Things are breaking Bayou Teche Brewing's way recently. They just rolled their beer out in New England, their on-site bottling is up and running, and now a national magazine has selected one of their beers as the best in Louisiana.
The most recent issue of Southern Living chose their favorite beer from each southern state (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.)
The Louisiana selection was Bayou Teche Brewing's flagship Biere Pale. "It's a perfect combination of a lawnmower beer and a beer with more nuance." Hannah Hayes, Assistant Food Editor said. "It's perfect for summer and crawfish boils."
Hayes said that the main criteria was to showcase smaller, local breweries and beers that were lighter and more suitable for summer.
"Let me tell you there was a lot of 'research,'" Hayes said, recounting the empty cubicle next to hers filled from top to bottom with Southern beer.
"We wanted to get away from selecting the larger brewers," she notes. "I mean, we all know that Sweetwater puts out a quality product, and Abita makes a great beer. But these are the smaller breweries doing work that might not otherwise be noticed."
Apparently Southern Living is jumping on board the craft beer train. Executive Editor Hunter Lewis is a huge craft beer fan, and Hayes herself is an avid beer lover. The magazine is beginning to understand that, more and more, mainstream culture is recognizing that breweries are the new watering holes of the south. "They're about more than just beer, they're places to gather and talk."
· The 18 Best Southern Craft Beers [Southern Living]
· All Beer Here! [-ENOLA-]
Nora McGunnigle