Wakey Whiskey: Rogue Spirits Dead Guy Whiskey

by Eric Ducote

Good morning everyone!  Today is a big day around Baton Rouge (if the weather doesn't screw us over) with a few of my favorite festivals taking place.  Kicking off downtown today (and continuing tomorrow) is the Baton Rouge Blues Festival, and over at LSU's Rural Life Museum you can find the Zapp's International Beer Festival.  I've been attending both events pretty regularly over the years, and it's a little (okay, a lot) disappointing that both are starting at roughly the same time, but the good news is that there is plenty of time this weekend to do both if you choose!  That's certainly my plan.  

With a beer festival on my minds, I figured it would be the perfect time to try out a whiskey created by a company primarily known as a brewery, the Rogue Spirits Dead Guy Whiskey. I'm sure most of you out there have heard of Rogue Ales, an Oregon-based brewery that has been around for years with beers like the Dead Guy Ale and Hazelnut Brown.  Well, they also have their very own distillery in Newport, Oregon where they create three different whiskeys and two types of gin.  

Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey

The Dead Guy Whiskey is made from the same malted barley combination that comprised the malt bill on their Dead Guy Ale, primarily 2-Row with some Munich, Crystal 15, and a couple of locally grown malts as well.  This might seem like a departure from American whiskeys which use primarily corn but also wheat and rye, but distilling from a mash of malted barley is extremely common in Scotland and Ireland.  Malted barley is used almost exclusively in the production of both Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey, so with that in mind, I expected some similarities with those spirits in this offering from Rogue.  The Dead Guy Whiskey is then aged in oak barrels for at least two years in barrels exposed to the ocean.  Their barrel aging facility in Newport is exposed to the saltwater in a similar manner to the Lagavulin aging warehouse in Islay, Scotland.  

I'll be honest before getting into the review... I'm not a huge fan of Rogue beers, and I've tried a rum from them in the past that I thought was outright awful, so my expectation going into this one were pretty low.  That said, I'm always willing to give a beverage a chance, and the idea behind this one had a lot of promise, so I poured pretty heavy anyway.  The color is excellent, which was apparent before the pour, a deep amber that appears more rich than the two years of aging... perhaps this was a second use barrel or smaller barrel?  The aroma is much more like a lighter Scotch to me, with a bit of honey, some citrus, some floral notes, and a very pleasant alcohol character.  The taste is more of the honey note, with some vanilla oak character from the barrel aging, with maybe a hint of saltiness, but I certainly don't get the "ocean aging" on this one like I do in a bottle of Lagavulin or Jefferson's Ocean.  I'd bet that a few more years could really change this one for the better with the ocean aging they are going for.  It's really smooth though, very easy to drink with some extremely pleasant Scotch notes that remind me of a good Speyside single malt.  

I was seriously impressed with this whiskey, complex refreshing flavors that kept my attention throughout the pour.  This is definitely worth a purchase if you see it out in the wild! 

Taking a Tour of Louisiana's Craft Beers at Zapp's International Beer Festival

– Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

Needless to say, it was a pretty exciting day. Two thumbs up.

I don't claim to know too much about beer. As someone who turned 21 only a couple of years ago, the world of booze is still pretty new to me. My drink of choice tends to be whatever can get me intoxicated the fastest for the least amount of money.

Don't judge; I'm a college student.

But since I've been interning with Team Bite and Booze, I've learned that my Mic Ultra just isn't cutting it.

In order to further my education, Jay and Blair brought me to Zapp's International Beer Festival on Saturday to literally get a taste of the local craft brew scene.

My goals were simple: drink as much delicious beer as humanly possible in three short hours while staying sober enough to be able to recall and write about the experience later.

Despite the rain, the mud, and getting separated from the group for an hour, I managed to accomplish my goal.

Without further fanfare, here is my (amateur) list of stand-out beers at this weekend's Zapp's Beer Fest:

Blair and I were smart enough to wear sensible shoes...but we still got muddy.

