Day Four: Tasting Bayou Teche Biere
In the artists haven of Arnaudville, Louisiana, where Bayou Teche meets Bayou Fuselier, is where you’ll find Bayou Teche Biere. Founder Karlos Knott knows his beer and his food, focusing on marrying the two when creating his signature brews. Inspired by his travels through Europe, Knott opened the brewery in an old railroad car on St. Patrick’s Day in 2009. And paying even more homage to the place it calls home, Bayou Teche’s flagship brew is branded with the La-31 highway sign, the scenic byway that follows Bayou Teche from Opelousas to New Iberia.
Bayou Teche started with its Biere Pale, classified as a Louisiana Pale Ale and designed to pair with any local dish. Passionee, a wheat beer with the flavor of passion fruit, Biere Noire, made with French roast coffee and the smoky Boucanee have rounded out this brewery’s lineup, with seasonal Courir de Mardi Gras, Saison D’Ecrevisses (to complement a crawfish boil) and Cocodrie making appearances throughout the year. One more flavor, Acadie, debuted at Festivals Acadiens et Creoles in Lafayette last year and has become the official beer of the Cajun music festival. An artisanal version of the French Biere de Garde, Acadie is now available year-round and serves as a memory of the Acadian homeland of the Cajuns.
Tasting Notes for Acadie
Color: Reddish brown
Smell: Malty with notes of caramel
First Sip: Nice balance of hops and sweetness with a bit of spice on the finish
Pairing Suggestions: Meat and cheese platter of pickled okra, goat and hogshead cheeses, tasso and andouille served with a sliced baguette
How to Visit and Sip for Yourself
Tours are offered Tuesday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. and Saturdays from noon-4 p.m. (Tours in French available upon request.) Sampling is also available in the tasting room.
Where to Buy
Bayou Teche is distributed throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, in Pensacola, Florida, Brooklyn, New York, and Atlanta, Athens and Stone Mountain, Georgia. See the full list of distributors here.
