Abita Brewing – Abita Springs, LA by: Steph Doan
History:
Festive and feisty like the city itself, the Abita Brewing Company cozies up to the great city of New Orleans. It sits 30 miles north in the beautiful wooded town of Abita Springs, LA. The craft brewery remains the oldest in all of the Southeast.
The brewery has churned out great craft beers since doors opened in 1986 and is now the 17th largest craft brewery, according to the Brewers Association.
The most unique part of the brewery is the ground upon which it stands – underneath the major beer production sits an aquifer. The natural water supply adds balance in the excellent brews coming from Abita. Balance is important in the Abita craft beers, which are made to combat spicy foods and enhance the entire meal experience of drinkers.
The great beers, the history and the size of beer production easily explain why Abita continues to grow. This year will bring an expansion of 200,000 barrels, plus the addition of a new barrel brew house that ups their brewing capacity to a hefty 450,000 barrels. The brewery sold roughly 150,000 barrels in 2012.
Not to mention the 8,000 barrels of root beer – perhaps their yummiest craft – churned out each year in their state-of-the-art brewing facility.
Using the finest ingredients, especially the fresh water, is important to the Abita family. The brewery uses only the best European as well as North American malts and hops in all of its crafts. The beers are always cold filtered with no preservatives, additives or stabilizers. It may be the purest taste in the Southeast.
See For Yourself
Want to see the action firsthand? Visit the Abita Brew Company’s Tasting Room. Its decadent architecture make for beautiful surroundings while tasters enjoy excellent crafts. Through the courtyard garden visitors will find French doors hiding a 24-foot polished mahogany bar where almost every Abita craft beer is ready to sample.
The Tasting Room is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am until 4 pm and on Saturdays from 10 am until 3 pm. You can also catch a tour of the brewery Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 2 pm, or Saturdays at 11 am, noon, 1 pm and 2 pm. Experience the magic of the craft while seeing one of the oldest breweries.
If you cannot make it to the brewery or its tasting room, check out the list of distributors on the Abita website and find one near you.
Beers:
Amber Lager
This is Abita’s flagship beer made with crystal malt and Perle hops. An aroma of malts and sweetness hit the nose. The tastes are caramel and toast with a hint of light cinnamon. The hops are floral and give a slight bitterness. It is an easy drink and great beer with 4.5 percent alcohol.
Purple Haze
Packed with real raspberries, this pilsner malt glows a subtle purple. It also has Vanguard hops that add to the aroma and flavor. The berries and the hops blend together to create a tart, fruity aroma. This beers pairs well with cheeses like Brie as well as any dish containing fruit. It has a low 4.2 percent alcohol content.
JoKoMo
Three different colored malts craft this excellent Indian Pale Ale – pale, red and caramel come together. It’s full of hops using both Willamette and Columbus hops. It is this bold hop usage that gives the beer its name after the “Mardi Gras Indians” who parade through New Orleans decked out in feathers, beads and much more than only three colors. The taste is spicy and pairs well with strong flavors like sharp cheeses and wild game. It has an alcohol content of 6.5.
Strawberry Lager
After filtration, after the pilsner and wheat malts combine and after the Vanguard hops are added, this beer fills with sweet Real Louisiana strawberry juice. The lager is not too sweet with enough substance to still taste more like a beer than a strawberry. The lager’s popularity sparked practically overnight and is a famous favorite. Pair it with salads, desserts, and lighter pasta dishes as well as fresh cheeses. It has a 4.2 percent alcohol content.
For more information on Abita Brewing check them out at abita.com – 21084 Louisiana 36 Abita Springs, LA 70433 – (800) 737-2311.