You may think that NOLA stands for New Orleans, Louisiana, and you would be right. Since 2008, however, I’m happy to tell you that it also has a new meaning: New Orleans Lager and Ale Brewing Company. Pretty neat, that. NOLA is an upstart producing a number of brews for the growing craft beer market in the Bayou state, among them NOLA Rebirth Pale Ale, an American Pale Ale by style.
Rebirth Pale Ale seems a relatively new arrival for NOLA. It’s not listed amongst their other brews on the company website, although the NOLA Facebook page announces it will be for sale in cans at the brewery as of July, 2014. I got a can straight from the brewery from our own Erik Bierbiker, a can he procured on one of his legendary cross-country, brewery touring bike trips.
From the can label:
Rebirth: A word that inspired the return of the Crescent City after devastation, the Grammy Award winning brass band that represents New Orleans, and the name of our Citra and Simcoe hopped Pale Ale. A portion of the profits from this beer goes to The Roots of Music, empowering New Orleans youth while preserving our musical heritage.
My can lists an alcohol content of 5% by volume but no IBU stat is given. It is freshness dated as best by 12/25/2014. The bottom of the can has Feel like drinking it stamped by the freshness date, and the clever line Laissez la bonne biere versez (let the good beer pour) on the can label.
NOLA Brewing Rebirth Pale Ale pours to a brilliant orange color with a moderate sized foamy head and a big aroma of resin and juicy fruit gum in the nose. Taking a sip, the beer is pleasant up front with a medium caramel body and plenty of hops to follow. They’re a little juicy fruity, slightly citric, resiny and at the last they linger with a respectable herbal bitterness that’s long and dry. Hats off to NOLA on this one, they’ve made a tasty pale ale with lots of hop character in a moderate strengthen pale ale that still manages to show some malt background. Good hop burps, too.
Folks, this is the American Pale Ale style, a hoppy pale ale with decent malt, that the modern “Session IPA” apes with a little less malt. Here, it’s done with balance, and done very well indeed. This is a beer that I would buy again for sure, and you should too.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft