October 2011 ArchivesYep, oystersPublished: Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 1:30 PM Updated: Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 4:28 PM
Do you like a nice cold beer with your oysters? How about some lovely Gulf oysters in your beer? Abita beer’s latest “select brew” is made with Louisiana oysters, according to an Oct. 25 press release.  Freshly shucked Gulf oysters are used to make Abita's new Louisiana Oyster Stout.The brew was created by the winner of the Abita Brewing’s home brew competition in March. In that contest, the winning brewer has his/her recipe turned into an Abita Select offering. The winning home brewer was Kerry Dale Yoes of Zachary, La. His creation: Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout. Yoes’ beer received the “Andy Award,” which was named in honor of Abita’s first home brew contest winner, Andy Thomas who created the base recipe for Abita Andygator. “We want the world to know that seafood fresh from Louisiana is ready and waiting for them to enjoy in so many ways...including as an ingredient in craft beer,” said David Blossman, president of Abita Beer said in a press release. The brewery is known for using Louisiana produce, such as strawberries, satsumas and pecans in its seasonal beers. Abita’s Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout is made with pale, caramel, roasted and chocolate malts as well as oats, according to the press release. The beer is hopped with Willamette hops. And, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters are added to the boil. The salt from the oysters gives the beer a more intense aroma and mouth feel, according to the press release. Abita Select specialty brews are only served on tap and only at certain restaurants and bars. The brewery notes that this new stout goes well with "grilled steaks and most red meats. However stouts are best served with sweet desserts, especially ones with chocolate in the recipe."WWL Radio News
"It's dark, it's strong, it's eight percent alcohol, and we added oysters to it, and we used real Louisiana oysters," said brewmeister Mark Wilson. "We also used some of the saltwater as well, the oyster liquor." Wilson said you don't really taste the oyster, but it does impart a full-bodied flavor upon the stout. "When you taste it, you're not going to taste oysters in it," Wilson said. "But it'll definitely have a more filling mouthfeel, and that comes from the salts that are in the oysters and in the liquor." The idea for an oyster-filled brew came to Abita from home-brewer Kerry Yoes, of Zachary, who submitted the recipe in Abita's home brewing competition. It won, so Abita is making small batches and shipping it to select Abita tap locations. To find out who's serving Abita Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout, click here and choose "select" from the pull-down menu in the "Find" field. 
Kathy Kmonicek for The New York Times
SOUTHERN ROOTS Mara's Homemade, which opened in May in the Muttontown Plaza, is a family enterprise. By JOANNE STARKEYMara’s Homemade
looks like a typical Long Island storefront: a long, narrow space with
tile floor, bare wood tables and paper napkins. Its décor and food,
though, evoke New Orleans, turning an ordinary-looking place into a
destination restaurant. Mara’s Homemade, which opened in May in the Muttontown Plaza on Jericho Turnpike in Syosset, is the new incarnation of a former restaurant in Manhattan with the same name. Mara’s in Manhattan, which had been open for seven and a half years, closed on May 14; the Syosset restaurant opened 12 days later. Mara’s Homemade is a family enterprise. Mara Levi is the chef along with her son, Josh, a Johnson & Wales graduate; her daughter Chana runs the front of the house. Ms. Levi hails from Texas; her husband, David, who works as the buyer for the restaurant, is from Arkansas. A specialty of Mara’s, along with the food of New Orleans, is Arkansas barbecue, which the Levis define as a cross between Texas and Memphis varieties. The dry rubs and the emphasis on beef come from Texas, the use of dry coleslaw on sandwiches from Memphis. In a telephone conversation after my visits, Ms. Levi laughingly said, “Only we and Bill Clinton are sure what Arkansas barbecue is.” The décor is a salute to New Orleans: posters from the city, neon signs advertising Louisiana’s Abita beer, Mardi Gras beads and masks, depictions of crawfish, and