PROFILES IN BREWING By Bobby Bush, author of "Beer & Loafing" Sonny Day of Day Brewing Company in Marrero, Louisiana For Bernard "Sonny" Day, II, it all began with a boat. A 42-foot Chris Craft, he named it "Day Dream." With Lake Ponchatrain as their playground, Sonny and his family enjoyed Louisiana's warm climate and, while cruising this massive body of inland water, beer. After acquiring beer glasses engraved with their pleasure boat's name, Sonny had a bigger idea. He approached Dixie Brewing, the New Orleans brewery founded in 1907, about private branding a special Day Dream beer. A minimum run for the regional brewery, he learned, was 5000 cases, a few more than he and his friends could handle, physically or financially. From this disappointment arose another plan. Why not brew his own beer, open his own brewery? Even though Sonny's only experience with beer to that point was as a consumer, the plot was in motion. First things first, Sonny took to homebrewing, joining the Crescent City Brewers homebrewers' club. Munich Helles, a lilting German-style lager, was identified as his favorite style. He won homebrewing awards, eventually taking his art to the point that he was making commercial-grade beer at home. Temperature-controlled lagering, filtering, counter-pressure bottling, he had everything except a license to brew for distribution. And then, Sonny sold his boat. Giving up one love to pursue another, the proceeds of the sale were used to found Day Brewing Company. A new building, specifically designed for the brewhouse, was leased, putting Sonny and family in the beer business for real. The South New Orleans microbrewery opened in September 1999, twelve years after the initial day dream. During the dozen years between concept and reality, Sonny spent two years working at Dixie Brewing as a maintenance engineer. Though his job was not brewer, he helped out in all phases of beer production. And today, based on that hands-on education, Sonny does all of his own brewery maintenance. Day Brewing is a two man operation, though Sonny's father often assists. All products are sold in bottles and kegs through distributors and can be found throughout the state and in Arkansas and Florida as well. Doug Lindley, former brewer at defunct New Orleans micro Acadian, is second in command. And for Day Brewing's beer? No surprise, a Munich-style Helles is the flagship. "Not real hoppy," as Sonny describes it, Day's Lager goes well with Cajun food. Without being boastful, he calls it "a signature New Orleans taste." Day Light is a low alcohol brew with more character than its pale golden color indicates. A Vienna Amber lager is in the works, as are a number of small batch, keg-only seasonal beers like a Maibock, Pilsner, Oktoberfest and Bavarian Dark. Contract beers, especially Lagniappe Lager, a hoppy fest beer, also play a big role in Day Brewing's output. Big Easy, a German lager brewed for some of Sonny's friends, was added recently. Sonny and Doug work in a 10,000 square foot building equipped with a 20 barrel brewhouse and plenty of 70 barrel fermentation, conditioning and bright tanks. Wide-open, the brewery has a production capacity of 4,000 barrels. In 2001, they hit 1,000 barrels. Though Sonny is happy with Day Brewing's growth, partly because he's finally found a good distributor, he has lofty aspirations. Not today, not tomorrow, but someday in his wish list, he hopes to find that his company has become a small regional brewery. No where near the volume of Sierra Nevada or Anchor Steam, maybe somewhere in the 100,000 barrel range. A beer historian, Sonny "loves what [he's] doing and hopes to one day write a book on the past and present breweries of New Orleans. No doubt, Day Brewing will command more than a page or two. Day Brewing Company 5200 Taravella Rd, Marrero LA 70072-4241 (504) 340-2739 Read more by nationally recognized beer writer Bobby Bush at: |
CALENDAR Additional festival details may be found in the Calendar section 7/26-28 - 15th Oregon Beer Festival - Portland OR One of the major festivals with national attraction. 7/27 - 1st Music City Brewers Festival - Nashville TN Another new southern festival in the heart of music country sponsored by Clear Channel Communications. Look for 20+ craft brewers. 8/3 - Old Dominion Beer Fest Series - Ashburn VA The last in their summer series. 8/17 - 5th Microfestivus - Roanoke VA A craft-beer fest that continues to expand in the heart of Virginia's central valley area. 8/24 - 1st Myrtle Beach Beer Festival - Myrtle Beach SC A new festival in the heart of the Grand Strand. 8/24 - 9th Southern Brewer's Festival - Chattanooga TN 9/4-8 - National Brewery Collectibles CanVention - Lexington KY If you like collectible beer gear and such, head on up to horse country. 9/6-7 - Emerald Coast Beer Festival - Pensacola Beach FL The Escambia Bay Homebrewers hosts brewers from several southern states for a 2-day shindig in the city's Seville Quarter. 9/14 - 6th Great Smokies Brewgrass Festival - Asheville NC 30+ regional craft brewers and top bluegrass entertainers, this year featuring Tony Trischka, re-scheduled from last year. 9/21 - World Beer Festival - Durham NC Over 100 national and international beer brands and regional craft brewers under one gigantic tent. Almost as fun as the circus. 9/27 - Brewer's Ball - Atlanta GA Get out your tux for this high brow gathering and enjoy local craft brews and top local cuisine. 10/3-5 - 21st Great American Beer Festival - Denver CO Do we really need to describe this one to you? 10/19 - 7th Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival - Decatur GA The crisp Fall weather, plus international and domestic brands and Atlanta's craft brewers, make bucolic Decatur the place to be. 10/25 - 8th Charleston International Beer Festival - Mt. Pleasant SC The state's craft brewers join international and domestic brands for this fest situated just north of the bay from Charleston. |
