ABITA AMBER - THE BIG EASY'S BIG EASY

I used to get out to New Orleans on a fairly regular basis before Katrina; the convention center there was huge, and hosted dozens of trade shows every year, a small handful of which I got to go to, courtesy of my various companies' expense accounts. What a great to city to spend someone else's money in. I always had a great time in New Orleans, and I am certain to go back on my own dime at some time or another. Waiting for me there, as they always have, will be the beers of ABITA BREWING. Their TURBO DOG was totally ubiquitous down there in the early 90s, and as part of my "drink local" strategy, one I'm of course not alone in employing, I drank it on every trip. Was it "all that", as they say in that town? Well, that particular dark brown ale was certainly good enough when I had it, and now it's distributed all over the US. There must be something to it.

A couple weeks ago I washed down a cajun meal at a Santa Barbara, CA restaurant with a very satisfying bottle of ABITA AMBER, the second Abita product of my lifetime. I was impressed. This copper-colored amber was nearly perfect for the job at hand, which was to quell, in as pleasurable a manner of possible, the fires that had risen forth from gumbo and a ridiculously-spiced pasta I was enjoying . Though not a standout, it has a fine roasted malt backbone and a vaguely caramel taste. It's a solid amber that's perfect for restaurants of this ilk, maybe giving some truth to the whole beer-pairs-well-with-food thing I keep hearing about. 7/10 - can I please have another?