Here in New Orleans , spring is by far the nicest time of yr . It ’s the only metre that ’s genuinely perfect for outside dining and drinking . We all want to pack as much outdoor time into these blissful few month as possible , before the humid , sweaty , sweaty , humid , sweat - souse heat of summer kick in and accept over ( and lingers till , you bed , October ) . Lucky for those of us in Food Paradise USA , this clip of twelvemonth also co-occur with the bliss that is crawfish season – which mean several of these springtime beer were n’t just brew with the fine weather in mind .
AbitaStrawberry Harvest Lager
Fruit lager , 4.2%Abita Springs , LALouisiana loves strawberry . Abita create this beer years ago specifically for the annual Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival , and now it ’s part of its Harvest beer serial . Fresh Louisiana strawberry juice is supply to the wheat - pilsner basis beer for a touching of sweetness , perfect for ( and reminiscent of ) a warm leap day in Louisiana .
Bayou Teche Brewing Saison D’Écrevisses
Saison , 6%Arnaudville , LAThis beer , design to pair with crawfish , is easy drinking but stands up to the stiff flavor of the boil with spicy saison yeast and a courteous amount of rye whiskey in the grain billhook . Since it ’s a “ crawfish seasonal worker , ” the beer is available from January to June .
Southern Prohibition Brewing Suzy Smash
American Blonde Ale , 5%Hattiesburg , MSDue to difficulties sourcing the right hops , last year ’s spring seasonal ( the hilariously - monikered “ Pow ! Rye In The Kisser ” ) will have a stand - in this year : the wildly popular dry - hopped Suzy Smash . It ’s a variant on the brewery ’s flagship blonde ale , Suzy B , kicked up several mountain pass with the not - so - subtle addition of West Coast hops . alone brisk and utterly delicious .
NOLA Brewing Company Flambeau Red
Red ale , 5.7%New Orleans , LAA Mardi Gras seasonal beer , this hoppy flushed ale uses seven different malted and three record hop , which have for a very balanced brewage – arrant for enjoying along a nighttime parade route while watching the traditional flambeau carriers fall the way .
Saint Arnold Brewing Company Spring Bock
German bock , 6.9%Houston , TXThe brewing of bock beer beer traditionally signalled the end of the brewing time of year in Germany , a style to utilise up the remain grain before it produce too blistering to brew . Saint Arnold ’s laurels - winning reading takes two calendar month to zymosis and age , allow for behind a dark , malty , quiet , high - gravity laager that hits all the right notes .
Great Raft Brewing All My Tomorrows
Hoppy saison , 7%Shreveport , LAThis spring seasonal is so well - loved that Great Raft is now brewing it three times a yr instead of just once . This is bully intelligence for the beer - inclined – this spicy , hoppy saison is off - the - charts luscious and full of flavor .
Parish Brewing Company Farmhouse IPA
Belgian - style ale , 5.5%Broussard , LAThe Champagne - alike effervescence of this beer , combined with a fruity Belgian and French yeast blend , bring in this brew a bully bottle to commemorate a special occasion . No need to expect , though : this well - hopped farmhouse ale savor as delicious fresh as it does cellared .
The Courtyard Brewery Blanche De Orleans
Witbier , 4.8%New Orleans , LAHead beer maker Scott Wood require hoi polloi to lie with that he brews more than just dank , San Diego - style IPAs . He ’s been experimenting a bunch , as evidenced by this take on the witbier : it ’s fairly traditional , with a citrus aroma courtesy of the hops , and banana esters from the barm – but it finishes juiceless , and is really refreshing .
Old Rail Brewing CompanyZest Fest Blood Orange Black IPA
Black IPA , 7.1%Mandeville , LAOriginally conceptualise as a one - off collaboration beer with Terrapin Brewing from Athens , GA , this dark , citrusy hop turkey has proved so pop that it ’s brewed annually . Louisiana citrus tree time of year concur with the recent wintertime and former spring , and this yr ’s pedigree orange tree were sourced locally from Little River Citrus .
Covington Brewhouse Spring Pale Ale
wan ale , 6%Covington , LAThis aptly named beer is part of Covington ’s newly established and expanded seasonal beer line . It ’s perfect to pair with the crawfish boils the brewery holds on Friday nights during the season , and the Columbus , Falconer ’s Flight , Amarillo , and Zythos hops make for a bracing , hoppy brew .
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Elizabeth Childers/Thrillist
Southern Prohibition
NOLA Brewing
Great Raft Brewing
Parish Brewing Company
Old Rail Brewing Company
