Feature Beer Friday: Gnarly Barley's Lion Up Wheat Ale

By Eric Ducote

Happy Black Friday to you all!  I sure hope everyone reading this is enjoying some quality time with friends and family and not fighting the crowds for the deals.  Or if you are out there shopping, maybe hit up some local small businesses.  Regardless, you're not going to find me joining in on the shopping madness!  For this week's offering I dug into the beer fridge to find something that was worthy of FBF praise, and found a can of Lion Up from Gnarly Barley Brewing.  

Gnarly Barley is no stranger to this space, and for good reason.  They put out some of the best beers in the state and the taproom is always a great spot to visit.  Co-owners Zac and Cari Caramonta are usually there hanging out and similarly to how LSU and Tin Roof put out the licensed Bayou Bengal, Gnarly Barley partnered with Southeastern Louisiana University to put out the licensed Lion Up.  It makes perfect sense with Gnarly Barley being located in Hammond and both Caramontas being alumni.  Lion Up is brewed with football season in mind, and although it's been cooler and dreary lately, most of football season in south Louisiana is on the warmer side, so this American Wheat Ale is brewed with late Summer and Fall in mind. 

Gnarly Barley's Lion Up Wheat Ale

The beer pours a deep yellow color, some haze from the heavy wheat bill, and a bubbly champagne-esque white head.  The aroma is very floral with some sweet notes from the malt underlying the Cascade and Amarillo hops.  The taste is clean and refreshing, with the hops holding up well to the wheat and barley base, giving the beer an excellent blend of sweet and bitter and packing plenty of flavor into the 4.5% abv.  The result is exactly what they describe it as, "an easy drinking beer, great for football season!" I could definitely see plenty of these making it into my cooler next year, unless the Tigers are playing the Lions again.

Cheers everyone, and I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  

Feature Beer Friday: Tin Roof / Gnarly Barley's Liger Juicy Pale Ale

By Eric Ducote

Good morning everyone!  It's another Friday and that means another featured beer here on Bite And Booze.  I'm going with a local collaboration today, the Liger Juicy Pale Ale which was brewed by Tin Roof and Gnarly Barley to celebrate last week's LSU vs. SELU football matchup.  Tin Roof brews the Bayou Bengal, a licensed LSU beer, and Gnarly Barley out of Hammond brews the Lion Up, a licensed SELU beer, so it only made sense for the two to combine forces for a Rivalry Edition beer.  

I'm a huge fan of local breweries collaborating together on beers like this, as well as local breweries collaborating with regional and national breweries.  It's a great way to get new ideas, new beers, and new exposure for these craft breweries that support a lot of local jobs.  This beer sold out quickly in cans at the brewery last weekend, but as of Wednesday night there was still plenty on tap, and they were selling crowlers of it to go.  So, as I'm an LSU fan, I grabbed a Tin Roof glass and gave the beer a try...

Tin Roof / Gnarly Barley's Liger Juicy Pale Ale

The first thing that hit me is the hop aroma as soon as I popped the can, citrus flavors dominate due to the galaxy, citra, and mosaic hops used.  The color is a pale yellow, not quite orange juice color, but hazy and vibrant.  The aroma out of the glass is more of the same, strong citrus hop flavors which invite me in for a sip.  On the tongue the hops continue their dominance, with a medium body and a minimal malt presence.  This is basically a toned down pale ale version of a "juicy" NEIPA and they nail it.  At 5.5% but bursting with hop flavor, this would be a great game day beer or perfect for breaking out after mowing the lawn, which is exactly what I in the picture above!

Here's hoping this makes it into the regular rotation for either Tin Roof or Gnarly Barley, I know I'd drink plenty more if it was readily available.  In the meantime, hit up the Tin Roof taproom and grab a crowler or two for the weekend.  Cheers! 

Feature Beer Friday: Gnarly Barley's Gnarvana Double IPA

By Eric Ducote

Hey everyone, it's another Friday, and another featured beer, but not a  new brewery this time around as Gnarly Barley has made a few appearances always in this space.  I'll be honest though, if a brewery keeps putting out good beer that I have access to, they'll find a way into a post or two of three before too long.  

Not too long ago they put out a special release Gnarvana Double IPA at Gnarfest in honor of the brewery's 4th birthday.  It was hailed as a juicebomb of a Double IPA, and unfortunately I wasn't able to make it out to the party this year, my first year to miss the big anniversary.  Fortunately though, I have some good friends who made sure that I didn't miss out on the beer du jour.  (That's the beer of the day.)

A pour of the Gnarvana Double IPA

The Gnarvana pours crazy hazy, with a grapefruit flesh shade of orange and a bubbly white head that doesn't stick around too long due to all the hop oils. The aroma is pure pineapple... just pineapple on top of pineapple layered with some pineapple juice.  On the taste, you guessed it, more pineapple! There's a little other citrus in there on the taste, some orange and grapefruit to give it a bit of complexity, but the truth is, this beer is a pineapple bomb, which I personally find to be delicious.

Last I saw online, there were still cans to be found at the brewery, so if you're wanting to give this a try, make the quick trip over to Hammond and find yourself in Gnarvana.   

Feature Beer Friday: Gnarly Barley's Korova Milk Porter

by Eric Ducote

Good morning again everyone! It's time for another Feature Beer Friday (#FeatureBeerFriday if you want to join in on Instagram or Facebook!) and today I'm checking back in with Gnarly Barley Brewing out of Hammond, LA.  About a month ago I featured their Jucifer IPA, but this time it's their flagship Korova Milk Porter.  

The Korova has been a staple of Gnarly Barley's lineup for years, it's a baltic porter base with some oatmeal and lactose (milk sugar) added.  They say about this beer, "This Baltic Oatmeal Milk Porter will change the way you think about porters. From its sweet coffee and chocolate flavor, to its silky smooth finish, this is one unique brew. So sit back and enjoy her sultry sweet side." The Korova clocks in at a solid 6.2% abv.

A pour of the Korova Milk Porter, with appropriate glassware.

On to the appearance... Korova pours a deep brown color with hints of chestnut when the light shines through.  The head is a bubbly tan color that recedes over the course of 30 seconds or so.  The aroma is a delicious combination of coffee, dark chocolate, and marshmallow sweetness.  The taste is more of the same, with a creamy mouthfeel combined with a well blended balance of lactose sweetness and roasted bitterness.  

This is exactly what a flagship should be, an easy drinking yet flavorful beer that offers a slight variation on a traditional style.  Delicious, and now I'm ready for another!

Feature Beer Friday: Gnarly Barley's Jucifer IPA

by Eric Ducote

Good morning everyone, and welcome to another riveting installment of Feature Beer Friday here at Bite and Booze. I'm going to keep trying to feature a mix of local, regional, national, and possibly even international brews in this space, but naturally being in Baton Rouge my beer fridge is going to contain more locally available brews than not.  The good news in that regard is that there are no shortage of Louisiana breweries putting out some excellent brews.  

With that in mind, this week's offering is coming to you from Gnarly Barley Brewing just down I-12 in Hammond.   Gnarly Barley was established in 2014 by husband and wife team Zac and Cari Caramonta.  Like many brewers before and since, they got their start homebrewing before turning their passion into a full blown business.  Currently the brewery is open for tastings on Fridays from 5 to 9 and on Saturdays from 12 to 5.  If you are ever looking for something to do on those days, it's easily worth the short drive to Hammond, but of course drive responsibly. 

Gnarly Barley's Jucifer IPA

Today's offering from Gnarly Barley is the Jucifer IPA, their take on the extremely popular hazy "New England" IPA style, or just NEIPA for short.  The style is finally recognized by the BJCP as it's own distinct type of specialty IPA, and the impression is described as: "A refreshing hop-driven pale ale showcasing fresh, juicy, fruity hop flavors and aromas. Moderate bitterness and low malt flavors only play a supporting role, preserving approachable drinkability. Deceptively soft, creamy mouthfeel gives way to a crisp, dry finish characteristic of all American IPA’s. Singularly hazy but still attractive to those who appreciate an intense hop experience." 

Now on to the review... 

Jucifer comes in at 6% abv and 79.5 IBU, and pours a hazy bright golden color that's perfect for the style, with a frothy white head that lingers for minutes.  The aroma is strong with grapefruit and blood orange, in my opinion, strong citrus flavors with a hint of tropical tones.  The taste is more of the same, with an excellent blend of citrus and tropical flavors with just the right amount of underlying bitterness to accentuate the hops but prevent a harsh acerbic finish.  At 6% this is a smooth easy drinker that will always have a place in my beer fridge.

Cheers! 

Beers With Chuck: Jucifer IPA from Gnarly Barley

by Chuck Pierce

In May, Gnarly Barley Brewery in Hammond, Louisiana released their 3rd IPA in their every growing portfolio of delicious beers. It looks like from the response of local craft beer lovers, this one could possibly be their best yet. Let’s take a look at the fantastic Jucifer IPA.

Gnarly Barley has consistently cranked out great beers since they opened back in 2014, taking over taps at local watering holes and restaurants throughout South Louisiana. Recently, they’ve started canning their brews making it even more convenient to get your hands on their product. With the recent release of Jucifer, which will be brewed year round, you can enjoy one of the best IPA’s in the state from the comfort of your own home.

As you can see from the picture above this is one beautiful beer. This type of super cloudy IPA would lead the untrained and under-boozed eye to believe you were drinking a mimosa or a glass of OJ. They would continue to be confused if they caught the aroma which is bright with citrusy notes of mango, orange and pineapple. The taste also follows the aroma with that same combination of flavors that’s both smooth and refreshing on the end followed by a nice dry finish. An excellent juicy IPA that at 6% teeters on the edge of being crushable but for sure should be enjoyed slowly to appreciate every sip.

When you get rainy day blessings from the #juicifer. Many thanks to my craft beer spirit animal @gnarlybarley!

A post shared by Blair Loup (@bloup3) on May 12, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT

Look for these kick ass cans along with their flagship brews at local bottle shops and supermarkets, but be quick about it. The Jucifer flies off the shelves pretty fast so make sure you’re following social media pages like Calandro’s Supermarket to know when the next release will be!

Patio Vibing at Brickyard South

by Chuck P

For a little over a year now owner Danny Wilson of Brickyard South, located across from The 13th Gate, has been cooking up his own bi-weekly pop-ups to the delight of sold out crowds that range from regular patrons to local foodies.

For only $20 you get a delicious three course meal and for $5 more you can get drink pairings to go along with your dishes. Recently, I finally had the chance to attend one of these dinners and, as expected, I was not disappointed.

I’ve known Danny for many years. From his days of working at TJ Ribs on Acadian back in the mid 90’s and hanging out at The Caterie (R.I.P.) to having drinks and talking about old times when he was managing the Port Royal Bar on College Drive, Danny has always had a passion for food. Now, through the creation of his Dinner On The Patio series at Brickyard South, he’s contributing to the food scene.

The night I attended Danny planned a menu that featured Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce, Molasses Mustard and Spicy & Sweet Rub on the first two dishes. Danny is a big supporter of using local products so I was very grateful for him to be using our products on his dishes.

After grabbing a cold can of Gnarly Barley’s Korova Milk Porter and meeting up with some friends and my band members from The Anteeks, we made our way out to the patio to grab a seat. The weather was gorgeous with a slight breeze in the air and very little humidity.

Around 7pm our first course came to the table, beer braised chicken wings covered in a combination of Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce and Molasses Mustard. 

Chicken Wings covered in Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce and Molasses Mustard

These wings were bigger than I expected and with enough meat for me to be thankful there were only two on the plate. The combo of the barbecue sauce and the mustard provided a nice amount of heat that lingered a bit, but quickly faded.

Our main entree was next featuring a beautiful seared pork chop in an Abita Purple Haze glaze with Brussels sprouts. 

