Red River Brewing Company - Session 18

Named in honor of Louisiana being the 18th state to be admitted to the Union, this session IPA gets off to a great start by looking inviting in the glass: golden-copper in color with a robust, dense, and persistent cap of foam. We found the beer immediately impressive on the nose with luscious, fruity hop aromas of citrus and tropical fruits softened by engaging floral notes. 3.9% ABV never smelled so good. Look for those hop aromas to deliver in the flavor department too, with bright, zesty citric fruitiness leading the way. Unlike a lot of session IPAs we sample, Session 18 doesn't come across compromised, wimpy, or in any way a lesser beer than a standard IPA. The body is fairly light, but not overly so, and there's so much flavor from both the vivid hops and the malt backbone (which boasts a grain bill featuring five different malts) that we all felt it was simply delicious, session ale or not. For food pairings, we'd recommend bright and bold seafood dishes like a spicy ceviche, or Thai spring rolls, tangy blue cheeses, or marinated Mexican grilled chicken. Cheers!

Founded by Jared Beville and Beau Raines in 2013, Red River Brewing Company is named in honor of Shreveport's main waterway, which separates it from its sister, Bossier City, on the opposite bank. Until now, this area of the country has been a bit behind the rest of the nation in the growth of the craft beer industry, although that's beginning to change. In the Shreveport-Bossier City area specifically, Red River, as well as Great Raft Brewing and Flying Heart Brewing, have really helped raise the profile of better beer throughout the region.

Formerly garage homebrewers, Beville and Raines recognized the potential that Shreveport offered for turning their hobby into a full-scale business. For its first couple of years in operation, Red River existed as a relatively small outfit whose beers could generally only be found at local bars and restaurants. But in 2015, the duo secured a new, much larger location in downtown Shreveport to serve as a new brewing facility as well as a taproom (which opened in 2016) to serve the public directly. Just a few hundred yards down the road from their original facility, the new Red River brewery has allowed them to jump from a tiny 5-barrel brewing system to a much more robust 20-barrel system. Additionally, the brewery and attached Taproom is serving to help revitalize the downtown area, attracting lots of people looking to enjoy good beer, and often, live music. Plus, visitors can enjoy excellent gastropub-style food from chef Anthony Felan's Fat Calf Boucherie, a food trailer located at Red River's parking lot. For more info about the brewery, tours, and Red River's Taproom, check out www.redriverbeer.com.