walls painted the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. The staff is warm and friendly but not always on its toes. Water glasses were never refilled, and the ice cream on our otherwise exemplary bananas Foster had turned to soup from sitting too long before the dish was delivered. Our favorite appetizer was the crisp-fried green tomatoes with light cornmeal crusts. Fried pickles had the same noteworthy crusts, but were too sour to eat on their own as an appetizer. They would have been better as an accompaniment to a sandwich. We liked the light, greaseless hush puppies (balls of fried jalapeño cornbread dough) served with whipped herb butter. No bread is served gratis, so this $7 appetizer is a must-order. The two salads we sampled were winners: the house salad of chopped romaine, hard-boiled egg, avocado and tomatoes tossed in Italian dressing, and the more elaborate salad of baby spinach, spiced pecans, red onion, blue cheese and Italian dressing with three crisply fried oysters on top. Among the Louisiana entrees, the fisherman’s platter is a standout, with very fresh Mississippi farm-raised catfish, small Gulf Coast shrimp and Gulf Coast oysters, all in light cornmeal coats. The huge portion of seafood arrived with hush puppies, skins-on garlic mashed potatoes and a spicy rémoulade sauce. One diner at our table asked for tartar sauce, but it was not available. We also liked the crunchy Southern fried chicken paired with cheese grits. We gave a thumbs down, though, to the New Orleans barbecued black-peppered shrimp: jumbo Gulf Coast shrimp, served with their shells and heads on, that had been baked in butter and spices. The shrimp had a mealy texture, and the bubbling-hot butter sauce made it impossible to shell them while the dish was still hot. Selections on the barbecue side of the menu made a good showing. The baby back ribs were falling from the bone, the smoked brisket fork-tender. We also liked the pulled pork sandwich served on a sesame seed bun and topped with a bit of crunchy slaw. Smoked meats and ribs are served on round trays with a wedge of moist jalapeño cornbread and a choice of two side dishes. We gave high marks to the cubes of crunchy fried okra, the tasty corn pudding, the smoked baked beans and the collard greens lightly sautéed with onions and garlic. Desserts are made in-house. The best was the chocolate cream pie with chocolate cookie crust and a layer of whipped cream. The Key lime pie and peach cobbler came up short; both needed whipped cream or ice cream. The melted bananas Foster is best forgotten. But don’t forget Mara’s Homemade, a place for spirited Southern cooking and tasty Arkansas barbecue. Mara’s Homemade 236 West Jericho Turnpike Muttontown Plaza Syosset (516) 682-9200 WORTH IT THE SPACE Basic storefront serving New Orleans food and Arkansas barbecue. Complete wheelchair accessibility. THE CROWD Groups of friends, families and couples. Some children. (There is a children’s menu with entrees from $5 to $10.) The staff is warm and friendly but could be more efficient. THE BAR A stainless-steel bar with six stools. The restaurant serves specialty drinks like hurricanes and Cajun martinis; Abita beer from Louisiana, as well as a few Long Island beers; and 40 wines by the bottle ($28 to $95) and 24 by the glass ($9 to $15). Wine prices are high, given the casual surroundings and the food prices. THE BILL Lunch entrees, $8 to $26 (for rib combo); brunch entrees, $12 to $19. Dinner entrees, $10 (sandwiches) to $33 (smoked meat combo or shrimp feast). Specials are listed on a blackboard without prices; some are over $30. Some seafood appetizers cost $22, but sandwiches are inexpensive. American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover are accepted. WHAT WE LIKED Fried green tomatoes, house salad, spinach salad, hush puppies, Southern fried chicken, fisherman’s platter, smoked brisket, baby back ribs, fried okra, corn pudding, baked beans, sautéed collard greens, chocolate cream pie. IF YOU GO Lunch: Monday to Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Brunch: Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. Dinner: Sunday to Wednesday, 4 to 9 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m. Reservations are accepted and are essential on weekends. RATINGS Don’t Miss, Worth It, O.K., Don’t Bother. Ale You Can Eat: D.C. Chefs Tap into Craft Beer CrazeThere’s a very subtle flavor