Route Beers

You're asking for your ice chest to be pillaged, but don't cheat yourself out of a fine brew or two on the sidelines of this year's parades. While you can't go wrong with many of the year-round and seasonal offerings of our region's breweries—it's a great time to be a Louisiana craft beer drinker, innit?—two beers stick out to us as prime for a Carnival crush.

Abita Brewery's Bad Mother Shucker Oyster Stout emerged from the Northshore in 2011 as the Imperial Louisiana Oyster Stout. (We like this name change, which came about a few years ago, as mothers will likely steer their kids away from you and you'll stand a better chance at choice beads when the floats roll by.) Homebrewer Kerry Dale Yoes, of Zachary, crafted the mix of pale, caramel, roasted, and chocolate malts; Willamette hops; sweet oats; and a swish of Louisiana oysters to win the opportunity for Abita to brew and bottle his beer. He's not the first brewer to toss a few rocks into the mix for an infusion of salt and umami, but Yoes and the team at Abita nail the briny balance. The result is a stout that's unusually drinkable, lacking the syrup and wintry coat of its brethren. Oats, chocolate, oysters, and caramel don't so much battle it out as they do embrace. The beer comes in a bottle, so you'll want to catch a cup early on along the route to make your consumption street legal. abita.com.

Another brew to consider is the Paradise Park Lager, just released from New Orleans' Urban South Brewery. Mint-green cans are speckled with tiny flamingos, which we'll gladly tote along to Spanish Town Mardi Gras this year. The single-hop, single-malt lager (Huell Melon hops and German pilsner malt) is just as pleasing to drink as it is to look at. It's a bold flavor that won't bow down under the late winter sun. Have three to be sure and then attempt your best flamingo impression. We're all rooting for you! urbansouthbrewery.com.