TOBY GUIDRY
Homebrewer, Prairieville
Favorite Louisiana brew: Swamp Thing [from Bayou Teche] on draft if I can find it. It’s pretty much everything I want in an IPA, and isn’t going to be confused with a mimosa.
Go-to drink at your favorite bar: I’m usually going to try something I haven’t had. Otherwise, I usually go with Great Raft Commotion, Gnarly Barley Korova or Founders Breakfast Stout.
ZAC CARAMONTA
Founder/head brewer at Gnarly Barley Brewing, Hammond
Favorite Louisiana brew: When I’m not drinking Gnarly (I don’t get out of the brewery much) my favorite local/regional brew is whatever the freshest hops on tap is.
Go-to drink at your favorite bar: When I’m not drinking beer, I enjoy a neat rye or bourbon whiskey. Followed by a large water.
MICHAEL TILL
Head brewer at Tin Roof, Baton Rouge
Favorite Louisiana brew: I find myself ordering Great Raft’s Reasonably Corrupt almost every time I see it on a draft list. Dark lagers are an underrated style, which is a shame because they beautifully blend crisp, lighter, grainy-sweet flavors of pale lagers with delicious roasted, coffee-like and chocolate flavors.
Go-to drink at your favorite bar: I have fond memories of brewing and being in Boone, North Carolina, where I had a few favorite bars/breweries. Foothills Brewing Co.’s Hoppyum, Appalachian Mountain Brewery’s Long Leaf IPA and Hi-Wire’s eponymous lager.
KEVIN WHALEN
Founder of the upcoming Rally Cap brewpub, Baton Rouge
Favorite Louisiana brew: Parish Brewing’s Ghost in the Machine. There is so much flavor packed into that beer! Fruity, a little piney, just the right amount of bitterness. It’s a smooth drinking beer that really hits the spot when you’re looking for something with a whole bunch of flavor.
Go-to drink at your favorite bar: I like to sample a lot of different things when I belly up at the bar (usually The Bulldog). But one beer that I go to
often is Sculpin IPA from Ballast Point. I’m definitely a hop head, and this beer brings me back to when I fell in love with craft beer.
JOE PICOU
Founder/brewer at Southern Craft Brewing Company, Baton Rouge
Favorite Louisiana brew: I’m a bit biased in my opinion, but Citeaux is my favorite local brew, brewed by us. This is a coffee oatmeal stout brewed with fresh roasted coffee from Cafeciteaux [the local coffee roaster].
Go-to drink at your favorite bar: Pompous Pelican DIPA at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar. It uses local raw cane sugar from M.A. Patout and Sons located in Patoutville to help boost the alcohol without adding more body to the beer.
BRETT DUNHAM
Founder/brewer of the upcoming Le Chien brewpub in process, Baton Rouge
Favorite Louisiana brew: Gnarly Barley’s Radical Rye. When I worked there it was 75% of what I drank. It’s a solid, well-balanced beer.
Go-to drink at your favorite bar: Whatever is interesting that I haven’t had before. If they don’t have anything I haven’t had before that appeals to me, I’d go with anything local and hoppy.
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This article was originally published in the February 2018 issue of 225 Magazine.
