Best beer in and around NOLA?

I'm so excited. This is the first time I get to ask this kind of question here. I will be visiting New Orleans this weekend and want to know what are some of the better beers/breweries local to the area? It doesn't necessarily have to be brewpubs, I just want to know a couple good beers I can order when out and about that I can't typically get in Indiana. All I know is Abita, so any advice would be appreciated.

dougdecinces said:

I'm so excited. This is the first time I get to ask this kind of question here. I will be visiting New Orleans this weekend and want to know what are some of the better beers/breweries local to the area? It doesn't necessarily have to be brewpubs, I just want to know a couple good beers I can order when out and about that I can't typically get in Indiana. All I know is Abita, so any advice would be appreciated.

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No sure about new orleans proper, but about an hour away in Kiln, MS is Lazy Magnolia. They have a double rye IPA called TImber Beast that is quite good. Also a Southern Pecan brown ale, Jefferson Stout made with sweet potatos, and a wheat beer called Indian Summer.

any NOLA beer is great (and in general way better than Abita imo). I love their blonde ale on draft, their brown has won awards, and their hopitoulas is always popular. If you can find their IIPA Mechahopzilla (its only in bars on draft) it's pretty tasty, though I've had better.

Bayou Teche (LA 31) also makes really great beers. My wife loves their boucanee while I'm more of a Biere Noire person. Their seasonals are really good too and I tend to like them more.

MonkHeDo said:

No sure about new orleans proper, but about an hour away in Kiln, MS is Lazy Magnolia. They have a double rye IPA called TImber Beast that is quite good. Also a Southern Pecan brown ale, Jefferson Stout made with sweet potatos, and a wheat beer called Indian Summer.

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I do enjoy Jefferson Stout, I'm always tempted to mimic it just because they do such a good job getting the sweet potato flavor.

edit: Oh, also if you can find the Abita Oyster Stout you should try it. It's not their recipe, someone locally won a contest and got it made. Abita's Vanilla Double Dog is good too.

I forgot to mention I had their new seasonal, The Gulf Porter at a beer fest last Saturday also. Wasn't bad, quite drinkable actually.

i just got back from 4 days in NOLA. the beer scene there is dismal. Abita is about all there is for local breweries. their Amber isn't bad, but a bit bland. lots of lagers down there...

YNOT2K said:

i just got back from 4 days in NOLA. the beer scene there is dismal. Abita is about all there is for local breweries. their Amber isn't bad, but a bit bland. lots of lagers down there...

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Abita Amber being a lager surprised me but its pretty tasty albeit understated flavor

Yeah LA beer scene kinda sucks. NOLA brewery is the best it gets. Their IPA and brown are both tasty.

Honestly, growing up in MS, going to school in Hattiesburg which meant regular road trips to Nawlings, skip the beer and grab a cocktail. That town is made for having a mixed drink or 20

You won't hear me argue the beer scene sucks here. It is growing though, we have like 4 local breweries in the works. I've tasted one of them, Mudbug Brewery, https://untappd.com/brewery/44818/beer. They were really good, and definitely incorporate the culture (king cake beer, and one has red beans in it).

Abita sucks but they are trying to improve. Most of their stuff tastes bland.

Cocktails are definitely the highlight around here for now.

Most Fridays NOLA Brewery has free tours. I went this past Friday and had 90 minutes of free beer (thank you friend for driving me home) and they give short, simple tours if you want.
Mechahopzilla is pretty good if you like slap your face IPA's (I do). There Irish Channel Stout is very good.

Abita has a Spring IPA out now that isn't bad. I had a few pitchers of Oyster Stout last night and it's growing on me. The regular Abita's aren't much but are better than Miller/Bud/Coors.

The Avenue Pub on St. Charles, The Bulldog on Magazine and Canal Blvd and Lagers in Metairie all have a good selection of draft beers but to me, you can't beat the Avenue Pub. Decent bar food, great NOLA atmosphere and lots and lots and lots of choices from all over.

The beer scene here is growing and in Mississippi, there's a new brewery in Jackson called Lucky Town Brewing. We're taking baby steps but we're getting there.

When I went to New Orleans 3 years ago, I drank mainly cocktails since we were in the French Quarter and there's pretty much no beer scene and if I'm paying 6 bucks for a Bottle of Abita, might as well get something that will get me drunk faster.

I second the view on the Avenue Pub. Lots of great choices (though not necessarily brewed in LA), the food is awesome, and the bartenders are knowledgeable about beer. Don't miss it!

JeepDiver said:

Honestly, growing up in MS, going to school in Hattiesburg which meant regular road trips to Nawlings, skip the beer and grab a cocktail. That town is made for having a mixed drink or 20

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I did more research on the subject, and this seems like the thing to do. So, follow up question:

Who makes the best Pimms Cup and Ramos Gin Fizz on the French Quarter? I feel like I need to try those while I'm down there.

dougdecinces said:

I did more research on the subject, and this seems like the thing to do. So, follow up question:

Who makes the best Pimms Cup and Ramos Gin Fizz on the French Quarter? I feel like I need to try those while I'm down there.

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Never had either so couldn't tell you, but as far as cocktail bars I've always been partial to Pat O' Briens and Cure.

Pat O's is a piano bar on Bourbon St. and Cure is a mixologist bar uptown on Freret. Cure is probably the best place to go imo for a nice cocktail, definitely not the cheapest though.

++Avenue Pub

dougdecinces said:

I did more research on the subject, and this seems like the thing to do. So, follow up question:

Who makes the best Pimms Cup and Ramos Gin Fizz on the French Quarter? I feel like I need to try those while I'm down there.

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The only place I've ever had a Pimm's Cup was at the Napoleon House. They are good there. On one trip we asked about them at a number of places and they had no idea what we were talking about. Also, none of them knew how to make a mint julep...seriously. I'm not saying they made bad mint juleps. I mean, they didn't have the first clue what the recipe was. These weren't booths on Bourbon street selling various frozen daquiris either. These were places that should have known how to make a freaking mint julep!!!