The Bayou blogs

Weekly Specials 8/22 - 8/28

mark — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:47:16 +0000

Grilled Shrimp w/ Honey Ginger BBQ Sauce 6.99

Two skewers of grilled shrimp in a spicy honey ginger bar b cue sauce. Served with spring greens.

Pesto Pizza 9.99

Grilled pizza with pesto sauce topped with Parmesan cheese, Diced tomato and pine nuts.

Carne Asada Tacos 9.99

Two flour tortillas filled with grilled steak and chipotle coleslaw. Served with habenero onions and Mexican rice.

Shrimp Etouffee 11.99

A French Creole style sauce of butter, roux, tomato and shrimp over seasoned rice. Served with a side salad.

Thursday BBQ

mark — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 19:57:32 +0000

The ribs are looking good for tonight's Thursday BBQ. They will be served with 50/50 fries and coleslaw! Should be ready about 4:30. Yummy

Epic Tasting for Craft Beer Week

mark — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:32:23 +0000

In collaboration with American Craft Beer Week and Epic Brewing, The Bayou will be hosting our second ever mini-beer festival Monday May 14th at 5:00 pm. We will be opening every Epic beer we have on hand including one case of the very rare Brainless Corruption brewed in collaboration with DC Brau.

Many very knowledgeable beer folks (including our own Mark Alston and Epic's Kevin Crompton) will be here to help guide you through Epic's insanely large list of beers. Tickets are limited to 60 people so don't wait to get your tickets. Tickets are available only at The Bayou and are available now. You must present valid ID at the door for admittance both to purchase tickets and to attend the festival.

Here is how the festival will work. For $30 (includes all taxes and gratuity) you will get a wrist band and 20 beer tickets that enable you to sample the festival beers. As this event is all about sampling high quality beers in a responsible manner, all samples will be served in 2 ounce pours. You must have both the wrist band and the tickets to be served. No sharing with non-participants!!! Anyone found sharing beer with people without a wrist band will have their wrist band removed and they will be barred from continued participation. You may however, share freely with other participants. We will cease opening new bottles around 9:00 pm so don't show up too late.

Be advised that, due to Utah liquor laws and common sense safety, we will not be able to continue serving "intoxicated" people so please take it easy. You are welcome to eat dinner or appetizers at a table or the bar but food is not included in the festival fee. We will not be able to guarantee seating and tables will be available only for those planning on eating.

Quantities of some of Epic's beers are quite limited so we cannot guarantee their lasting throughout the entire fest.

Boulevard Rye-on-Rye

mark — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:16:27 +0000

Why did Boulevard make a Rye? This assertively flavorful grain is more often associated with whiskey than with ales. Even in that arena, it has largely been eclipsed by corn and barley, the sources of bourbon and scotch. But when they procured some seasoned barrels from distiller Templeton Rye, they asked themselves, “Why not?” or "Rye Not?" haha.

Anyway, why not brew a rich, tawny rye ale, then mellow it in the warmth of charred oak rye whiskey casks? Two kinds of malted rye provide spicy sweetness, giving way to notes of caramelized wood and the citrusy tang of Perle, Magnum, and Saphir hops before easing into a dry, lingering finish.

Ratebeer.com gives this one a solid 99 points. I simply say that it is amazing. At 11+%ABV it is one to share though.

Cinco de Mayo

mark — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:17:36 +0000

The Bayou isn't just for Mardi Gras. This week we are running some awesome Mexican food specials and have two killer latin influenced bands this weekend. Get on down and get some spicy in your belly and in your ears!

Fantome Hiver

mark — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:24:53 +0000

Just got in 5 cases of very rare Fantome Hiver Saison.

750 ml @ 23.00

Founded in 1988, Brasserie Fantôme has gained international attention and a cult following among lovers of craft beers. Owned and run by Dany Prignon, Fantôme is known for its unique variations on the Saisonstyle of farmhouse ale, often involving the use of herbs, spices or fruit juice. --Wikipedia

Hiver is Fantome's winter offering, available December through March or so with the recipe varying each year.

