Brews and Krewes

00:00 February 18, 2014
By: 2Fik
Beau Rivage - Crooked Letter - Beer with Grains
[Where Y'At Staff/Provided Photo]
Beau Rivage - Beau Rivage

I had an awesome time at the Beau Rivage Casino and Hotel in Biloxi trying each of their three new exclusive brews from Crooked Letter Brewing Co. in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. This isn't the resorts first relationship with beer; Beau Rivage brewed seven beers, including one named Biloxi Blonde, at their Coast Brewing Company, which was also the first microbrewery in Mississippi. That brewery was unfortunately destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. Crooked Letter Brewing was formed by the enthusiastic homebrewers Wanda and Paul Blacksmith with longtime friend John Myers who finally made a commercial-scale brewery in 2012. Along with their four core beer brands, there are now exclusively brewing Sheep Shank Kolsch Ale, Anchor Bend Imperial Stout, and Double Half Hitch Imperial I.P.A. (all named after nautical knots) for Beau Rivage, and it's available in all of their clubs, bars, retail stores and restaurants. I highly recommend the chocolaty stout, and you'll have to take a day trip to the coast to try it.

Back here in New Orleans, Saturday is my personal favorite parade. The Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus rolls through the Bywater and Marigny starting at 6:30 p.m.; the theme is The Wrath of Kahn-ival. There will be a fire-breathing creature called the Mecha-Gator only on the first few blocks of the route that I definitely recommend checking out. It's only their fourth year rolling, but they are now 700 members strong including the Krewe of the Living Dead, 100 Rolling Elliots. If you feel like following the paraders, you'll be attending the after-parade Chewbacchanal at the Trash Palace at 2121 Chartres St. with live music by four bands. The public must pay a cover of $15, or $10 if you're in costume, which you should be. I might head nearby to Siberia to see Lord Dying, Shroud Eater, Orbweaver, and Gristnam at 10 p.m. for $10. Or if you're staying Uptown for the Sparta parade, you can catch Prytania Gras at the Prytania Bar at 10 p.m. for $10 with Debauche and The Quickening.

A gaggle of out-of-town burlesque beauties will be gracing Siberia's stage on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. to entertain you with singing, sideshows, stories, and stripping! Who knows what Mistress Kali's Cabinet of Curiosities holds, but you can find out for free. Immediately following is a musical show with LOVER!, The Unwed Teenage Mothers, The Planchettes, and King Louis's One Man Band for $7.

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