New Orleans Drinks (weekly column):
NOLA Brewery moves beyond the Big Easy

New Orleans Times-Picayune
January 22, 2010

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NOLA Brewing Co. launched last year with the slogan, "Only on tap, only in New Orleans." Today, half of that statement is false. The fledgling brewery's beer now can be found everywhere from Baton Rouge to Natchitoches. And while technically its Brown Ale, Blonde Ale and Hopitoulas IPA are available only on tap, you no longer have to leave the house for a pint. The beers are available in "draft packs."

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Each draft pack is a cardboard box with a spigot. It holds the equivalent of 24 beers, weighs about the same as 2 gallons of milk and fits inside a refrigerator. With a handle on top, it's easy to tote to a tailgate party or parade. The "bladder" that holds the beer also ensures that no light or oxygen gets inside to alter the flavor.

Depending on the beer, the draft packs will last up to four months, said Kirk Coco, president of NOLA Brewing Co. They retail for $38 to $42.

NOLA Brewing Co. decided to sell its Hopitoulas IPA, originally planned as a seasonal offering, year-round. After Mardi Gras, the brewery will launch its seasonal Hurricane Saison, a classic Belgian farmhouse pale ale. NOLA brewmaster Peter Caddoo is famous among local homebrewers for his skill at making saisons. In June, the seasonal Lemon Basil Wheat will go on sale to be replaced in October by an Irish Channel Stout.

Coco also promises that NOLA beer will be available in bottles by the end of the year. When that happens, he'll have to come up with a completely new motto.


Retrieved from Lexis-Nexis on July 1, 2010.