Craft beers to drink to beat the summer heat
Tiana Kennell
Combat the summer sun with beer brewed right in Louisiana's backyard. Find relief in cold, thirst-quenching beverages released by regional craft brewers.
Sip a pale ale with a blood orange zest while sunbathing by the poolside. Gather by the grill with a Belgian-style Witbier with notes of oranges and limes. Or get a taste of a honey and orange ale while relaxing under the stars on a warm summer's night.
The season is just beginning, so stock the cooler with these icy cold brews.
Flying Tiger Brewing's
Waves of Grain Belgian Witbier
In May, the Monroe-based craft brewery introduced a Belgian-style Witbier with a 4.6 alcohol by volume percentage. Waves of Grain is brewed with pilsner and wheat malts steeped with bitter orange peel and fresh limes — making it the refreshing beverage ideal for the summer.
"It's light in body with a crisp citrus note to make it the perfect lawnmower beer for the Louisiana heat," James E. Simpson, co-founder.
Waves of Grain Belgian Witbier is available now through August. Six packs are on retail shelves or stop in to get a pint on draft at Flying Tiger's taproom, located at 506 N. 2nd St. in Monroe.
Great Raft Brewing's 318 Golden Ale
The 318 Golden Ale was crafted exclusively for the 318 area code by Shreveport's Great Raft Brewing. The ale is made with Louisiana honey and orange peel. Although it's available year-round on draught, it's light and refreshing and right on time for the summer.
"Drink like you live here and enjoy this balanced, approachable and immensely refreshing beer," said co-founder Andrew Nations.
The 318 Golden Ale has a 4-percent ABV. It's available in 6- or 12-packs in retail stores located exclusively in the 318 area code. Or get your fill in Great Raft's taproom, located at 1251 Dalzell St. in Shreveport.
Red River Brewing Company's
Yellow Jack Pale Ale
This summer, the Shreveport brewing company will celebrate their 4 1/2 year anniversary, as well as their recent transformation into a gastropub. The brewers have new equipment and new recipes and some classics on tap, including a returning seasonal — the Yellow Jack.
The pale ale is made using ekuanot and mosaic hops that create a citrus hop aroma and flavor. Blood orange zest is added during the boil. The beer is then aged on blood orange juice.
"This is a really refreshing beer that is perfect for a hot, Louisiana summer day," said co-founder Jared Beville. "The blood orange sweetness balances out the hop bitterness and makes for a thirst quenching beer to be enjoyed again and again."
And the Yellow Jack comes with a taste of local history in its name.
"As a little bit of history added to this beer — Shreveport was part of the Yellow Fever epidemic, also known as Yellow Jack, in the late 1800s, and the supposed source was Silver Lake, which was just down the hill from our brewery," Beville said.
The Yellow Jack has a 6-percent ABV. It will be available mid-July through August for growler fills, 5-ounce tastings and by the pint at Red River Brewing's gastropub, 1200 Marshall St,. in downtown Shreveport.