Please give a warm welcome to DC Beer Media’s publisher and Southeastern US correspondent, Richard Fawal!

A Brewery as Unique as New Orleans

I love New Orleans. I grew up in the South, and I’ve been visiting The Big Easy regularly for nearly 40 years. For half of those years, I lived in the D.C. Metro area, where I gained much of my craft beer education at Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG) establishments.

There is no doubt that NRG has made an indelible mark on the D.C. area’s culinary and craft beer scene with classic beer-forward establishments like Rustico, Churchkey, The Sovereign, and others. On a recent trip to New Orleans, I discovered the delicious ways NRG is making its mark on the Crescent City.

At Brewery Saint X and Devil Moon Barbeque, Greg Engert and his partners have created an experience that adds something unique to the town’s famous offerings. 

Walking in, the experience will be familiar to anyone who’s been to Bluejacket or Shelter. It’s open and breezy, all wood and metal, and feels immediately like you belong. There are more big-screen TVs than I typically like to see, but NOLA is a sports city, and the brewery’s location two blocks from the Superdome means fans are an important customer base.

It’s the beer that truly makes Saint X special, though. Engert pointed out that local regulations forced them to make some tough decisions. “​​[In New Orleans] you can have a full-fledged kitchen, where you can serve wine and spirits and have a bar, but you forego your ability to distribute. Or you can be a production facility and not have a full bar or a full-fledged kitchen, but you have the ability to distribute. When we looked at it, we were like, well, we want to be a bar.”

In many ways, Ro Guenzel has replicated his Bluejacket success, but it’s clear he’s learned a lot from the DC brewery and has incorporated that knowledge into the Saint X brewhouse.

“Brewery Saint X, much like Bluejacket, was built to be a flexible brewery,” he said. “We opted for a smaller seven-barrel system consisting of a combination mash kettle-wort, kettle-whirlpool, and lauter tun.”

There are some additional innovations that are specific to the smaller space. “We were able to install a boiler at Saint X for a steam-fired kettle,” Guenzel said. “We also installed four horizontal maturation tanks for the aging of our lager style beers and have an open fermenter for production of Weissbier.”

In addition to the parameters imposed by local regulations, New Orleans required another deviation from the Bluejacket model. The District’s water is consistent, so the Bluejacket brewers condition the tap water with minerals and salts to achieve the desired profile for specific beers. 

However, the profile of New Orleans water changes throughout the year, so NRG installed a reverse osmosis system at Saint X to avoid constant testing and calibrating. Brewers start with pure water and build up the profile from scratch for each specific brew.

A beer for every palate in a town that loves to drink

At Saint X, the high quality of the beer speaks to the attention to detail Engert and Guenzel put into the brewery. During my visit, I sampled all 15 drafts and the four brews in the lagering tanks, and each was technically immaculate. 

That’s to be expected from this team, but I was truly impressed with the variety of styles and the thoughtfulness of the offerings. 

This is New Orleans, after all, where Pat O’Brien’s Bar made the Hurricane cocktail famous, and nearly every bar on Bourbon Street proudly displays a mind-boggling selection of alcoholic slushies designed to deliver the booze in a way that combats the steamy climate. How does a brew pub compete?

At Saint X, NRG has embraced the local culture by offering an excellent selection of unique cocktails and keeping the beer menu stocked with crisp, refreshing styles designed for an all-day drinking experience. While you’ll be sure to find a strong Hazy and Double IPA on tap, nearly all of the other offerings — lagers, Weissbiers, and Saisons — are under seven percent ABV, and most are under six percent. Brewery Saint X even has a couple of beer engines pouring traditionally brewed cask ales for the serious session drinker.

Finger-licking Good

NRG is a restaurant company, of course, and their Brewery Saint X-adjacent Devil Moon Barbeque lives up to the company’s stellar reputation. With a menu crafted by award-winning chef and pitmaster Shannon Bingham, the perfectly slow-cooked and smoked meat is extraordinarily good.

As I mentioned, I grew up in the South, where barbeque is a staple. I love smoked chicken in white sauce from Alabama, Carolina whole hog, Hill Country brisket, Memphis ribs, and every other style available. At Devil Moon, we sampled every meat and nearly every side dish on offer, and I was truly blown away. The wings, sausage, and brisket were on par with the best I’ve had anywhere. 

NRG’s choice to open a barbeque restaurant in New Orleans was as thoughtful as its approach to the brewery. After all, The Big Easy is definitely a foodie town, and the home of great styles like Soul Food and Creole and dishes like gumbo and po’ boys. As Engert put it, “Among all the things New Orleans has, and they have a lot, we didn’t feel like barbecue was overdone, and we felt like we could make an impact with some barbecue.”

I can attest that they’ve had an impact on me. I will be returning when I visit the Crescent City.

Welcome, Come On In

The beer was excellent. The food was outstanding. But the trifecta was completed by the fantastic staff, who were as kind and attentive as I’ve ever experienced. 

My friend and I arrived in the early afternoon and sat at the bar, where Samantha engaged us immediately with a welcoming smile and great conversation. Her seemingly effortless ability to keep every patron in food and drink was a joy to behold.

When a group of frat brothers in town for a bachelor party sidled up to the bar looking to start their weekend with shots, I knew I was watching a master at work. I would return to Brewery Saint X just to watch Samantha work.

Malcome, the General Manager, paid particular attention to us as well. Each time we tried a new beer or food item, he stopped by to ask if there was anything we needed and our opinion of the selection. 

I’ve known a lot of brewers, but Saint X’s on-site brewer, Harold Dale, was as friendly and outgoing as anyone I’ve ever met. Every brewer I’ve known loves talking about their craft, but Harold’s absolute joy while explaining brewery operations to my friend was truly heartwarming. 

A New Tradition

There are a few things I try not to miss when I visit New Orleans: Trumpet Mafia on Tuesdays at the Royal Frenchman Hotel. A long afternoon at Parleaux Beer Lab in Bywater followed by live music at Vaughn’s. The patio at Brieux Carre and brunch at Ruby Slipper Cafe. The Crown & Anchor English Pub in Algiers.

I’m adding Brewery Saint X and Devil Moon Barbeque to the list. They will be part of my future visits to one of my favorite cities, and I highly recommend them to anyone visiting New Orleans.