lurking amid the bright dollops of foamy sunshine that surround some juicy cuts of venison on my plate at Ripple in Cleveland Park. It’s hard to put my finger on it, even as I dip that digit into the bubbly yellow glop and dab it on my tongue repeatedly. Beneath the creamy sweetness, somewhere under the distinctive hits of ginger, lies a certain malty quality. It’s beer. “We take whole ginger root and cook it down with lager,” says head chef Logan Cox—a specific kind of lager, mind you, brewed specially by Delaware’s Dogfish Head Brewery for a recent beer dinner at the eatery on Connecticut Avenue NW. “We’re the only restaurant that had it outside of the brewery,” Cox says. “It was very spicy. I got lots of notes of ginger from it. It was almost like a hefeweizen or witbier. But it was a lager.” The beer and ginger is cooked down with sugar and bay leaves until it becomes quite syrupy. It’s then combined with soft boiled eggs, pureed and melted into olive oil. The result, Cox says, is this “very beery, spicy, fatty” mixture. “We put all of that into a whippet canister like Easy Whip, so it lightens it up almost like a foam,” the chef continues. “It’s almost carbonated, so it reminds you of beer and you get the taste of beer. But there’s also the heavy ginger influence in it.” It’s hard to dismiss the tender, deep ruby-colored slices of meat on the plate, but Cox’s ginger-beer emulsion sort of steals the spotlight. Lately, the District’s enduring craft beer explosion has given him and his fellow chefs an ample and diverse array of the frothy liquid to play with. And, with a handful of local breweries now producing beer here for the first time in 50 years, D.C. toques have a whole new reason to infuse their cooking with suds—one that even suits their preference for locally sourced ingredients. “There’s just so much of it,” says Thunder Burger chef Ryan Fichter, pointing to some two dozen shiny beer taps behind the bar at his Georgetown restaurant.
Around town, you find beer in all sorts of dishes, both good and bad. I once made the horrendous mistake of ordering the Corona-battered fish and chips at Grand Central in Adams Morgan; it isn’t particularly appealing, but on second thought, it’s probably better than actually drinking a beer that watered-down. And I have previously penned several scathing lines on the Argonaut’s ill-conceived chocolate stout chicken wings—which, I discovered during a recent visit, are no longer on the menu. Far better: the Argo’s signature honey-drizzled onion rings, battered in the house “Booty” beer. Some better, recent additions to the District’s expanding beer-infused eats scene include the savory Guinness-basted burger topped with whiskey pan gravy at The Big Board on H Street NE and the delicious bean-less chili con carne at District Commons in Foggy Bottom, which executive chef Jeff Tunks describes as a more of a “cross between a mole and a goulash,” given that the ingredients include both chocolate and Smuttynose Old Brown Dog. At Thunder Burger this past summer, Fichter, who has become best known for his weekly wild game specials, braised baby alligator ribs for four hours in Stoudt’s Smooth Hoperator doppelbock to soften up the tough meat. His regular menu also features Maine mussels sautéed in Stone Brewing Co.’s Stone Levitation Ale. Some chefs don’t even need the actual beer to whip up something tasty out of brewery goods. At a beer dinner last week, Birch & Barley pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac incorporated leftover wort, a malt extract used during the brewing process, into a roasted pear dessert. In some cases, you might never know the beer is even in the food you’re eating, unless you ask. At Ripple, for instance, the menu makes no mention of the alcoholic ingredient in the ginger emulsion. “I use it more secretly,” Cox says. “I think it gives it a nice subtle note, something that people can’t really put their finger on.” Cox has been cooking with beer since he was a teenager, boiling blue crabs in cheap brew out in his backyard. (Shhhh! Don’t rat out his underage culinary exploits to the cops!) More recently, at Ripple, he’s been braising fresh Virginia peanuts in beer and sugar and serving the mix as part of a ragu with mussels. “I think it’s a great substitute for wine,” Cox says. “You get the nice alcohol that you get from wine, but you also get that malty-ness, which is a huge flavor for fall.”
