to feed cows and make yummy cows.

At New Orleans on Tap I ran into Melanie, who is the brewer at NOLA and she was handing out homemade spent grain dog biscuits. I thought that was a pretty kick ass idea and decided to give it a try. I figured that I have two dogs(Falstaff and Elvira) and I wanted to see if they'd enjoy it.

I decided to include my daughter because I thought it would be a nice Daddy and Daughter Day activity for our full blown D & D Weekend since the old lady is out of town. Now I don't homebrew due to this disease I have called laziness but I know someone who does. NOLA Brewing. So me and the kid took a quick trip down to the brewery and grabbed a tupperware full of some NOLA Blonde spent grain. After we got home I was ditched for a singles game of dress-up and Phineas and Ferb so I was on my own. Oh well.

Overall the process was really easy! The toughest part was getting through the smell of the peanut butter as I have a strong dislike for it. Gagging while rolling out the dough was pretty funny though.

Here is the ingredient list and some pics!

Ingredients:

4 cups spent grain
4 cups flour
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
Water- Use very small amounts of water while kneading to soften

**And for those that are worried about hops coming into contact with the spent grain don't worry. Hops do not generally come into contact with the spent grain. Hops are bad for dogs though so watch out! Thanks to Melanie from NOLA Brewing for that little bit of important information!

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Roll out(I used a beer bottle)into a dense layer on a large cookie sheet. Make the shapes you want. Cookie cutters work well. Bake for about half an hour at 350 F then lower the oven temperature to 225 F for 8 to 10 hours to dry them very thoroughly to prevent mold growth. Store in an airtight container.

Ingredients

Spent Grain

Roll it out bitch

Skulls are hardcore.

My skull army.

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha

NOLA Brewing Cans: First Look

2011-10-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it may not really be the first look especially if you follow NOLA Brewing on Facebook but whatever. Here ya go:

Cheers!

The Beer Buddha