Seven Sisters IPA by Old Rail Brewing Co

Out of Mandeville comes the Seven Sisters IPA. Caramel colored and served ice cold, this was my first beer of the event and one of the most memorable. Seven Sisters is pretty hoppy, which isn't usually my jam, but the sweet and malt flavors sold me.

Berry-ly Legal by LA Homebrew

Based in Baton Rouge, this home brew supply shop can set you up with your own at-home brewing system stat. Luckily for us Beer Fest attendees, they served up some creative home brews. The Berry-ly Legal is a raspberry honey wheat beer. Light in color and slightly syrupy, this brew is best in small doses. I'd take this over Abita Strawberry any day.

The Saison of Saint 14 by Bicycle Brew Club

This Baton Rouge club's brews were going fast. Before they ran out, I was able to sample their festival darling, the Saison of Saint 14. I wasn't a huge fan of this dark brew, but everyone else couldn't get enough. I'd give some tasting notes, but it was that unmemorable.

Stout Chocula by Redstick Brewmasters

This chocolate stout, brewed by Brad Bendily of Redstick Brewmasters, was one of my favorites. I'm a huge fan of chocolate beers, both to drink and to cook with. Stout Chocula was rich, creamy, and not overwhelmingly chocolatey.

Blonde Sugar Sex Magik by Tin Roof Brewing Company

It's no secret that we're pretty big fans of Tin Roof. Turnrow with a burger is as close to food heaven as I can get. But I wanted to try something different at the Tin Roof tent, so I opted for the Blonde Sugar Sex Magik. I'll admit I only picked it for its name, but I wasn't disappointed. Cool and crisp, this was a pretty standard blonde but with a hell of a kick at the end (re: chili pepper). It was more spicy than sexy or magical, but it was an interesting brew.

The Blue tasted like my childhood. 

Blue by SweetWater Brewing Company

I never thought I'd be writing this sentence, but Blue would make an amazing breakfast beer. This blueberry ale tasted exactly like the frozen Leggo blueberry pancakes of my childhood in the best way possible. It was more refreshing than sweet, which was a nice break from all the dessert beers I'd been drinking.

Revenge of the Quakers by LA Homebrew

I heard a group of beer aficionados singing the praises of this brew, so I trekked back through the mud to the LA Homebrew tent to see what all the fuss was about. The sign described this brew as a "chocolate vanilla coffee infused Bourbon oatmeal stout." That's a mouthful, but it perfectly described the layered flavors of the beer. The chocolate, coffee and oatmeal flavors stuck out the most to me.

Larry's Famous had some interesting concoctions. 

Vietnamese Iced Coffee Stout by Larry's Famous

At this point I was fairly intoxicated, rain-soaked, and caked in mud up to my knees. But I wasn't going to let a little rain keep me from trying this Vietnamese Iced Coffee Stout. I love Vietnamese iced coffee, so I knew I'd be into this stout. It tasted exactly as I imagined it would: a boozier version of my favorite caffeine fix.

Black IPA by Larry's Famous

IPA's really aren't my jam, but I'm learning I like the darker ones, and this Black IPA was no exception. One of the pourers at the tent recommended this one to me, and I had low expectations. It just sounded kind of boring. But the flavor was dark and rich, and I caught some hints of berry at the finish.

The Truck, the Brewer, and the Blogger III: A Pop-Up Beer Dinner at the Tin Roof Brewing Company

On Thursday, March 14th, Chef Aaron Brown from the Taco de Paco food truck and I teamed up on the third installment of our "The Truck, the Brewer, and the Blogger" dinner series at the Tin Roof Brewing Company in Baton Rouge, LA.  We were joined by Christina Stephens who did cupcakes for dessert, as well as Louisiana Culinary Institute students Paige Lucas and Jonathan Drago, Team Bite and Booze: Michele Smith, Erin Kenna, and Corrito Gealogo, Executive Chef Chris Wadsworth, Chef Sean Rivera, Chuck P of the Me and My Big Mouth Podcast, Dan Jones and Tommy Talley with TommysTV, and everyone else who helped out along the way including event sponsors Cajun Country Rice and Event Rental.