On Saturday afternoons, when area craft beer aficionados come to DC Brau’s facilities to fill up their half-gallon growler jugs with locally made suds, you’ll sometimes see chef Nate Anda’s cart outside selling “Brau Dogs,” all-pork weiners made with the brewery’s own Atlas Fest beer. And, at Boundary Stone in Bloomingdale, chef Vincent Campaniello makes a pretty mean sandwich with dry-rubbed chicken that’s been slow-roasted with half-full cans of DC Brau Public Ale crammed up its butt. “When you stuff the beer can into the chicken, standing it up to roast it, it keeps the meat inside very tender and moist and imparts a really nice flavor throughout,” the chef says. The beer, mixed with natural juices, makes for some rich pan drippings, which Campaniello uses as a sauce for the sandwich. It’s so juicy that the runoff can quickly cause the bottom of the sandwich bun to disintegrate into mush. My suggestion: Eat it fast. * * * To taste what is maybe my favorite beer-splashed dish around, you have to cross the Potomac. Every Friday night at Arlington’s Bayou Bakery, chef David Guas runs a special on New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp. The plump headless prawns are prepared a la minute, sautéed in a rich brown gravy loaded with garlic and Creole seasonings. The sauce is ideal for sopping up with some of the crusty French bread that comes served on the side. It’s a classic Big Easy recipe, pioneered at Pascal’s Manale restaurant and perfected at countless other Cajun country eateries. Guas’ personal twist: adding healthy doses of Louisiana’s own Abita Turbodog dark brown ale to the mixture. “Think about it,” Guas tells me as I hungrily mop up the remaining traces of the savory sauce in my bowl. “You drink a Turbodog, what flavors do you get? You get that malty, sort of rich, rounded Guinness Stout-y kind of flavor, and so you bring that into a really spicy, bold, black-peppery, heavy garlic dish and it just sort of balances everything and mellows it out. Turbodog, believe it or not, has got a sweetness to it. Just like Guinness has got a sweetness to it. When you taste the head on a Guinness, it tastes sweet. I mean, it’s got that black strap, molasses-y sort of snap at the end, that bitter roundness. But, still, there’s a complexity to it. I just think it makes [the dish] bolder and sort of reinforces the flavors you’ve already put into it.”
[Photo: Robyn Lee] This past weekend the University of Missouri celebrated its 100th
homecoming. I couldn't make it back, but I'm fairly certain I wouldn't
have attended the game if I did. I've never been much for watching
sports, but during my Before nearly every home game, a group of my friends' parents would drive up the four hours from our hometown in a converted RV they'd christened "The Beast," set up shop in the parking lot south of Faurot Field, and proceed to put on a feast of grilled meats, dips, and casseroles. And light beer. Oh, was there light beer. As a fledgling tailgating enthusiast, I never saw the point of leaving that sort of spread behind to go inside and watch the game. You couldn't bring in outside food or booze unless you were sly, and you certainly couldn't have Busch Light-drinking contests with your friend's mom in the stands. My taste preferences have moved on in the years since I graduated, but light American lagers are still the staple for most folks during tailgating season. The best should be accessible to the widest audience possible. Maltiness and hop character should both be low to non-existent. Strong flavors are frowned upon. You should be able to drink them in vast quantities. These beers are a bit tough to judge in terms of quality because ideal examples really shouldn't taste like a whole lot. However, you could view that as a strength for this particular style because it's easier to find reasonable substitutes when your brand isn't available. (I've found the 2011 GABF silver medal-winning Busch Light to be one of the harder beers to source in Manhattan bodegas and groceries.) We tasted nine different light beers, most of which are widely or at least regionally available, to properly prepare you for your pre-gridiron grilling sessions. Astute readers will also notice the #1 selling beer in the world is smack dab in the middle of a space normally reserved for craft beer. Before you geeks start sharpening the tines on your grilling forks and aiming for my more tender regions, hear me out. Relatively flavorless beer—macro breweries' stock in trade—is something they do particularly well, which warrants them having a place in this particular discussion. Macro beer is also far