Abita Select and Harvest Beers

[Abita Springs, October 29, 2009]- - Abita Select is an exclusive line of premium draft beers put out by the Abita Brewing Co. about every six weeks or so, depending on how fast the previous batch sells. The Select series is never the same; the beer is different with every batch the company brews. The Select series is always available, just never the same. Only an elite group of restaurants and beer bars receive the exclusive brew, and they are mostly local.
“We brew the Select series to exemplify a style we don’t normally do,” said Nick Smith, a brewer at the Abita Brewery. “And it’s usually a specialty beer, so we can show off our prowess.”
Some restaurants use the Abita Select beers in “Select Dinners,” which are prepared specifically to go with the current Select brew, said Nick Smith.
The Abita Brewing Co. also uses some of its test batches as the Select series. While they were creating their flagship beer Jockamo, a traditional Indian Pale Ale, Abita Brewing Co. sold the test batches as the Select series, until they got it just right. Even these test batches are never the same; each has its own flavor.
“We brew these different selects to keep the customers interested,” said Nick Smith.
The Amber Ale is made from a blend of three different malts: pale, munich and caramel. It also is brewed with a lot of hops, the female flower clusters from the hop plant, to enhance the flavor and aroma. The amount of hops used is what mostly determines the flavor of the beer. Amber Ale does not have a specific recipe. The only thing it needs to be classified as Amber Ale is that it ranges in color from light golden to deep red. The rest is up to the creative mind of the Brew master.
The Oatmeal Stout is a more sweet flavored Stout. Stout beer is usually a dark beer with a sometimes bitter flavor. The use of oatmeal provides a sweeter, less bitter taste, and it also makes the beer feel silky-smooth in the mouth. The Belgian White, also called “witbier” in Dutch, is made from barley and wheat. This beer will look hazy and almost white when cold, hence its name.
The Imperial Stout is a strong, thick, dark beer with slightly higher alcohol content. It is considered a winter beer because of its thickness as opposed to a summer beer, which is thinner and lighter. It will be coming soon to select vendors.
“This is about the third or fourth Stout we’ve made since I’ve been here,” said Ryan Ackerman. “There is always such a high demand for this style of beer. Every year the demand seems to grow.”
The Abita Brewing Co. also brews Harvest beers. These beers make use of local, seasonal Louisiana ingredients. The Harvest beers include Strawberry Harvest Lager, Pecan Harvest Ale, and Satsuma Harvest Wit.
The Strawberry Harvest Lager is a wheat beer. It’s dry and light with a hint of strawberries that are home-grown right here in Louisiana. Its sweeter taste makes it a perfect pairing for desserts.
The Pecan Harvest Ale is made with toasted Louisiana pecans. It is copper in color, light in body and smooth tasting. The pecans make this beer unique because most nut flavored beers are not made with real nuts at all. The oils from the pecans give it its nutty flavor and aroma.
The Satsuma Harvest Wit is made from wheat, oats, barley and homegrown Louisiana Satsumas, a type of citrus fruit. It has a hint of spice and citrus flavor. It is pale in color, like the color of straw with and orange tint, and has a slightly hazy look.
The Harvest beers will make an appearance every year. And while the Select beer is available year round, once a specific batch is gone, it is unknown if it shall ever return. Only a few Select beers have been repeated.
The Select beers can only been found in certain places, including The Abita Brew Pub, the Hotel Monteleone, The Bull Dog, Lager’s International, and Red Fish Grill. For a complete list of vendors, visit The Abita Brewing Co. website at www.abita.com.



NOLA.com

Abita Goes Green

[September 22, 2009, Abita Springs, LA]--Millions of households and businesses around the world are doing their part to help preserve the natural resources of Earth by ‘going green.’ The Abita Brewery is no exception. This company practices many methods of conservation and encourage their employees to do the same at home. The Abita Brewery proudly brews its beers using the Merlin system, which cuts down the beer’s boiling time and lowers the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere. The Merlin system also traps the steam that is released during the brewing process and recycles it using a vapor condenser. The Merlin system reduces energy consumption by 70 percent. “I had never seen this system before working here,” says Ryan Ackerman, an engineer at the brewery. “It’s a great system and it really cuts down on the amount of energy the plant uses.” The Abita Brewery also uses its own industrial wastewater treatment plant, which generates energy using wastewater. It uses a bio-energy recovery system which turns the wastewater into a bio-gas, which is created by breaking down organic matter in an atmosphere that is free of oxygen. Then, the bio-gas is used to fuel their boilers, which reduces its sewage load by 85 percent. Another way that the Abita Brewery conserves energy is by tapping into its natural resources. The brewery is located in the small town of Abita Springs, which is home to a deep artesian well. The water drawn from this well is fresh, pure and free of pollutants. There is no need to filter or chemically treat the water at all, unlike most plants. Since Abita is able to skip this step in the brewing process, its overall energy consumption is reduced. An interesting fact about the water is that Native Americans from the Choctaw nation used to drink from the artesian spring and would claim the water had healing properties. Abita actually means “healing waters” in the Choctaw language. “Abita Springs’ water really is the best water around; it’s the only water I drink,” Ackerman says. “It really does taste more fresh and pure than other water that I’ve tasted.” The Abita Brewery also has a strict commitment to the maintenance of its facilities. The pipes and faucets in the plant are checked frequently for leaks to make sure there is no water being wasted. One of the brewery’s goals is to brew its barrels of beer while using as little water as possible, with nothing wasted. The brewery also packages its beer in an environmentally friendly manner. The carriers that hold their six-packs use 50 percent less paper and glue than traditional carriers and are all made from recycled materials. Even their glass long-neck beer bottles are recyclable and use less glass than other classic beer bottles. Abita uses green transportation as well by having its sales teams drive gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles. Also, all of Abita’s 18-wheeler delivery trucks are mounted with an auxiliary power unit, which takes control of the engine when the vehicle is parked, resulting in decreased idle time and reduced emissions from the engine. Nothing gets wasted at the Abita Brewery. Even the grain and hops leftover after the brewing process is complete are used by the local farmers as feed for their cattle. “Everything is used for something,” Ackerman says. “We try not to waste anything.” The Abita Brewing Company does many things to help protect the planet. Debra Clarke, an assistant brew master at the plant says, “We’ve made a lot of progress, and we’re steadily researching ways to further help the environment.”

NOLA.com

The Abita Brewery

[September 1, 2009, Abita Springs, LA]--It’s a hot summer’s day in Louisiana, there’s a party going on, the crawfish are boiling and people are sitting back and relaxing with a nice cold beer. But not just any beer, Abita Beer, homemade right here in Louisiana and made with the highest quality of ingredients. The water used to brew the beer comes directly from an artesian well in Abita Springs, Louisiana, hometown of the brewery. The water is so pure it doesn’t need to be treated in any way. Only the freshest, only the best, all of the time.
The Abita Brewing Company got its start in 1986 and brewed 1,500 barrels in its first year. It has grown significantly since that time and now brews around 80,000 barrels of beer every year. The people who keep the brewery running take great pride in the beers they brew. They have the beer making process down to a science and practice it as an art form. Everything matters- the taste, the smell, the color, even the way it pours.
The Abita Brewery boasts many flavorful varieties of beer. One of its more famous beers is Abita Amber, a Munich lager with a hint of caramel flavor and a beautiful amber color. Abita Amber was the first beer ever brewed at the brewery and is the best selling beer to this day.
Ryan Ackerman, a brewer at the Abita Brewing Company, says “I like brewing Amber the best because it has a distinct aroma that you can smell throughout the entire plant, more so than any of the other beers.”
Louisiana is known for its great food, great chefs and thanks to Abita, its great beer. It was only a matter of time before the three came together. Many Louisiana chefs incorporate Abita Amber into their recipes since it can be paired with just about anything.
Another one of their popular beers is Purple Haze, an American wheat beer made with raspberry puree. The raspberry gives the beer a slight purple color, a wonderful scent and an even better taste. Many people like to have Abita’s Purple Haze after a meal, as a dessert beer.
One cannot mention Abita’s beers without mentioning Turbodog, which is a dark brown ale with a chocolate taste and deep chocolate color. Turbodog was originally brewed as a specialty beer but as its popularity grew and it accumulated a huge fan base, it became one of the brewery’s staple beers as well as one of its best selling.
The Abita Brewery also brews seasonal beers, such as Christmas Ale, a dark ale with a spiced flavor. This recipe changes slightly each year, which adds to its uniqueness. Need a gift idea? A six pack of Abita Christmas Ale makes a great gift, ‘tis the season.
Andygator is also a favorite among Abita Beer fans. It contains a higher alcohol content than its other beers, 8 percent by volume and is sold as one of Abita’s new Big Beers, in a 22 ounce bottle. Andygator is a dopplebock or double bock, basically a double beer.
It is a standing tradition for breweries to give their Dopplebocks names that end in –ator, hence Andygator. This brew has a flavor on the sweet side due to its low content of hops, which is responsible for the bitter taste in beers.
The other Big Beer is Abbey Ale, a double ale, with a hint of fruits and cloves. For every bottle sold, 25 cents is donated to St. Joseph’s Abbey, which is a community of monks who dedicate their lives to prayer and to helping others.
If you aren’t a beer drinker, or just aren’t in the mood for one, you should try Abita’s Root Beer, which is a truly refreshing treat. Abita Root Beer differs from other root beers because it is sweetened with pure Louisiana cane sugar, instead of high fructose corn syrup, giving it an old time flavor. As you sip it you can just imagine yourself in the 1950s, sitting in a malt shop wearing a poodle skirt or a pair of cuffed jeans. Add a scoop of ice cream to really enhance that old-fashioned flavor.
The Abita Brewing Company also offers a tour of its facilities, which takes about an hour and is free of charge. You can see all of the various equipment and processes that keep the brewery running.
Carl McDaniels, also known as “Sparky,” the brewery’s electrician, says “I enjoy working here because it is constantly expanding and there is something different to do everyday.” Visitors will love the Tasting Room, where they can sample every available Abita Beer at the ‘pour your own’ beer bar.
Remember to always drink responsibly. Cheers!

NOLA.com