New Orleans, Double IPA, Dale's Pale Ale in California

I was put up in a hotel by my wifes work this weekend, in New Orleans, LA. I had a bit more than 24 hours to have fun in New Orleans, and I feel it was enough time to do it, and not go overboard. One of the things I wanted to see was Abita Brewing in Abita Springs,LA. Once I found out how much a taxi would cost for a 40 mile trip and back, I skipped it.

Drinking fresh Abita was not an issue in the French Quarter. Nearly every beer stand within a mile radius had at least Abita Amber on tap. Abita Amber is the perfect beer to serve to a beer lover down there. You are overwhelmed with all of this glitz and craziness, that you wind up adding mixed drinks to the evening. Abita Amber and Turbo Dog are highly flavorful, but it won’t put you down for the count.

They also serve another Abita brew and some locations, called Andy Gator. From what I have read, it hovers around 8% abv. It was good, but not a good beer to walk around drinking. It’s almost cross between a pale ale and malt liquor. After a few spots on Bourbon St, I visited Crescent City Brew House, and had their Red Vienna Lager, Red Stallion. It was very close to the Abita Amber, and went well with the Fresh Oysters they shuck right in front of you.

We added a poll last week for Best Double/Imperial IPA. Without telling you who I voted for, I can say it is a hard list to pick from. I have tried all but the Rogue I2PA and the Bells Hop Slam. If there are any readers out there who have an extra laying around, please send us in one for review. Brews that should have been on that poll, but didn’t are Green Flash Imperial IPA, Stone Brewing Co’s 11th Anniversary, and Pliny the Younger. Speaking of which, look out for Russian River’s Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig IPA to be in bottles by the end of the summer. Russian River has finished expanding their bottling capacity, and will let us Pliny lovers rejoice.

Only a month after Dogfish Head was spotted where finer beers are sold in Southnern, California, Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale was spotted. There was over a case of Dale’s at the Whole Foods in Los Angeles, and I was stoked. The beer specialist at Whole Foods told me Oskar Blues is delivered from the Stone Brewing Co. truck. The word is Gordon, and the rest of the Oskar Blues family of beers will been soon to follow.