Mikkeller Beer Arrivals

mark — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:26:23 +0000

Just got a big order of Mikkeller beers in today. Many new beers and a few favorites restocked.

Beer Geek Brunch Weasel (Cognac Edition)

22.00 250ml Ratebeer.com 99 points

The regular Beer Geek Brunch Imperial Oatmeal Stout is brewed with one of the world's most expensive coffees, made from droppings of weasel-like civet cats. The fussy Southeast Asian animals only eat the best and ripest coffee berries. Enzymes in their digestive system help to break down the bean. Workers collect the bean-containing droppings for Civet or Weasel Coffee. The exceedingly rare Civet Coffee has a strong taste and an even stronger aroma. Mikkeller then took this high rated beer and let it splash about in a totally fresh cognac barrel for three months. Exceedingly rare and amazing.

Brew Dog/Mikkeller I Hardcore You

11.00 330ml Ratebeer.com 99 points

I Hardcore You is a 9.5% Imperial India Pale Ale, an international collaborative effort between 2 of Europe’s most rock ’n roll brewers. This beer is a blend of BrewDog’s Hardcore IPA and Mikkeller’s I Beat You. After the blending, the beer was then dry hopped a further twice. Making I Hardcore You a beer which has been dry hopped four times, or maybe even six times. They apparently kinda lost count.

Black Stout

22.00 375ml Ratebeer.com 97 points

A 17.5% ABV Imperial Stout for hardcore beer geeks only. It is the strongest beer brewed in Scandinavia and the craziest, wildest, strongest beer from Mikkeller to this date. Seriously, if you have never had an Imperial Stout stay away and wait until you are ready. 1 case only of this beer.

Big Worse

21.00 375ml Ratebeer.com 98 points

Mark's absolutely favorite Barley Wine but at 12% ABV it is definately not a daily drinker. Brewed with additions of candy sugar and using nugget, cascade and centennial hops, this beer is truly a blend of old and new world styles.

Single Hop Beers

9.00 330ml

Severly limited supply on these three Single Hop IPA's from Mikkeller. We have gotten in Ctira, Sorachi Ace & Simcoe this time around. Those in the know have all the information you need about these beers.

Brouwerij De Molen

mark — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:50:06 +0000

Brewer Menno Olivier brings 12 years of experience to his Brouwerij De Molen, which translates to "The Mill Brewery" as the operation is located in a 300-year-old windmill. He began brewing in his kitchen as a hobby, went on to brew in Westmaas and Amsterdam, and then served as master brewer of De Pelgrim, a Rotterdam city brewery. It was during his time as master brewer that he decided to open a brewery of his own, so he created De Molen in the town of Bodegraven, about 30 km north of Rotterdam.

His stainless steel plant has a capacity of 500 liters and he brews in very limited quantities, only about 5hl per year (the same output as some home-brewers!).

So why bother with bringing in such an obscure and small Dutch Brewery? How about the fact that they were #10 on Ratebeer.com's list of 100 notable breweries in the world in 2010. How about the fact that one of the beers we got has a score of 100 on ratebeer.com and another scores 99!

Storm & Averij (Storm & Damage)

22.00 750ml Ratebeer.com score: 96

An Imperial/Double IPA: A hazy golden-orange colour with a rich firm white foam. Big fruity hop aroma with a little yeastiness of orange-peels, mango,pine-needles, peaches, hay and wet grass. Full-bodied with notes of yeast, blood oranges, mango, biscuits and orange-peels. Long orangey, juicy, bitter finish with touches of yeast and pine. Dry hopped with Czech hops (Premiant)." 9.2%ABV