Here's a video to check out that recaps the incredible evening!

Also, I have another pop-up coming up in collaboration with the aforementioned Chef Chris Wadsworth at Restaurant IPO.  It is a movie villains themed dinner that will take place on Wednesday, May 8th.  For more information or for tickets, go to http://movievillains.eventbrite.com.  

Vending Machine Winery Pop-Up Restaurant at Roux Wine and Spirits

For anybody who has been waiting to eat my food again (or for the first time), you're in luck!  On Thursday, October 25th I'll be cooking a pop-up wine dinner at Roux Wine and Spirits in Prairieville.  Along with Chef Brian Medlin for All-Star Catering and Smokin' Aces Barbecue, we'll cook up my menu inspired by wines from the Vending Machine Winery and vending machines themselves.  Each dish will have some item found in vending machines incorporated into it.  Neil and Monica Gernon from Vending Machine Winery will be there to talk about the wines as well!

Course 3: Ruckus

Course 1: Ballyhoo
Double Shotgun: 50% Petit Verdot, 50% Cabernet Franc

Spinach, Arugula, Pickled Pears, Belle Ecorce Goat Cheese, Forte Grove Brioche Toast, Balsamic Skittles Vinaigrette

Course 2: Hoopla
Loula’s Revenge: 100 % Old Vine Chardonnay

Tuna Tartare with Cucumber served on Zapp’s Original Potato Chips with a Wasabi Aioli

Course 4: Kerfuffle

Cornmeal Dusted Catfish Nugget over Zapp’s Cajun Crawtators with Creole Tartar Sauce
Chili-Lime Shrimp Ceviche atop Zapp’s Hotter ‘n Hot Jalapeno Chips with Cilantro Crema

Course 3: Ruckus 
Crooked Mayor: 100 % Cabernet Sauvignon

Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Mole Braised Beef Short Ribs over Creamed Corn Polenta
 
Course 4: Kerfuffle 
Horror Show: 34% Sousao, 33% Montepulciano, 33% Tannat

Chocolate Panna Cotta topped with Ground Honey Maid Graham Crackers and Marshmallow Foam

To sign up for the event, purchase your tickets through the Roux Wine Eventbrite Page.  There are only 30 seats available, and at least half of them are already sold at the time I'm writing this!

National Potato Chip Day and Pi Day!!

For those of you who don't know, March 14th is known by many as Pi Day (3.14).  Unfortunately for me (but not necessarily for the kids), that resonates more in mathematics classrooms than in bakeries.  I do love a good, round, sweet or savory pie, but I'll have to eat something else on this day to honor the missing "e".  As luck would have it, today is also National Potato Chip Day!  Potato chips date back to 1853 when Chef George Crum decided to slice potatoes thin and make them crispier rather than soggy after complaints from some customers.  What an ingenious move!  In 2005, the global potato chip market generated a revenue of US$16.4 billion which accounted for 35.5% of the total savory snack market that year (Wikipedia).  So with that, I'll count down my top four potato chips in recent memory.  I'll let my readers decide what I'm missing that should round out my top five!  Leave a comment on here, Twitter, or Facebook!

4. Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream

Of all the truly major national brands, Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream is easily my favorite potato chip.  The ridges really do make a difference!  Plus, their cheddar and sour cream flavoring is spot on no matter what chemicals they use to artificially make it taste that way!

3. Zapp's Cajun Crawtators

Louisiana's own "Little Chippery in Gramercy" makes its first appearance on my list with their iconic Cajun Crawtators.  Zapp's is a proud Louisiana product with a growing market and favorable reputation around the country.  The crunchy kettle chips are cooked in peanut oil for extra flavor and the Cajun seasonings make them distinctive and delicious!

2.  Bob's Texas Style, Original

Bob's chips are thick cut, crunchy, and kettle cooked in small batches.  They are not over salted, but rather have a brilliant proportion of salt to potato that you strive to find in an ideal non-flavored chip.  Next time you are driving through the Lone Star State make sure to pick up a bag... or a case!

