The folks at Mobile Baykeeper, who will be presenting the first-ever Hopsfest in downtown Mobile on March 20, have announced the beer list, and there are some intriguing choices that are sure to please everyone, from the novice beer-drinker to the hardened beer geek. The selections are:
- Great Divide: Denver Pale Ale, Hades
- Global Imports: Piraat, Gulden Draak
- Gordon Biersch: Marzen, Pilsner
- Avery: White Rascal, IPA
- Tommyknocker: Pick Axe Pale Ale, Imperial Nut Brown
- Yazoo: Dos Perros, Pale Ale
- Hook & Ladder: Golden, Lighter
- Atlanta Brewing Co.: Red Brick Ale, Red Brick Blonde
- St Bernardus: Wit, Tripel
- Michelob: Shock Top, Dunkel Weisse
- Magic Hat: #9, Vinyl (Spring Seasonal)
- Abita: Jockamo, Restoration, Strawberry Harvest Lager
- Bells: Two-Hearted, Amber, Java Stout, Third Coast Ale
- Terrapin: Rye Pale Ale, Sun Ray Wheat, Hop Karma IBA (you might remember this one as the former Indian Brown), Hopsecutioner (the most recent year-round addition to their lineup; I’ve yet to see it in stores)
- Rogue: Dead Guy, American Amber, Mocha Porter, Brutal Bitter
- Sam Adams: Imperial White, Imperial Stout, Double Bock
- Lazy Magnolia: Southern Pecan, Indian Summer
- Sweetwater: 420, Blue, IPA
- NOLA: Blonde, Hopitoulas, (maybe) Brown
- Chimay: Premier (Red), Cinq Cents (White), Grand Reserve (Blue)
Note: NOLA, Avery and Yazoo are all breweries that are, or will soon be, new to the area. NOLA, which stands for New Orleans Lagers and Ales, started out only on draft and only in New Orleans, but they’re working their way over to us. Hopitoulas is a tasty example of a Southern APA — not overwhelmingly hopped like some of its cousins in the Northwest, but wonderfully bitter just the same — and the blonde is one that I recommend to anyone looking to step out of the Light Beer Bubble without overwhelming the senses. Bummer: Until they start bottling (which may happen as early as this year), these beers will only be on draft in Alabama. If you really like it, you can drive to Louisiana for a “Draft Pack,” which sits in your fridge and holds the equivalent to a case of beer, but you won’t find them in Alabama until Free The Hops manages to change the law or NOLA starts bottling.
Avery, out of Colorado, makes some really great beers and recently announced they will soon be canning their brews, which will be perfect for Mardi Gras. Yazoo is out of Nashville, Tenn., and will be another great Southern addition to an ever-expanding list of great beer in south Alabama.
