Kingfish makes appeal to the masses

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June 25, 2014
Clustafunk turn hits of all genres into party ballads
June 25, 2014
Pizza & Spaghetti House draws neighbors
June 25, 2014

“I’m a small fish here in Washington, but I’m ‘the Kingfish’ to the folks down in Louisiana.” Those words, spoken nearly 100 years ago stir up visions of one of Louisiana’s most colorful characters, Huey Pierce Long. The quote sheds light on the origins of his infamous nickname “The Kingfish.”

Chafunkta Brewing Co. in Mandeville has breathed new life into the moniker with their Kingfish Ale. An American Cream Ale, this style of beer spawned from the typical American light lager style that thrived in the United States following Prohibition. The style actually became popular in Canada during Prohibition, and after the ratification of the 21st Amendment, the style flourished in the Northern reaches of the U.S. In fact when the very first beer in a can hit the market in 1935, the beer inside that can was Krueger Cream Ale.


Cream ale came into being in the 1880s as an invention by American brewers who needed to compete with the lagers that began to spread westward from the eastern seaboard following the Civil War. This “anti-lager” style was defined by broad concepts of what it was and what was not: The brew had to be more German “lager-ish” than British “ale-ish” in both appearance and drinkability.

Those who tend to shy away from craft beer would find this brew a great “segue beer” – not too heavy or dark with minimum hop bitterness. If you decide to give this one a try, do yourself a favor and pour it into a glass.

Seriously. If you’re a strict “from the bottle” kind of person, humor me. Give it a try.


Marvel at the thick, white frothy head and it’s golden straw appearance (darker than most cream ales thanks to the caramel malt) – a sight to behold and one that a bottle cannot reveal. Give it a few quick sniffs and note the strong and sweet aroma of lightly roasted grain, maize and barley. The taste follows the nose, with grainy malts and a residual sweetness and a light hop note.

As you imbibe, note the lines – or lacing – that the rich head leaves on the sides of the glass. The low hop bitterness leaves a slick, crisp finish and makes this one a highly drinkable brew. Clocking in at 5.0% ABV (alcohol by volume) and only 18 IBUS (International Bitterness Units), this is a craft beer that can certainly appeal to the masses.

Learn more at chafunktabrew.com or friend them on Facebook.


– Joel is President of the Bayou Beer Society and founder of the Bayou Beer Fest who blogs about beer at www.bayoubeersociety.org. A graphic artist by trade, he is also a Home Brewer, frustrated golfer, dabbles as a woodworker and is Cicerone® Program Certified Beer Server. His lovely wife, Michelle, puts up with him quite well and feels his influence on their four kids is minimally destructive. Prost!

Kingfish