Pork and Brussels sprouts glazed with Abita Purple Haze

The chop was cooked to a perfect medium-- super tender and juicy. The beer glaze that covered the dish complimented it perfectly. I’ve only recently become a fan of Brussels sprouts and these were delicious. It also helped that they too were covered in the beer glaze!

After a few minutes of letting our last dish find its way home in our bellies the dessert dish made its way to our table: a Salted Caramel Bread Pudding. Guys and gals, no matter how much I eat at lunch or dinner, I always...ALWAYS have room for dessert. Especially when it’s my #1 weakness, bread pudding.

Salted Caramel Bread Pudding

The caramel sauce was sweet and warm with bits of pecan and the bread pudding itself was rich, dense and absolutely delicious. Luckily not everyone finished theirs so I of course decided to help clean up a few extra dishes lying around the table.

Dinner On The Patio is a great evening of mouth watering cocktails, delicious home style dishes and a fun night with friends or your significant other. Danny Wilson is doing a great job and I hope he continues to provide this amazing treat to Baton Rouge diners for years to come. Make sure to follow Dinner On The Patio on Facebook to find out about upcoming dinners and other special events.

Beers with Chuck: Big DIPA Release at Gnar-Fest

by Chuck P

Gnarly Barley's Big DIPA is perfect for front porch sipping on a hot Louisiana day.

The Gnarly Barley Brewery located in Hammond, Louisiana, is one of my top three favorite local breweries. Their passion for making delicious craft beer comes through in spades in the final product, and owners Zac and Cari Caramonta might be two of my favorite people in the whole world.

With word of them introducing a new brew to their line-up, a double IPA called Big DIPA, at their second annual Gnar-Fest, I knew I couldn’t miss this event.

That Saturday the brewery was packed with craft beer lovers inside and out as the cool sounds of Casey Saba and Andrew Robin filled the brewery. The food truck lines were long, and the line for beer was longer, but both were moving fairly quickly. After weaving my way through the crowd and saying a few hellos, I ran into Jay at the side of the bar (obviously) and jumped in line to get my first taste of the Big DIPA.

Wow. Just...wow. This is one of the most easy drinking DIPA’s I’ve had. It comes in right at 8% ABV, so it’s got some bite to it. The aroma is spot on, the golden color of the beer is beautiful, and I found the overall bitterness of the beer more subtle than I expected, but it still packed a nice hop punch. Since it was a brewery-only release, I knew I’d have to grab a few bottles before leaving.

After a few more glasses of Big DIPA, I tried some of the other specialty brews on tap. The selection included Raspberry Catahoula Common, Imperial and Barrel Aged Korova Milk Porter, but I had to grab a glass of one of my favorites, the Korova Peanut Butter Porter. It’s like a liquid version of a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Perfection.

Hopefully the Big DIPA will make its way to store shelves here in Baton Rouge soon. In the meantime, it’s the perfect excuse to take a little road trip to Hammond.

Best Bites of 2015: Sydney's Picks

by Sydney Blanchard

Looking back, 2015 has been a pretty big year for me. I graduated from college (Manship, represent), landed a real job (thanks to Jay), and started paying bills for the first time (the Internet is expensive, yo).

I've also had the opportunity to travel across the country and try some amazing dishes. Whittling my 2015 eats down to my five favorites was no easy task. But as you'll see, a pattern emerged.

For me, Louisiana food wins 80 percent of the time.

Boudin along the Boudin Trail Lake Charles, LA

Smoked boudin in Lake Charles

Smoked, boiled, or balled, the state's best boudin inarguably hails from Southwest Louisiana. My family is from Eunice, Louisiana, and growing up I was convinced there was no better boudin than the boudin coming out of Eunice. My trip to Lake Charles proved me wrong. Any stop along the Boudin Trail yields delicious, smokey, seasoned results.

Jay's Brisket at the Gnarly Barley GnarBQ Hammond, LA

Jay's brisket is one of the best things in the world

My official nickname since starting with Bite & Booze as an intern back in January has been "brown nose," because apparently my enthusiasm for all things Bite & Booze comes across as sucking up for brownie points. That being said, back in October, Jay cooked all sorts of smoked barbecue goodness for Gnarly Barley's GnarBQ. My favorite of all the proteins served was this brisket, rubbed down with Jay D's Sweet & Spicy Rub. Tender, juicy, sweet and spicy with a crispy exterior, this brisket melted in our mouths. If that makes me a brown nose, so be it!

