Easter Keg Hunt and Session Beer Day!
We had the most fun Easter Saturday/Session Beer Day. NOLA Brewing sponsors a fundraiser for the Gulf Restoration Network every year that involves teams going on a scavenger hunt (costumes and unique team names are encouraged) throughout a particular neighborhood until arriving at the final destination, where the NOLA beer flows freely. Tom and I joined up with a fellow beer geek and homebrewer, Dan, and a friend of his from out of town, Erin. Since we are pretty deficient in the costuming creativity department, we just wore our regular clothes and called ourselves the Damn Yankees.
Tom and I bicycled over to the Howlin' Wolf, which was the starting point. We had a couple of beers. Sadly, I chose to drink a non-session beer, the NOLA Blonde, which came in at 4.9%. I KNOW. Anyway, here's a picture of us at the start:
There were tons of fun costumes: Devilled Keggs, The NOLA Mix Sixpack, bunny rabbits galore, Sexy Jesus, carrots, and Peeps! The Peeps (which included our friend Shay) won for best costume. Our friends on the NOLA Mix Sixpack team, including the Beer Buddha, John, and Vanessa from the Barley Oak, won the prize for coming in last, which is pretty hilarious.
We started at the Howlin' Wolf, went to Gallier Hall, then to the Confederate Museum, then to the crazy lighthouse building, then to the Ugly Dog Saloon, where we got a clue that just stumped us. So we decided to sit and have a beer (NOLA Browns, session ales!) to puzzle it out. Finally I broke down and asked my friend Lindsey (who I'd assisted by cell phone during last year's Hunt, as I couldn't go do it myself that year and I knew the neighborhood- Mid City- pretty well) if she had any idea. She told us the clue led to the Piazza d'Italia, and sure enough, at the top of the fountain like a Roman goddess, stood Melanie Knepp, NOLA's Head Brewer!
However, she handed us a clue that was even more difficult- it involved a melted bunny in a box. After wading in the fountain and looking confused, Mel took pity on us and mentioned that we'd have seen it on Wednesdays. That made me think of Wednesday at the Square- so off the Lafayette Square we went! The next clue we were able to figure out that it went to Capedeville, and the clue from there had us heading to the Spanish Plaza near the Riverwalk area. We were slightly unsure of that one, so we actually ended up drifting behind a couple teams that seemed pretty sure of themselves.
Once there, we got our team photo taken and given our final clue to our end destination- thankfully it was close by, and it was a place called The 12 Bar on Fulton Street. We got there and had a celebratory beer before deciding we really, really needed something to eat. So we ducked out to Gordon Biersch and shared a bunch of apps and drank some water. Tom also discovered another session beer while there, their Schwartzbier. At 4.3%, this dark but refreshing lager was quite tasty. Almost as tasty as all the food that we ravenously devoured after a long (but fun) afternoon of wandering the Warehouse District drinking beer on a beautiful spring day.
We went back to The 12 Bar for some socializing and another beer (and to win a raffle prize of a six pack can coozy!) and then Tom and I decided it was time to pack it in.
A wonderful, wonderful day. Thanks to all the staff and volunteers of NOLA Brewing and the Gulf Coast Restoration Network, all the places that let us run around in their businesses, all the teams, including all my friends who participated, and my teammates as well! It was such gorgeous weather, hanging with fun people, wandering through yet another event - Jammin' on Julia - that we could enjoy... it was one of those days when you realize you live in New Orleans and it just makes you smile. Like this!
I hope you all also had a wonderful day, with (or without) awesome session beer. I am hoping to spotlight session beers as they cross my path from here on out, just not on a daily/regular basis.
Tom and I bicycled over to the Howlin' Wolf, which was the starting point. We had a couple of beers. Sadly, I chose to drink a non-session beer, the NOLA Blonde, which came in at 4.9%. I KNOW. Anyway, here's a picture of us at the start:
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| Photo credit: Jeremy "Beer Buddha" Labadie |
We started at the Howlin' Wolf, went to Gallier Hall, then to the Confederate Museum, then to the crazy lighthouse building, then to the Ugly Dog Saloon, where we got a clue that just stumped us. So we decided to sit and have a beer (NOLA Browns, session ales!) to puzzle it out. Finally I broke down and asked my friend Lindsey (who I'd assisted by cell phone during last year's Hunt, as I couldn't go do it myself that year and I knew the neighborhood- Mid City- pretty well) if she had any idea. She told us the clue led to the Piazza d'Italia, and sure enough, at the top of the fountain like a Roman goddess, stood Melanie Knepp, NOLA's Head Brewer!
However, she handed us a clue that was even more difficult- it involved a melted bunny in a box. After wading in the fountain and looking confused, Mel took pity on us and mentioned that we'd have seen it on Wednesdays. That made me think of Wednesday at the Square- so off the Lafayette Square we went! The next clue we were able to figure out that it went to Capedeville, and the clue from there had us heading to the Spanish Plaza near the Riverwalk area. We were slightly unsure of that one, so we actually ended up drifting behind a couple teams that seemed pretty sure of themselves.
Once there, we got our team photo taken and given our final clue to our end destination- thankfully it was close by, and it was a place called The 12 Bar on Fulton Street. We got there and had a celebratory beer before deciding we really, really needed something to eat. So we ducked out to Gordon Biersch and shared a bunch of apps and drank some water. Tom also discovered another session beer while there, their Schwartzbier. At 4.3%, this dark but refreshing lager was quite tasty. Almost as tasty as all the food that we ravenously devoured after a long (but fun) afternoon of wandering the Warehouse District drinking beer on a beautiful spring day.
We went back to The 12 Bar for some socializing and another beer (and to win a raffle prize of a six pack can coozy!) and then Tom and I decided it was time to pack it in.
A wonderful, wonderful day. Thanks to all the staff and volunteers of NOLA Brewing and the Gulf Coast Restoration Network, all the places that let us run around in their businesses, all the teams, including all my friends who participated, and my teammates as well! It was such gorgeous weather, hanging with fun people, wandering through yet another event - Jammin' on Julia - that we could enjoy... it was one of those days when you realize you live in New Orleans and it just makes you smile. Like this!
I hope you all also had a wonderful day, with (or without) awesome session beer. I am hoping to spotlight session beers as they cross my path from here on out, just not on a daily/regular basis.
I read the Capdeville one completely wrong and assumed Confederacy of Dunce's Ignatius Reilly and we looked for the statue. That screw up definitely helped us win last place! We had a great time!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
BB
This is definitely a fun event and certainly something everyone should try to do. Looking forward to it next year.
DeleteThird year for me; second one volunteering. And always, great fun! Enjoyed your recap, Nora...and always fantastic to see you, Tom, and our other regular craft beer friends.
ReplyDelete