The Independent

Bayou Teche Biere to premiere Christmas brew

by Elizabeth Rose

The beer, Joie à Tous, is a dubbel dose of coffee and whiskey flavors.

This Friday's Pint Night at Pack & Paddle is a celebration for both beer and music lovers.

The night is a benefit for Louisiana Folk Roots and the local brewers at Bayou Teche Brewing are premiering the Joie à Tous (Joy to All) beer for all who attend.

"Joie à Tous (Joy to All) is a specially crafted release of our Biere Joi Mello Dubbel," says the event website. "Our brewmaster, Gar Hatcher, brewed up a batch of Biere Joi, and then doubled the amount of Mello Joy coffee added in the secondary. The beer was then racked into freshly emptied Jack Daniel's whiskey barrels to age for several months. While in the barrel, the coffee flavors melded with whiskey flavors still left in the barrel and picked up vanilla, toasted coconut, cinnamon, pepper, freshly baked bread and caramel notes from the barrels' charred oak. Think Irish Coffee in a beer bottle."

The first 200 people to walk through the doors receive a free pint glass from which to enjoy their beer, and the first 70 people will receive a wrapped mystery gift from Pack & Paddle. Freetown Fries will also be there, serving up the menu standards, along with the holiday special: The Nonnie-Can Fry - a bed of sweet potato fries sprinkled with candied pecans, powdered sugar and cranberry-cream cheese dipping sauce.

Caleb Elliot will be performing all evening, along with special guest Sam Broussard. The night is a benefit for Louisiana Folk Roots and begins at 6 p.m. Find Pack & Paddle at 601 E. Pinhook Road.