RESOURCES Attending festivals is a great way to explore new beers. But where, oh where, are the festivals? That's an easy questions when you know where to look. Of course, for festivals in the South, Beer South is your answer. But for the rest of the country, and the world for that matter, there do exist several good resources to aid you in your planning. Here are some of the better ones. All About Beer - http://www.allaboutbeer.com/calendar/index.html Beer Festivals - http://www.beerfestivals.org/ Real Beer - http://www.realbeer.com/search/eventscalendar/ |
The material presented on this site is based on information believed to be correct, but is subject to change at anytime. If you have an update, correction, suggestion or any other contribution, please send it to us at: beersouth@mindspring.com. We welcome your input. (c) 1999 - 2002 by Beer South. All Rights Reserved. |
The material presented on this site is based on information believed to be correct, but is subject to change at anytime. If you have an update, correction, suggestion or any other contribution, please send it to us at: beersouth@mindspring.com. We welcome your input. (c) 1999 - 2002 by Beer South. All Rights Reserved. |
July 2002 Newsletter |
Greetings all, Hot enough for ya? Florida readers, please disregard the question. Summer is one of the best times of the year, along with Fall, Spring and Winter (if you like freezing your rear end off.) Again, Florida readers disregard that statement, and, if the word "Winter" has you puzzled, check the dictionary, where you'll see it explained as the reason so many people from Ohio or Canada are in your state clogging the roads and beaches from November to March. Where was I? Oh yeah, Summer. It's the time when many of us get to take some time off and travel. Of course, getting there can be half the fun, especially if one has a good list of brewpubs along a particular route. We are in the process of re-doing our Microbrewery & Brewpub guide and the new edition will be available by the end of July. If you'd like a copy, instructions for receiving one are on the website front page. So, how ever you may enjoy it, make the best of your summer before it slips away. ...The Beer Bwana |
NEWS As July 1 rolled around, many state legislatures wrestled with budget shortfalls and methods to remedy them. It's almost a cliche that when money needs to be found, the "sinners" have to pony up a bigger slice of the pie. This year was no exception, with alcohol taxes (along with gas, tobacco, entertainment and such sources) seeing rates raised in several states. This prompted us to take a look at beer taxes in the eleven states of Beer South country. EXCISE TAX RATES ($ per gallon) / SALES TAX ON BEER? / OTHER TAXES U.S. Median / 0.185 Alabama / 0.53 / Yes / 0.52 per gallon local tax Arkansas / 0.23 / Yes / 10% on-premise tax Florida / 0.48 / Yes / .0267 per 12 oz. on-premise retail tax Georgia / 0.48 / Yes / 0.53 per gallon local tax Kentucky / 0.08 / Yes / 9% wholesale tax Louisiana / 0.32 / Yes / 0.048 per gallon local tax Mississippi / 0.43 / Yes North Carolina / 0.53 / Yes / 0.48 per gallon bulk beer South Carolina / 0.77 / Yes Tennessee* / 0.13 / Yes / 17% wholesale tax Virginia / 0.26 / Yes * Does not reflect recent 10% increase in wholesale alcohol taxes. Source: http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/beer.html To see rates for other "sin" taxes, go to: http://www.taxfoundation.org/variousrates.html |
BREWING CHANGES Closings LA / New Orleans - Acadian Brewing. Having closed and then re-opened a couple of years ago, Acadian recently stopped brewing to become just a bar. It has now closed completely. Personnel TN / Johnson City - Sophisticated Otter. Jay Hollingshead to head brewer from assistant brewer, replacing Reuben Jones. TN / Memphis - Gordon Biersch. Gary Fritze to head brewer from Abita Brewing, Abita Springs LA. |
RESOURCES Attending festivals is a great way to explore new beers. But where, oh where, are the festivals? That's an easy questions when you know where to look. Of course, for festivals in the South, Beer South is your answer. But for the rest of the country, and the world for that matter, there do exist several good resources to aid you in your planning. Here are some of the better ones. All About Beer - http://www.allaboutbeer.com/calendar/index.html Beer Festivals - http://www.beerfestivals.org/ Real Beer - http://www.realbeer.com/search/eventscalendar/ |
CALENDAR Additional festival details may be found in the Calendar section 7/26-28 - 15th Oregon Beer Festival - Portland OR One of the major festivals with national attraction. 7/27 - 1st Music City Brewers Festival - Nashville TN Another new southern festival in the heart of music country sponsored by Clear Channel Communications. Look for 20+ craft brewers. 8/3 - Old Dominion Beer Fest Series - Ashburn VA The last in their summer series. 8/17 - 5th Microfestivus - Roanoke VA A craft-beer fest that continues to expand in the heart of Virginia's central valley area. 8/24 - 1st Myrtle Beach Beer Festival - Myrtle Beach SC A new festival in the heart of the Grand Strand. 8/24 - 9th Southern Brewer's Festival - Chattanooga TN 9/4-8 - National Brewery Collectibles CanVention - Lexington KY If you like collectible beer gear and such, head on up to horse country. 9/6-7 - Emerald Coast Beer Festival - Pensacola Beach FL The Escambia Bay Homebrewers hosts brewers from several southern states for a 2-day shindig in the city's Seville Quarter. 9/14 - 6th Great Smokies Brewgrass Festival - Asheville NC 30+ regional craft brewers and top bluegrass entertainers, this year featuring Tony Trischka, re-scheduled from last year. 9/21 - World Beer Festival - Durham NC Over 100 national and international beer brands and regional craft brewers under one gigantic tent. Almost as fun as the circus. 9/27 - Brewer's Ball - Atlanta GA Get out your tux for this high brow gathering and enjoy local craft brews and top local cuisine. 10/3-5 - 21st Great American Beer Festival - Denver CO Do we really need to describe this one to you? 10/19 - 7th Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival - Decatur GA The crisp Fall weather, plus international and domestic brands and Atlanta's craft brewers, make bucolic Decatur the place to be. 10/25 - 8th Charleston International Beer Festival - Mt. Pleasant SC The state's craft brewers join international and domestic brands for this fest situated just north of the bay from Charleston. |
PROFILES IN BREWING By Bobby Bush, author of "Beer & Loafing" Sonny Day of Day Brewing Company in Marrero, Louisiana For Bernard "Sonny" Day, II, it all began with a boat. A 42-foot Chris Craft, he named it "Day Dream." With Lake Ponchatrain as their playground, Sonny and his family enjoyed Louisiana's warm climate and, while cruising this massive body of inland water, beer. After acquiring beer glasses engraved with their pleasure boat's name, Sonny had a bigger idea. He approached Dixie Brewing, the New Orleans brewery founded in 1907, about private branding a special Day Dream beer. A minimum run for the regional brewery, he learned, was 5000 cases, a few more than he and his friends could handle, physically or financially. From this disappointment arose another plan. Why not brew his own beer, open his own brewery? Even though Sonny's only experience with beer to that point was as a consumer, the plot was in motion. First things first, Sonny took to homebrewing, joining the Crescent City Brewers homebrewers' club. Munich Helles, a lilting German-style lager, was identified as his favorite style. He won homebrewing awards, eventually taking his art to the point that he was making commercial-grade beer at home. Temperature-controlled lagering, filtering, counter-pressure bottling, he had everything except a license to brew for distribution. And then, Sonny sold his boat. Giving up one love to pursue another, the proceeds of the sale were used to found Day Brewing Company. A new building, specifically designed for the brewhouse, was leased, putting Sonny and family in the beer business for real. The South New Orleans microbrewery opened in September 1999, twelve years after the initial day dream. During the dozen years between concept and reality, Sonny spent two years working at Dixie Brewing as a maintenance engineer. Though his job was not brewer, he helped out in all phases of beer production. And today, based on that hands-on education, Sonny does all of his own brewery maintenance. Day Brewing is a two man operation, though Sonny's father often assists. All products are sold in bottles and kegs through distributors and can be found throughout the state and in Arkansas and Florida as well. Doug Lindley, former brewer at defunct New Orleans micro Acadian, is second in command. And for Day Brewing's beer? No surprise, a Munich-style Helles is the flagship. "Not real hoppy," as Sonny describes it, Day's Lager goes well with Cajun food. Without being boastful, he calls it "a signature New Orleans taste." Day Light is a low alcohol brew with more character than its pale golden color indicates. A Vienna Amber lager is in the works, as are a number of small batch, keg-only seasonal beers like a Maibock, Pilsner, Oktoberfest and Bavarian Dark. Contract beers, especially Lagniappe Lager, a hoppy fest beer, also play a big role in Day Brewing's output. Big Easy, a German lager brewed for some of Sonny's friends, was added recently. Sonny and Doug work in a 10,000 square foot building equipped with a 20 barrel brewhouse and plenty of 70 barrel fermentation, conditioning and bright tanks. Wide-open, the brewery has a production capacity of 4,000 barrels. In 2001, they hit 1,000 barrels. Though Sonny is happy with Day Brewing's growth, partly because he's finally found a good distributor, he has lofty aspirations. Not today, not tomorrow, but someday in his wish list, he hopes to find that his company has become a small regional brewery. No where near the volume of Sierra Nevada or Anchor Steam, maybe somewhere in the 100,000 barrel range. A beer historian, Sonny "loves what [he's] doing and hopes to one day write a book on the past and present breweries of New Orleans. No doubt, Day Brewing will command more than a page or two. Day Brewing Company 5200 Taravella Rd, Marrero LA 70072-4241 (504) 340-2739 Read more by nationally recognized beer writer Bobby Bush at: |
===================================================================== Thanks to: Gary Fritze, Peter Jensch, Stephen Johnson, Jim Norton Until August, cheers, The Beer Bwana |