cheaper, and that's tough to ignore if you're buying in bulk. On to the results! Serious Beer Ratings5/5 Mindblowing; a new favorite4/5 Awesome, stock up on this 3/5 Around average for the style 2/5 There are probably better options 1/5 No, thanks, I'll have water. Abita Brewing Co. Abita Light Louisiana, 4.0% ABV, 118 calories Karl Strauss Brewing Co. Endless Summer Light California, 3.4% ABV, 110 calories Spoetzl Brewery Shiner Light Blonde Texas, 4.2%, 99 calories Boston Beer Co. Sam Adams Light Massachusetts, 4.3% ABV, 119 calories Anheuser-Busch Inc. Bud Light Various Locations, 4.2% ABV, 110 calories Cisco Brewers Sankaty Light Lager Massachusetts, 3.8% ABV, 128 calories D.G. Yuengling & Son Light Lager Pennsylvania, 3.6% ABV, 99 calories Intercourse Brewing Co. Mount Joy Light Pilsner Pennsylvania, 4.2% ABV, 120 calories Narragansett Beer Co. Narragansett Light New York, 3.8% ABV, 96 calories So does it matter if you choose light craft beer or save yourself several dollars a six-pack by buying macro? In my opinion, only if you have a staunch moral opposition to the AB InBevs and MillerCoors of the world. Chances are, if you're buying light beer in the first place, you're not seeking out character and nuance, you're looking for something to swill in quantity along with a steady stream of bratwurst. Prefer to drink Bottom Shelf style? Here's Will Gordon's ranked list of cheap light beer. Can't stomach light lagers at all? Up your game with a Pilsner. All beers except Yuengling, Bud Light, and Abita were provided as samples for review. About the Author: Jonathan Moxey is a Harlem-based homebrewer, BJCP beer judge, and Cicerone Certified Beer Server. He hosts private beer tastings for Tapped Craft Beer Events. View other entries from Beer Reviews Many of you know Abita beer as the oldest microbrewery in Louisiana and the largest craft brewery in the Southeast United States and enjoy their numerous year round and seasonal brews. Abita celebrated their 25th anniversary this year and continues to grow bigger, with plans in 2012 to produce cans in addition to bottles and draft. In late 2010, Abita announced the Andy Award competition at an American Homebrewers Association rally that was held at the brewery. The award was named after homebrewer Andy Thomas, who created the recipe for Abita’s Andygator many years ago, which can be found in 22 ounce bottles and on draft in many bars and restaurants today. The winner would also have his beer brewed as part of the Abita Select draft only line. The winner of the Andy Award was Kerry Dale Yoes, a Zachary resident, homebrewer and runner. I’ve known him for many years since we both attended LSU when we enjoyed many nights drinking beer together at The Chimes. He’s a member of Happy’s Running Club in Baton Rouge and ran his first marathon and ultramarathon earlier this year. His Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout has now officially been released and I caught up with him recently to ask him about his experiences in homebrewing and of course, running.  Kerry accepting the 2010 Abita Andy Award Brenton Day: So how long have you been a home brewer? Kerry Dale Yoes: I started homebrewing 3 years ago with a Mr. Beer Kit from my wife as a Christmas present. This has evolved into a small-scale brewery in my backyard complete with an all-grain system and fermentation control for ales and lagers. BD: What has been your favorite beer that you’ve brewed? KDY: I vary from small session beers to big stouts. Two that I always try to keep on tap are a Russian Imperial Stout and a British Bitter. BD: What prompted you to attempt an oyster stout? KDY: I wanted to incorporate a local ingredient. I decided to make an extreme variation of a traditional Irish Oyster stout, a low alcohol beer similar to Guinness, aged with oyster shells in the cask. Mine is an 8.5% ABV version of my Russian Imperial Stout recipe using English hops and Irish ale yeast. Nearly a pound of shucked oysters and brine are added directly to the boil, giving it a round, slightly salty umami character. It is not at all fishy.  Adding the oysters at the Abita brewery BD: I’ve always known you as a beer lover, but when we first met back in college, you weren’t a runner. Tell me about how you got into running. KDY: I started running a few miles a day about 4 years to get in better shape. I found it to be a great way to relax and meditate and began to enjoy longer distance running. BD: What is your favorite thing about running? KDY: The relaxing alone time. And needing to consume an extra 1,500 calories on long run days is a plus. BD: You ran your first ultramarathon in March, the Mississippi 50K. Tell me about that experience. KDY: It was everything a first ultra should be. Sleeping in a tent during a huge thunderstorm, hilly terrain, and hours of rain and lightning on the course. It was really one of the most fun races I have run. I am running the Mississippi 50 miler next March. BD: I can vouch for you sleeping (and snoring) in your tent during that thunderstorm. I was a chicken and crawled into my Jeep while the lightning cracked around us. But that experience only makes the memories better.  