Crooked Letter Brewing Company and Gulfport MS… Next up is Mardi Gras!!!

We left Henderson State Park and drove a bit further than we originally had planned as we were trying to escape some of the overnight freezing temperatures forecasted for the eastern coaster areas. As a result we drove through the Florida Panhandle and then through the tunnel in Mobile, Alabama and after nearly 180 miles we pulled into a Passport America called Campgrounds of the South near Gulfport Mississippi. The RV  park is a no frills park but perfectly okay for our short stay in this area. Also, at twenty bucks per night it is budget friendly as we are still trying to save some money after spending so much on our tires for the RV this month.

With all the cold or rainy weather we have had here in Mississippi we haven’t spent anytime along the beautiful coastal area of Gulfport or Biloxi but we did spend some time in a casino and also found a crafted beer brewery as well. So all was not lost…

However when reading and researching Mississippi breweries we were confused about our inability to find Happy Hours or tasting rooms.  According to a fellow we met the craft brewing is in its infancy in Mississippi thanks to the grassroots lobbying efforts of his non-profit group called Raise Your Pints. We learned that home brewing has only just recently been legalized and there are still strict rules associated with new breweries only able to offer tastings through tours or along with food at restaurants.  Lobbying efforts are ongoing to expand and loosen these regulations… Good luck Mississipians!!!
The Brewery we found in Ocean Springs,Crooked Letter Brewing Company, charged $5 for tours that included six samples for each paying adult  These tours.are held on Tuesdays and Saturdays. When purchasing our tour tickets the fellow mentioned that we could buy glasses with their logos on them for an additional $5 to be used for samples instead of the plastic cups… the very small plastic cups. Since we needed some new beer glasses anyway and the logo was nice we shelled out an additional $5 for two glasses. 

We bellied up to the bar for some samples. Our first pour was their Crooked Heffy and after they poured about 1/2 pint into our glasses for the sample we knew buying the glasses turned out to be a really good idea.  The tour was casual and informative and afterward we were allowed to return for our remaining samples. We enjoyed all our samples but really liked two of them. