by Ryan Lamere

Hold out on lent just a little longer! Let's keep the spirit of Mardi Gras going with delicious beers from The Boot! Louisiana has no shortage of local breweries and great beers to talk about; we're narrowing it down to Abita, Great Raft and Urban South.

Abita Brewing, just 30 miles from New Orleans, has been on the scene for a while now; in their first year,1986, the brewery produced over 1,500 barrels of beer! Despite rapid growth and success, they have stuck to their roots deeply embedded in the bayou they love. They'll tell you themselves—Abita is Louisiana culture on tap. They have a slew of delightful offerings but we'll shine the spotlight on Purple Haze, a crisp lager with slight haze and subtle purple color. Purple Haze is brewed with real raspberries that give a signature fruity aroma and tart-sweet taste that complement its wheat malt backbone. Get lost in the Haze!

Great Raft Brewing, as they state, makes beer that "complements the lifestyles and cultures of Louisiana." Shreveport-based Great Raft has made a name for itself with classic year-round offerings and sought after seasonals. Opening in 2013, they started with three flagship beers that hold the banner to this day: Southern Drawl, a dry hopped pilsner; Commotion, an American Pale ale; and Reasonably Corrupt, a black lager Schwarzbier. It pours a mahogany dark/red with a malty nose and slight hints of wheat. Reasonably Corrupt’s dark roasty malt sweetness offers a sweeter, fuller bodied version of a lager.

Urban South Brewery started in 2020 but is already making a name for itself. "The seed for Urban South was planted during the year I spent in Europe," says founder Jacob Landry. The philosophy of Urban South is to combine the heritage of European beer making with the brashness of new American styles. It’s a fusion of ideas, creating world class beers that are easy to drink and perfect for the Southern climate. Urban South's Lime Cucumber Gose is an ideal example of this philosophy. It combines the nearly 1,000-year-old gose style of beer with cucumbers, kosher salt and lime to liven it up. Unfiltered and kettle soured, this wheat beer is incredibly refreshing and thirst quenching! All the flavors play nice together to yield an insanely crushable brew. Lime Cucumber Gose has been—and is liable to be again—one of my staff picks.

One of the most unique states in the Union, Louisiana is a cultural cornerstone. And it’s home to some of the most unique craft breweries around. If you find your thoughts and tastebuds wandering towards that Louisiana spirit but can't make the trip, we're here to help you Celebrate Carnival!