Spring brings a lot of things to southern Louisiana—baseball, music festivals, crawfish boils and barbecues—all of which are a little more enjoyable with an ice-cold seasonal beer.
Baton Rouge’s many nearby breweries collectively offer nearly 10 brews made with local, seasonal ingredients. Below is a look at what’s new this spring:
Tin Roof Brewing Co.
Yonder Hefe: Tin Roof’s take on a German hefeweizen, this ale pours foamy and offers a yeasty clove flavor. Tin Roof marketing coordinator Rivers Hughey says it’s best paired with seafood and spicy boudin.
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Smiling Ivan Russian Imperial Stout: Hughey says Tin Roof wanted to make a beer so smooth that “Ivan the Terrible himself would crack a smile after just one pull.” This single-batch brew has a robust flavor with hints of chocolate, toffee, coffee, raisin and plum.
Abita Brewing Co.
Louisiana Spiced Ale: Specifically engineered to be the best-of-the-best crawfish boil beer, this brew has hints of cayenne, celery, paprika, lemon peel and bay leaves and is hopped with Cascades hops, producing a refreshing, crisp flavor to balance out the crawfish boil burn.
Strawberry: ‘Tis the season of Louisiana strawberries, and Abita’s Strawberry Harvest lager began shipping out March 1. This brew is made with real Louisiana strawberry juice to give it an authentic flavor. It pairs best with light meals and fresh cheeses such as burrata and mozzarella.
Bayou Teche Brewing Co.
Bayou Peche IPA: The French word “peche” is translated as both “peach” and “fishing,” and Bayou Teche crafted a peach-infused IPA perfect for a day on the water. This brew features a wheat, caramel and Pilsner malt blend and Centennial, Amarillo and Equinox hops.
Saison D’Ecrevisses: Available exclusively for crawfish season, Saison D’Ecrevisses is a Belgian-style saison brewed with rye malt and fermented with a Belgian yeast. It boasts a dry, peppery finish and best complements spicy and Cajun cuisine.
Parish Brewing Co.
Strawberry Canebrake: Parish Brewing’s Canebrake is arguably one of the most popular in Louisiana, but this new spin takes the flavor even further. The fresh strawberry puree complements the hints of golden honey and spice in this wheat ale. Like Abita Strawberry, Strawberry Canebrake pairs well with fresh cheeses, fruit and salads.
Covington Brewhouse
Spring Pale Ale: This annual beer is an American Pale Ale brewed with three different malts and four different hops, packed with a citrus hoppiness and floral hints. According to the brewery’s website, this ale is best enjoyed with spicy Asian and Tex-Mex cuisine.
Not enough beer news? Here’s more:
Abita releases new flagship brew
Be on the lookout for Abita’s newest flagship brew, out this month. The Big Easy IPA was inspired by the graceful power of the Mississippi River and its presence in the heart of New Orleans. Brewed with lemon peels and dry-hopped with Cascade, Amarillo, Centennial and Simcoe, Abita’s newest beer produces a citrusy taste with hints of fruit and pine.
Like the rest of Abita’s flagship brews, this one comes in 12-ounce six-packs and will be available year-round. Read more about the brew here.
Tin Roof now hosts Juke Joint Nights, service industry nights and Yoga on Tap
Every Sunday from 5-7 p.m., the Tin Roof Tap Room is alive with the sounds of upbeat local music and specials such as two-for-one Juke Joints during the brewery’s new Juke Joint Nights.
Every Wednesday at 6 p.m., Tin Roof partners with Lululemon Athletica to put on a one-hour complimentary yoga class followed by a different beer on tap each week. Just show up at the tap room to attend. The brewing company also provides pre-yoga brews, either doing specialty infusions, like a mint and cucumber Blonde Ale, or opting for lone specialties like its newly released seasonal spring brew Yonder Hefe.
The brewery now offers all-night two-for-one drink specials for all service industry employees every Tuesday. Just show proof of your industry and enjoy. Follow Tin Roof on Facebook to get details for each of the weekly events.
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Bayou Teche to release new craft brew this month
In celebration of its six-year anniversary, Bayou Teche Brewing Co. will release Teche’s Classic Gose, a salty and sour Louisiana-style Gose brewed with a special blend of spices developed by the Zapp’s Potato Chips factory in Gramercy.
The brewery in Arnaudville will host an anniversary party March 26 with live music and boiled crawfish. Keep up with Bayou Teche on Facebook for more details.