Alligator & Mashed Mirliton at the James Beard House New York, NY

#bayouinthebigapple

Chefs Sam and Cody Carroll of Sac-A-Lait in New Orleans have had a hell of a year, arguably culminating in their invitation to cook at the James Beard House in New York. To show our support, we took a team trip up to New York to help Sam and Cody where we could and to enjoy a phenomenal dinner in the famous house. The sweet fried alligator and mashed mirliton dish was one of the first courses, and it simply wowed my taste buds. The Carrolls' cuisine tastes nostalgic to me; just like the food I grew up eating, only elevated with beautiful plating and a sense of nuance. Luckily, this dish is on their New Orleans menu, and comes highly recommended by me.

Strawberry Pie at Strawn's Shreveport, LA

This is what dreams are made of

Around Shreveport, Strawn's Eat Shop is an institution. They're known for their icebox pies, and while there on a media trip I was lucky enough to see first hand how the pies are made and to try a variety of their famous pies. The strawberry icebox pie is simple in construction: fresh strawberries are combined with a red, syrupy strawberry red sauce, topped with a heap of confectioners sugar, and then finished off with whipped cream. That's it. But this pie is the stuff of dreams, light and fluffy and not overly sweet, but decadent nonetheless. Word on the street is City Pork Kitchen & Pie took some inspiration from Strawn's when drawing up their icebox pies.

Family-style Lunch at Woodson Ridge Farms Oxford, MS

Every element of this Woodson Ridge Farm lunch was aesthetically perfect

It's safe to say I fell in love with Oxford, Mississippi. My trip was filled to the brim with delicious food, the weather was perfect for our entire stay, and I got to learn about the historical importance of the town. One meal in particular stood out, and that was a homestyle fried chicken lunch prepared by Elizabeth Heiskell of Woodson Ridge Farms in Oxford. Every element of this meal was perfect: we had spicy collard greens, roasted root vegetables from the farm, a brussel sprout slaw, served family style outdoors at a big wooden table in the middle of the farm. It was true Southern decadence.

Beers with Chuck: Gnarly Barley's Imperial Korova Milk Porter at the GnarBQ

by Chuck P.

BBQ brisket at the GnarBQ. Sydney claims this is the best photo she's ever taken. 

If there's one thing that truly excites my taste buds, it's some really tasty BBQ, especially when paired with delicious local craft beer.

Now combine those with a day-long event at one of my favorite local craft breweries Gnarly Barley, and you've got yourself a pretty perfect day.

That about sums up my experience a few weeks ago at the second annual GnarBQ over at Gnarly Barley's brewery in Hammond, Louisiana, with Team Bite and Booze.

This being my first official event as a team member, I was a little nervous.

What if I embarrassed Jay and the team? What if I dropped a big tray of ribs covered in Jay's fantastic Jay D's Louisiana BBQ Sauce all over brewery owners Cari and Zac Caramonta?

These and many more horrible scenarios played through my head the night before the event, but I was determined to shake those bad vibes off and get a good night's sleep so I would be on my best game for the following morning.

I convinced myself before I drifted off to dreams of tender brisket and waterfalls of baked beans that the following day would go off without a hitch.

The Great Trailer Fire Fiasco of 2015

I awake Saturday morning to the sound of my iPhone alerting me of a group text. The night before, Jay had prepped the smoker for brisket, and the trailer the pit was on caught fire. When he returned to check on the brisket around 4 am, he witnessed the dying moments of what had to have been a pretty raging blaze considering it had melted the tired off the trailer we had borrowed from Galen.

Without a hitch indeed.

Jay, Blair, and I getting some deliciousness into hotel pans for serving.

I arrived on the scene later that morning, and once the rest of the team arrived, we began prepping the rest of the meats (chicken legs and ribs to go along with the brisket), cutting up cabbage for our slaw and getting the barbecue baked beans going.