Amarillo

11.00 330ml Ratebeer.com score: 99

This beer got it's name from the American hop used in the brewing process. Amarillo is a powerful hop in aroma, flavor and bitterness. But of course other hops were used as well, creating a beautiful combination. Not a beer to drink as a session beer, but one to enjoy. 9.2% ABV

Rook & Vuur (Smoke & Fire)

11.00 330ml Ratebeer.com Score: 94

Brewed with smoked malts and chili peppers, this beer truly is a combination of Smoke & Fire. The huge smoke flavor and aroma turn to sweet caramel and then a mild spicyness from the peppers that starts to show and build after about half the bottle. 8.2% ABV

Hemel & Aarde (Heaven & Earth)

13.00 330ml Ratebeer.com score 100!

Made with the most heavily peated malt in the world from the Bruichladdich distillery. Almost pitch black and opaque, small head. Furiously peated aroma, hiding the malt, licorice and dark chocolate somewhat. Very full bodied, thick mouthfeel, like fluid bread. Dark chocolate, loads of peat, lapsang souchong tea, chocolate cake, culminating in an almost endless aftertaste that also has licorice. 10.3% ABV

New Jolly Pumpkin Beers

mark — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:50:36 +0000

Two New Jolly Pumpkin Beers

For our wild and crazy beer Jolly Pumpkin fans out there we bring you two more beers from their lineup. For those new to JP's beer, Jolly Pumpkin takes pride in elevating the craft of brewing into an art using old-world production methods. Their focus is on open fermentation, oak aging, and bottle conditioning. Their beers tend to have a wild, often with a tart/sour profile. They are not beers for beginners but if you are a fan of crazy, funky beers then they will be right up your alley. They are certainly a favorite for many of our staff.

Maracaibo Especial

21.00 750ml

A rich brown ale inspired by the enigmatic monastic brews of Belgium, and the mysterious mist shrouded jungles of the tropics. Brewed with real cacao, and spiced with cinnamon and sweet orange peel for a sensual delight. A brew to be sipped, savored, and enjoyed!

Calabaza Blanca

18.00 750ml

Aged in large oak casks and refermented in the bottle, Calabaza Blanca is a Belgian Biere Blanche. Spiced with orange peel and corriander, you'll find it refreshingly tart, with a wonderfully dry finish.

Also, back in are Oro De Calabaza and La Parcela.

Omer

mark — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:07:22 +0000

This pale strong ale from Flanders has splashed upon the world beer scene with great fanfare. Winner of the 2010 Gold Medal in the World Beer Cup©, OMER bested many of the world finest beers in a hotly contested category. More recently it won a Gold Medal at the U.S. Open Beer Championships for French/Belgian Ale.

Pale golden and extraordinary, OMER has a firm malt character with a pleasant hop bitterness and warm, bready aroma. It's lighter character makes it an excellent Belgian Blonde for the spring weather. Perhaps a perfect patio beer.

Deus Brut des Flanders

mark — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:51:43 +0000

"Wow, what a beer!" pretty much sums up this amazing beer from Brouwerij Bosteels (brewer of house favorite Tripel Karmaliet). The first impression is how beautiful the presentation is of the beer in the 750 ml Champagne bottle. This is not simply a gimmick however, Deus undergoes it's original fermentation and aging in Belgium but then is actually shipped to the Champagne region in France where it is given a secondary bottle fermentation in the traditional "méthode champenoise."

The beer is then put into riddling racks, exactly like traditional Champagne, where the bottles are turned daily and gradually tilted toward the ground. This riddling is continued until the bottles are hanging vertically with the neck of the bottle facing down, a process which takes several weeks. This twisting and tilting forces the yeast sediment to compact into the neck of the bottle. The neck of the bottle is frozen which forms a slug containing the yeast and sediment. When the bottle closure is removed, pressure forces this slug out resulting in a crystal clear beer. Just as is done for Champagne, a "dosage" of additional Deus is added to refill the bottle before corking.

What does all this mean for the flavor of the beer? It means that this beer is absolutely the perfect union between Dom Perignon and Duvel. A brilliant spicyness and nutty flavor from the yeast with a wonderful dry flavor, surprising given the 11%+ ABV, makes this absolutely the most romatic and festive beer I have ever had.

Hell, don't take my word for it though:

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/deus-brut-des-flandres/18912/

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/202/7661

Blue Sky Wind Power Report

mark — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:02:52 +0000

Just got our annual report from Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky Program. We purchased 195,600 kilowatt-hours of wind power in 2011. We avoided 234,403 lbs of CO2 release which is the equivalent of 238,329 miles not driven or 2,756 trees planted. It turns out that we actually used 203,366 kilowatt-hours so we missed our 100% goal and ended up at 96.2% wind.

We are making that up right now by purchasing extra blocks to overshoot 2012 usage and get back to 100% wind power overall.

If you are interested in Blue Sky for you home or business check it out at http://www.rockymountainpower.net/bluesky It really isn't that expensive overall and goes a long way to helping keep our air clean. The Beer Nut and Bayou are determined to maintaining a 100% renewable power program.

Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday!

mark — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:52:57 +0000

This Tuesday, March 21st, is Mardi Gras!!! We will be celebrating all night with music by Chalula, beads for everyone (no need to embarrass yourselves), killer beers and great Cajun and Creole food. Get on down and enjoy this traditional day of eating and drinking.

Now, you might not know it from looking through ad's in The City Weekly, but Mardi Gras actually translates to Fat Tuesday. Notice the key usage of the word Tuesday. This means that the holiday occurs on TUESDAY not Friday or Saturday. Of course in Utah we find ourselves celebrating Cinco de Mayo on whatever Saturday or Friday is closest to the Fifth; Independence day on the 4th unless it is a Sunday and then we go to Friday or Saturday using some method I have no understanding of. Same with Halloween where kids use the whole weekend if it falls on a Sunday. At The Bayou we will always celebrate Mardi Gras properly on Tuesday.

Anyway, getting that rant out of my system, Mardi Gras is a day of celebration in Anglican and Catholic traditions, the last day of eating rich, fatty food and drinking before the fasting of the Lenten season which begins on Ash Wednesday (the day after Mardi Gras). While many consider the whole period of festivities leading up to that special Tuesday as "Mardi Gras" really is it more appropriate to call that time Carnival.

If you have ever wondered how the date is calculated (considering that it seems to swing wildly from year to year) here is the forumla: Ash Wednesday is 46 days before Easter. Easter is the Sunday following the full moon following the vernal equinox. However, the vernal equinox and full moon are not determined astronomically (that would make too much sense) but a theoretical model called the Ecclesiastical Full Moon is used. It is long and convoluted process with differences depending on which orthodox group you follow. You can read the whole messy system on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computus

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad

mark — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:52:19 +0000

We finally got in our shipment of this years Bourbon Barrel Quad from Boulevard. You probably missed it the last time it arrived since we might have drank most of it ourselves. Sorry but it was that good. Well, this year we ordered a bit more and a few of you might be lucky enough to get some before we drink it all.

Based loosely on the Smokestack Series’ The Sixth Glass, this abbey-style quadrupel is separated into a number of oak bourbon barrels where it ages for varying lengths of time, some for up to three years. Cherries are added to make up for the “angel's share” of beer lost during barrel aging. Selected barrels are then blended for optimum flavor. The resulting beer retains only very subtle cherry characteristics, with toffee and vanilla notes coming to the fore.

Deschutes Abyss

mark — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:45:40 +0000

Deschutes Abyss 2011

The Denver Westward lists Deschutes Abyss as one of ten beer that "Will make you a man...If they don't kill you first." Well our mostly female staff would argue about whether that actually makes you tougher or not but the fact remains that this stout is big, bold and amazing.

A deep, dark Imperial Stout, The Abyss has almost immeasurable depth and complexity. Hints of molasses, licorice and other alluring flavors make it something not just to quaff, but contemplate.