Kerry running the Mississippi 50K in March 2011 BD: What is your favorite post-run recovery beer? KDY: Oskar Blues Ten-Fidy Imperial Stout. It proves a generous 300 calories and 10.5% ABV to smooth sore muscles. That is only for special races, because I have to go to Texas to get it. I’ll normally suffice with a pint of Guinness and a pint of Abita Andygator.  Enjoying an Oskar Blues TenFidy after the Oak Mountain Trail Marathon in May 2011 Abita says that this Imperial Oyster Stout is made with pale, caramel, roasted, and chocolate malts. Oats are also added to give the beer a fuller and sweeter taste. The roasted malts give the beer its dark color as well as its intense flavor and aroma. The flavors of toffee and chocolate are prevalent but not overpowering. The beer is hopped with Willamette hops. Since the beer gets so much flavor from the malts there is not a lot of hop flavor. There is just enough bitterness to compliment the sweetness of the malt. Finally, freshly shucked LA oysters were added to the boil. The salt from the oysters gives the beer a more intense aroma and mouthfeel. It is being released in the Baton Rouge area this week and supplies are limited. As with all Abita Select products, it is only available on tap at certain restaurants and bars. So be sure to support a local homebrewer and runner by drinking some Abita Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout. Brew Review 28: Abita Beer's Purple HazePublished: Thursday, October 13, 2011, 2:45 PM
 This
week the brew reviewer's taste buds ventured to Cajun Country to sample
Abita Beer's Purple Haze (The Huntsville Times/Glenn Baeske). HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Following last week’s fruity kick, we decided to go deep into Cajun country and sample Purple Haze. This raspberry wheat beer is brewed by Abita Beer, based in south Louisiana’s Abita Springs. It’s the first of many Louisiana brews the brew review hopes to critique, so enjoy folks! What the folks at Abita Beer say: Purple Haze is a crisp, American-style wheat beer with raspberry puree added after filtration. Therefore, you may see raspberry pulp in the beer. The raspberries provide the lager with a subtle purple coloration and haze, a fruity aroma and a tartly sweet taste. This beer is best served with salads or light fruit desserts, such as soufflés or chiffon cakes. Many people enjoy it with chocolate desserts. Purple Haze pairs well with certain cheeses, such as ripened Brie or any dessert made with Mascarpone. It’s also great paired with entrees prepared with fruit, especially citrus. Consider enjoying Purple Haze alone at the end of your meal as dessert. The Brew ABV: 4.2 percent Price: Less than $9 for an 6-pack Available at: The list is too long, so to sum it up, most grocery, convenience and liquor stores, gas stations and restaurants. The Reviewers
Appearance: Foggy, warm orange color with light head. Smell: Faint hint of raspberries. Taste: Clean taste of wheat with an added twist of mild berries. Mouth-feel: Light on the palate and almost no aftertaste. Overall: Mild fruit beer and easy to drink. Love a berry beer, yay Purple Haze!
Appearance: Golden brown; everything that is right with beer. Somewhat hazy, but refined nonetheless. Smell: Understated aroma; hard to decipher, but some hint of berry. Taste: Dominating wheat flavor. Berry flavor presents itself well after initial splash on palate. Mouth-feel: Good smooth flavor entering and exiting. A very good wheat alternative beer to other popular competitors. Overall: Purple Haze equals excellent times. Stay thirsty, Huntsville!
Appearance: Golden peach color. Smell: Very subtle hints of peach and berry. Taste: Strong initial wheat flavor ending with mild fruity flavor. Mouth-feel: Good carbonation; feels light in the mouth with a clean finish. Overall: Very subtle fruit flavor that does not overpower the wheatiness of the beer. The fruit is more pronounced in aroma than in taste. For more information about the brew reviews, such as participation and suggestions, email sarah.cure@htimes.com or call 256-532-4408. |