And of course, grabbing a cold Gnarly Barley brew.

My first of the morning was a Radical Rye P.A., my favorite of their three flagships. It's got a nice bit of spice from the rye and includes two of my favorite hops, Magnum and Cascade. It's totally my go-to if it's on tap anywhere.

The Radical Rye P.A. is my favorite of Gnarly Barley's flagship brews.

As noon quickly approached we noticed people beginning to file into the brewery. They've got a thirst for cold brews in their eyes and a rumbling in their bellies for some hot BBQ that echoes throughout the building.

As the line begins to form for food, the smooth tones of Will Vance & The Kinfolk begin traveling through the air, distracting the crowd with some tunes as we start setting up our assembly line of awesomeness.

The food moves pretty quickly as we do our best to keep up with the hungry masses. After a while we run out of the first wave of food and ask everyone who didn't get a plate to please wait patiently while the next batch is cooking. Luckily, there's plenty of beer on hand to keep them satisfied until the next wave hits.

While we wait on food, we all get a chance to try the specialty beer that's being featured that day, The Imperial Korova Milk Porter. This new twist on their existing Korova is a fantastic blend of chocolate and coffee notes with a bit of alcohol on the finish. Coming in at 9% the Imperial Korova is definitely something you want to sit and enjoy, not chug.

I really enjoyed Gnarly Barley's Imperial Korova Milk Porter, their new twist on their existing Korova.

Gnarly Barley packaged a very limited amount (1,000 to be exact) in 25oz bottles! This will perfectly age the beer so you can grab a few bottles to cellar for later.

After a brief break we're back at it with our last round of food. The line formed quickly, and after a few minutes the remaining group of people who missed out on the first batch have been happily fed.

Now all that's left is the fun part of the event...the clean up! Once everything is packed up and all trash is deposited in its rightful places, we make one last run through for goodbyes and thank Cari and Zac for having us there while also grabbing one more pint for the road. (Unless you were driving.)

Zac, Jay, and Cari pose for a photo at the brewery in Hammond, La.

For my first official event with Jay and everyone on Team Bite and Booze I have to say that for me, it was a complete success. I can't wait to take on the next one with this amazing group of people.

And hopefully next time we'll keep the fire contained to the pit.

Between Two Shells: Chargrilled Oysters with Gnarly Barley's Catahoula Common

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

There are few things in this world better than things cooked in butter. We’ve all blasted Paula Deen about her obsession with the stuff, but in our heart of hearts we know she knows what’s up.

While the list of tasty things cooked in butter goes on and on, I’d like to narrow the discussion to chargrilled oysters. Envision this: plump, juicy Gulf oysters sizzling in a small pool of buttery, garlic-y goodness at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar.

A pint of Gnarly Barley Brewing's Catahoula Common with a chargrilled oyster at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge

All of the flavor gods assemble to make this dreamy, classic bite happen. The flavor profile is super simple and allows for another element to really set things off.

Enter Gnarly Barley’s Catahoula Common. My obsession with Gnarly Barley Brewing is no secret. They are my craft beer spirit animal, but that’s beside the point.

The creaminess of the chargrilled oyster pairs perfectly with the crispy brew. The beer kind of lifts all of those strong flavors off of the tongue and is light and refreshing making it perfect for this warm Louisiana weather.

A match made in heaven, I’d say. Trust me, I’m a professional.