This beer would keep for years but I don't think that it will last that long at The Bayou

New(ish) Lagunitas Beers

mark — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:38:50 +0000

Ok, it's confession time. We actually received these beers several weeks ago but it was right when we received all our holiday beers as well. They have been available to those in the know (aka those watching the website) and we have been secretly drinking quite a few ourselves. Well, it's time to let the cat out of the bag and share these fine beers with everyone.

Lagunitas Doppel Weizen

A very limited beer which has only been brewed this one time. At 9% ABV this classic German-Style Doppel Weizen has a classic spicy and banana flavor filled with big malt and alcohol.

Currently scoring 96 points on ratebeer.com.

It doesn't look like they are brewing it again this upcoming season so this is your one chance to try this beer for the foreseeable future.

Lagunitas Little Sumpin Wild

Another Big Sister of the Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale.... Lots of Malted Wheat for a Curious Malt Complexity & and Fermented with A Belgian Yeast strain leaving it Huge in Flavor and Satisfaction.

Despite the name, this is actually not a wild fermented beer. That said, it is a fantastic belgian golden ale very similar to duvel or westmalle tripel.

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye

mark — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:23:58 +0000

Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye

Sierra Nevada has brewed this Rye beer for several years but it has only been available on draft at their taproom. After all those years they have finally decided to release this beer to the unwashed and we have gotten our hands on it.

Our good friend Mikey at utahbeer.blogspot.com gives it the following review "The nose is earthy and malty with piney resins. The flavor starts piney with a complex grainy malt character. Next comes hints of cocoa and a mild rye spiciness. The finish is dry and piney."

Ratebeer.com is giving it 98 points. http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/sierra-nevada-ruthless-rye-ipa/159987/

Urthel Samaranth Quadrinium

mark — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:29:01 +0000

Urthel Samaranth 12 Quadrium Ale is perhaps the most undiscovered gem on our beer menu. Dusky, light brown in color with a slightly off-white foam. In the nose, it's sweet and faintly spicy with notes of dried fruit, nuts, chocolate and marzipan.

On the palate, it's big and bold, massively malty and slightly warming from the 11.5% alcohol by volume. It is long and shockingly dry in the finish.

RateBeer.com gives Samaranth 96 out of 100 points while Beer Advocate gives it a solid A-.

While not technically brewed for the holidays, this malty quad is a perfect warming beer for these colder winter days.

300ml 9-

Red Rock Secale and Dogfish Head Life and Limb

mark — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:18:32 +0000

Two new beers have arrived at The Bayou.
The first on our list is Red Rock Brewing's Secale.
Se-cal-le, Latin for rye, is a German style double bock brewed with this all too underappreciate grain, then lagered in High West Rye Whiskey barrels for 6 months. This unique brew, developed by Red Rock head brewer Kevin Templin and High West distiller Brendan Coyle is the first collaboration
between the two since working together at Red Rock in 2006.
The second beer is a colaboration brew between Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada called Life and Limb.
Life & Limb is a 10% ABV strong, dark beer brewed using pure maple syrup from Massachusetts and bottle conditioned using birch syrup from Alaska.

2011 Holiday Beers now Available

mark — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:26:13 +0000

Rare and Limited Holiday Beers

Nearly all of our 2011 holiday beer order has arrived. We are still awaiting delivery on four of them but they should be arriving soon. Supplies are limited and we will not be able to place another order until next year so don't wait too long to give them a try.