1. Zapp's Hotter 'n Hot Jalapeño

Of all the chips that Zapp's makes, their Hotter 'n Hot Jalapeño is easily my favorite.  Sure, the Crawtators are more established and well know, and their Original chips are solid, but the jalapeño chips are one of the more perfectly seasoned chips that I know of.  The best part is that they are actually hot!  It isn't just a wimpy jalapeño flavor like you get with other brands of chips.  Zapp's actually provides heat and flavor while delivering that trademark crunch in every bag of potato chips.  Keep it up, Zapp's, and I'll keep eating!


Agree, disagree, or want to tell me what chip should round out my top 5?  Leave a comment here or give me a shout using Twitter, or Facebook!  Happy chipping!

Faye's Subs and Salads

There is something you might need to know about me if you are going to continue to read this blog.  While I certainly have an admirable appreciation for complex cooking and crazy culinary creations that tickle the tastebuds, I also LOVE a good sandwich.  Yes, the sandwich.  Typically two slices of bread with some goodness stuffed in between.  I like all types of sandwiches.  In fact, I even wrote a poem about sandwiches:

Sandwiches, by Jay D.  Inspired by the late Theodore Geisel Seuss.

I am Jay.
Jay I am.
I do like a sandwich with ham.
I do like them, Jay I am.

I like them big, and I like them small. 
I like short, and I like them tall. 
I like sandwiches with mustard, and sandwiches with cheese. 
I like just about all sandwiches, so give them to me please!

I can eat my sandwich on wheat,
I can eat my sandwich on rye.
I can eat my sandwich messy or neat,
I can eat my sandwich wet or dry.

I do like sandwiches,
I could eat them all day.
I do like sandwiches,
Jay I am, I am Jay!

Now, back to the food.  Let me add one more note about sandwiches before I write about today's meal.  As much as I appreciate a good sandwich, I really appreciate even more a good local sandwich shop or restaurant that serves a unique sandwich.  When given the choice between Subway or pretty much anywhere else, I will choose the somewhere else.  This doesn't mean I have anything against Subway, and I do think they make some tasty sandwiches, but those just aren't my thing when I have other options.  I like to see some originality in a sandwich shop, so I walked right past the Subway today and went to Faye's.

Faye's, in downtown Baton Rouge, has been in operation for 25 years.  It is a real quick hop across Third Street from my office, so I am about a once-every-other-week regular customer. 

Every time I walk in to Faye's there is a line at the counter waiting to order and pick up their subs.  Their shop is run like a well oiled machine.  Each person does their own thing, and the sandwiches flow off the line and into peoples' bellies.  One thing I really enjoy about Faye's is that all the meat and cheese is sliced fresh for every sandwich right there in front of the customer.  They don't pre-slice the turkey and then store it a refrigerated container until someone orders it.  Instead, they have everything you could want on display right there in front of you, and they run it throught the meat slicer like the deli at a grocery store and place it right onto your bread.   

Today I ordered the #11 "Best".  The 8" loaf of wheat bread came with freshly sliced ham, salami, capicola, pepperoni, and provolone cheese.  That was then topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, salt, pepper, oregano, oil, vinegar, and dijon mustard.  Man, was it ever a treat!  The sandwich itself was just the right size for a lunch.  Each of the meats had its own fresh taste that contributed to the overall flavor of the sub-styled sandwich.  The salami and pepperoni were pretty typical, but still tasty in their own right.  The veggies, oil, vinegar, oregano, and spicy dijon mustard put the finishing touches on the well executed sandwich.  Combined with Zapp's Hotter 'N Hot Jalapeno potato chips (one of the best chips of all time!), the meal was very satisfying, and, unlike the chinese buffet at China House, I was ready to go back to work and be productive!  The sandwich, chips, and drink comes in at $7.75, so certainly not too bad a splurge.  I know I'll be back many more times to try some other combinations of sandwich goodness.

#11 "Best" from Faye's with Zapp's Hotter 'N Hot Jalapeno Potato Chips