Below are some of the other pairings we suggest at Jolie Pearl:

Raw Gulf Oysters with Fresh Margaritas
Oysters Rockefellar and the Louisiana Mule
Raw Gulf Oysters topped with Cucumber Mignonette and Fresh Grapefruit Margaritas
Asian Style Chargrilled Oysters with Tin Roof Turnrow Harvest Ale

Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

It’s a tale as old as time (cue twinkly, sparkly music), boy meets girl, boy likes beer, boy teaches girl to like beer, boy brews beer, girl pushes boy to open commercial brewery, girl make brewery a success while wild boy brews beer all day, girl makes boy get a haircut. Okay, so obviously the story of the Caramonta’s and how they came to own what is one of South Louisiana’s favorite breweries isn’t simple and cliché and would better be accompanied by insane electric guitar riffs…

Cari Caramonta, Co-founder and Creative Director of Gnarly Barley Brewing in Hammond, LA

It all started in 2005 when Cari and Zac Caramonta met at Southeastern Louisiana University. “I really did not know shit about craft beer,” says Cari, “…and then, he opened my eyes to it, brought me to Red, White, and Brew (an awesome beer bar/shop in Hammond) while we were in college to try all of these awesome beers.”

Cari said when Zac expressed a desire to home-brew, he knew it wouldn’t be enough to use a crappy starter kit. After tasting the kinds of beers Zac produced, Cari saw his potential she encouraged him to pursue his love of brewing even further. Zac easily admits that if it weren't for Cari’s support and particular set of skills, he would have never thought of brewing commercially and yours truly would be left without my craft beer spirit animal: Gnarly Barley Brewing.

“Personally, I love building the business. I enjoy marketing and branding. I think it’s cool that we bring a different dynamic to the table,” Cari said. Watching this brewery grow over the past year makes my heart swell. Knowing Zac and Cari well, I know that Gnarly Barley would not be here today if it weren’t for Cari.

Cari has an outgoing, infectious, bad-ass personality… you know, she’s the kind of girl you want to hang out and drink beers with. Website management, social media guru, special event coordinator, checkbook sultan, extra sack of barley fetcher, merchandise designer, distribution liaison, and expert Zac wrangler are a few of her job titles and add to that mother-to-be.

Though Zac brews beers that are absolutely on point, Gnarly Barley would have been like the Titanic without Cari. Sure, everyone was drinking and having a good time and things looked great, until they didn’t, and that’s where Cari comes in. Without her at the helm, Gnarly Barley would have never stepped foot outside of the garage.

Now, if only Cari could answer her phone, introduce herself when people call asking for Zac, and then hang up or leave messages for Zac (that Zac can’t answer because Cari is in charge), all would be better in the wacky world of Gnarly Barley. Let it be known that there are some talented, intelligent, boss ladies in charge of your beer, gentlemen, and I’m sure they’re growing tired of being overlooked and undermined.

Let’s face it, this is Cari’s world and we’re all living in it.

This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution

Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer

Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service

Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops

Myna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian

Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey

Bite and Booze devours the #SoMes!

Jay and Logan go over the script for the SoMes

Yesterday evening in Baton Rouge may have been a little dreary, but I didn't let that keep me from having a good time! Blair, my Chief Confusion Coordinator, and I fought Baton Rouge traffic for the half-a-mile trip from our office to the Pelican House. With a Gnarly Barley Radical RyePA in one hand I joined my fellow emcee Logan Leger in some script reading, preparing ourselves to host the show. We came up with some good material about trimming beards, Logan's perpetual use of Twitter to talk about LSU Football as if somebody out there cares what he thinks, and my status as a "local celebrity." 

As the show got on the road I ordered a Tin Roof Juke Joint IPA and took to the stage. The crowd that gathered at the Pelican House for the fourth annual #SoMes turned out to be a great one. The audience anxiously awaited the results as the award committee and Baton Rouge Social Media Association board members were introduced. The #SoMes are awards given out for excellence in social media. They cover a broad range of categories from non-profit campaigns to viral pictures. Bite and Booze actually wound up being a finalist in the "Consistently Social" category, an award given out for having the brand which most consistently posts relevant content across multiple social media platforms. I handed out the first award to Visit Baton Rouge, then Logan presented the "Consistently Social" award to... Bite and Booze!

Blair holds up the Consistently Social award for Bite and Booze!