Beer Name	Country	ABV	Size	Price
Ølfabrikken Kloster Jul	Denmark	8.0%	650 ml	15-
	Ølfabrikken (The Beer Factory) is a small experimental brewery on the vibrant Danish beer scene. Kloster Jul is a hoppy Christmas Ale brewed with large quantities of American Chinook hops and wonderfully spiced with coriander and cinnamon.
Mikkeller Santa's Helper	Belgium	11.0%	750 ml	21-
	Coming Soon An 11% Belgian quadruple style ale. Delicious with big flavors of cookie dough, chocolate, figs and spice. The addition of actual cocoa powder makes this one incredibly special.
Mikkeller From/To	Belgium	8.0%	750 ml	21-
	The dedicated guys at Mikkeller have simply outdone themselves with this holiday version of a Baltic Porter. Earthy and hoppy with hits of coffee, dark fruit and a full roastiness. A great example of the new hoppy Belgian artisan beer movement.
Struise Tsjeeses	Belgium	10.0%	330 ml	14-
	Coming Soon A deep blonde abbey-style trippel that has been aged for 8 months over different stone fruits. Once you try one you too will say “Tsjeeses, what a beer”.
	“Don't f**k with the Tsjeeses.” --Coen Brothers, Big Lebowski
Struise Tsjeeses Reserva	Belgium	10.0%	330 ml	16-
	Coming Soon Apparently Struise decided to f**k with the Tsjeeses. They took 4 barrels of Tsjeeses and gave it a 6 month aging on oak. How we managed to get some is still a mystery.
Thiriez Bière de Noël	France	6.0%	330 ml	8-
	A beautiful red-gold wheat beer, with quite subtle all-spice and orange peel added. A slightly tart and quite refreshing festive brew. Champagne for the true beer lover.
Fantome Noël	Belgium	6.0%	330 ml	22-
	A very dark and entirely unique holiday seasonal beer, at a whopping 10% alc. by volume. Reportedly spiced with honey, caramel, coriander, black pepper, and other secret ingredients.
La Choulette de Noël	France	7.0%	750 ml	20-
	Stronger, fuller flavored version of the classic bière de garde. The New York Times anointed this beer the ultimate bière de garde, and rightly so. It’s a rich, rare treat from one of France’s old guard craft breweries.

Ridgeway Holiday Beers

The Ridgeway Brewery is named for the oldest road in the British Isles and Europe, running nearly 100 miles, past that other ancient landmark, Stonehenge. It is now only passable by foot.

Bad Elf	UK	6.0%	500 ml	9-
	Old England meets the new world in this strong, warming winter IPA.
Very Bad Elf	UK	7.5%	500 ml	10-
	A Special Old Ale brewed from a 1795 recipe using specially-grown ingredients.
Seriously Bad Elf	UK	9.0%	500 ml	10-
	An English Double Ale with a bit of Belgian character. Unique for the U.K.
Criminally Bad Elf	UK	10.5%	500 ml	11-
	Coming Soon A boffo Barley Wine. Same basic recipe as Thomas Hardy's Ale.
Insanely Bad Elf	UK	12.0%	330 ml	9-
	Coming Soon Billed as an Imperial Red Ale this is a gorgeous and tasty beer.
Warm Welcome	UK	6.0%	500 ml	9-
	A stronger brown ale with more hops than you'd expect.
Santa's Butt	UK	6.0%	500 ml	10-
	Strong porter. The original name for porter was Entire Butt, meaning the whole barrel.
Pickled Santa	UK	6.0%	500 ml	9-
	Amber, spiced Christmas Ale.
Lump of Coal	UK	8.0%	500 ml	11-
	Liquid consolation for a depressing holiday. Considering how bad you have been, this 8% bittersweet chocolate stout is more than you deserve.
Reindeer's Revolt	UK	6.0%	500 ml	10-
	A golden amber, hop-accented, English “winter warmer” brewed without spices.
Reindeer Droppings	UK	6.0%	500 ml	10-
	Falling from the sky like little bombs of flavour come the Reindeer Droppings! Each one is sweet like California raisins, but bitter and pungent like a freshly peeled grapefruit, lip-smackingly tasty...then 'pow!' it's gone.

What the hell are you doing still reading this?!?!? There are beers to be consumed!