Festivities: New Orleans on Tap

This is the next part of my experience at New Orleans on Tap, which is a fund raiser for the SPCA sponsored by The Bulldog. You don't necessarily need to the previous post, but it helps.

I live roughly 7-10 miles from City Park. I run between 7-10 miles on Saturdays, takes me anywhere from 90-120 minutes in the summer. That seemed like a possibility. However, I didn't want to end up at City Park completely covered in sweat just 65-70% covered, and dehydrated before I started sampling beer. Next thought was riding my bicycle, but same problem just shorter time to get to City Park. Therefore, I needed alternative ways of getting there, and driving was out of the question (over 200 beers to sample). Public transportation was the correct answer.

The way I operate public transportation is based on a simple system- is there an all day pass that allows me to jump on and off as many times I want and which modes will it allow me to utilize said pass? If a city has such a pass, I find the general direction I figure I'm suppose to go and jump on the first line. Once on transportation system, I check to see if I am going in the right direction or on the correct line. If not, jump off and find the right one. It might take longer to get somewhere, but it is way more fun. Recap: 1) Day pass 2) General direction 3) Check once on moving object to ensure you are on the correct route. 4) If not get off and repeat. 5) Find a map later.

New Orleans Regional Transportation Authority have buses and streetcars and an all day pass called the Jazzy Pass, which is three dollars and allows someone to hop on buses and streetcars all day. Perfect. The ancillary beauty of said pass is the fact that I don't have to remember to save coins for the ride home.

So not to bore you too much, I used feet, streetcars, and buses to get to City Park. I think it took about an hour of jumping on and off. It was a bright, sunny day and I was heading towards beertown, so all was right in the world.

I got my tickets to acquire samples and bands: one for being age appropriate and a second to get into the VIP area. My head was spinning with possibilities. I made a round to see all that was available. There were even two sections of homebrews as part of the cornucopia of beer. There were sample sizes (3oz) and for extra tickets a larger size (9oz). Some 3 oz cup beers cost 1-3 tickets, and the 9 oz cups were double whatever the 3 oz cups of beer. I had to plot out a course of action. Furthermore, the VIP section had beers that were not available in the other areas. There was also a selection of food to purchase.

Step 1: I ordered a drunken pig sandwich.
Step 2: Walk to VIP area because there were tables and umbrellas to block the sun.
Step 3: Ordered my first beer in the VIP tent (a 9oz to go with food)
Step 4: Map out beer consumption

The sandwich was really good, and I wish I could remember the people that I bought it from, but apparently beer was the only thing on my mind.

I had a favorite, but I will be reviewing that here.

Here is a list of some of my favorite beers that I enjoyed:

Cellar Door by Stillwater Artisan Ales
Class of '88 Barleywine Ale by Deschutes Brewery
American Wheat with Blueberries by Sweetwater Brewing Company
Ephemere Pomme by Unibroue
Miel Sauvage by Bayou Teche
There were a couple of homebrew that were amazing, but there names fail me.

Over the course of the day, I ran into a couple of people I knew, but without fail I ran into my cousin- Marianne. I really don't know how to describe her other than I can riff with her all night long- often times making me laugh hard enough to have streaming tears. Eight years my junior, but many of the same interest. During the Hurricane Issac last year, we stayed with her mom in Baton Rouge. The night was spent enjoying spirits, playing Cthulhu Gloom, and listening to Buffy the Musical on CD (hers not mine). To some this may seem boring or bizarre, to us it was a great night. Needless to say (but I will anyway), we had a fun during the New Orleans on Tap festivities.

After having many samples of a variety of beers, listening to some music, getting a free 24 oz of Ocktoberfest beer (a wink and flirt can get you so much), and laughing until it hurt it was time to retire. Marianne brought me home, through her own designated driver. We had a short stop for herbal chicken, biscuits, and fries, then it was bed and movies. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday in September. I look forward to next years New Orleans on Tap.

Until I ramble on again. . .