Cheers: Smoke gets in your belly

Barley smoked over rich cherrywood gives the new wheat beer Boucanee from rising regional craft-beer makers Bayou Teche Brewery its distinctive flavor. So savory is the taste, some early adopters have taken to calling it “bacon beer.” After earning high marks at the acclaimed Savor food and beer extravaganza in Washington, D.C., last month, the microbrewery’s founder Karlos Knott returned ready to roll out his latest creation in Louisiana. “The Boucanee was one of the beers with the most buzz there,” Knott says. Boucanee is available at select Baton Rouge retail outlets and bars now, while Bayou Teche is set to release a German-style dark lager Biere Noire later this month. bayoutechebrewing.com—Jeff Roedel