As the emcee, I really hadn't also prepared for a victory in the awards. At previous #SoMes celebrations I had lost out in similar categories to the likes of Raising Cane's and Community Coffee. This year I was up against Abita Beer and Visit Baton Rouge, both with over 100,000 Facebook likes as well as The Advocate, now the state's largest print newspaper. I'm extremely grateful to have been recognized for the work that Bite and Booze does on social media. Obviously the blog itself and the podcast version of the Bite and Booze Radio Show are both forms of new media, but our social media channels themselves, specifically Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, are definitely active in celebrating the culinary culture of Baton Rouge, the State of Louisiana, and anywhere I travel. I also want to give a shout out to Blair Loup, my previously mentioned Chief Confusion Coordinator, for all her hard work this year helping me manage all of the Bite and Booze social media channels. Her Instagram skillz, in particular, are on fleek.

Thanks to everyone who voted and congratulations to the rest of the winners. We actually also took home a People's Choice award at the end of the night as well thanks to tweets during the show. It turns out the Visit Baton Rouge also earned the People's Choice award for votes cast during the online voting period, so we both won twice! Thanks to the Baton Rouge Social Media Association for inviting me and Logan to host the event. We had a great night!

Jay gives his acceptance speech at the #SoMes - photo credit to @BRSocMe

Gnarly BarleyQ: A New Brew is Born

Photo Credit: Gnarly Barley Brewing Co.

The Gnarly Barley Brewing Co. in Hammond is one of the newest breweries along the Louisiana Brewing Trail. Co-Founder and Brewmaster Zac Caramonta found himself drawn to the sense of community that came with skateboarding as well as the do-it-yourself aspect of building ramps, which ultimately fueled his initiative to build beers. Once the production became too much for their home-brew garage to handle, Zac and Cari Caramonta decided to take the next logical step: turn it into a commercial brewery. Currently operating on two flagship beers, Gnarly Barley has a knack for creativity and bending the rules of brewing when it comes to flavor profiles. While, their Catahoula Common and Radical Rye P.A. have already hit the Baton Rouge, Northshore, and New Orleans markets, this October their Korova Milk Porter steps onto the scene.

Zac & Cari Caramonta rocking
their first bottles of Jay D's back pocket stye.

As a longtime lover of barbecue and beer, team Bite and Booze is taking Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce down the road to Hammond on Oct.18th from 1-5pm for the Gnarly BarleyQ. Foaming to the brim with good times, the Gnarly BarleyQ is a grand tour celebration of Gnarly Barley's new release.

A ticket to this righteous event gets you  scrumptious barbecue featuring Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce and Iverstine Family Farms pork, a look at the Gnarly Barley facilities, and up to 5 beer samples for those 21 years of age and older. What could make this already radical event even better? Will Vance and the Kinfolk will be providing live jams from 2-4pm.

Tickets are on sale now at gnarlybarleyq.eventbrite.com. Tickets are only $20 thru Oct. 4th, $25 Oct.5-18th (until 1pm), and $30 at the door. 

Don't Tempt Me with a Good Time: Louisiana Brewers Bash

The modern Louisiana craft beer scene got its start in 1986 with the Abita Brewing Company. Last year the Louisiana Brewers Guild, comprised of the owners and brewers of Louisiana's breweries, along with craft beer enthusiasts, got state legislators to approve the first Louisiana Craft Brewers Week. This September there will be a plethora of LCBW events across the South celebrating local brew, but perhaps the event with the biggest bang for your buck is the Louisiana Brewers Bash at The Irish House on St. Charles in New Orleans on September 24th.

This is the only event during LCBW where all nine breweries distributed in south Louisiana will be under one roof (the only Louisiana breweries that are unable to attend are Great Raft and Red River Brewing in Shreveport, LA, because they aren't commercially distributed in New Orleans). Tickets to the event are $45 and that covers beer-inspired Irish pub fare by Chef Matt Murphy, pours of eighteen different beers, and the opportunity to mix and mingle with other beer enthusiasts as well as some of the owners and brewers themselves! You can buy your tickets at brewersbash.eventbrite.com.

We've asked the breweries to supply a flagship, seasonal, or new release beer in addition to a one off specialty brew. This event will completely over take The Irish House and beers will be flowing both upstairs and downstairs throughout the night. This is the craft beer event you cannot miss! Here are the beers we have confirmed so far: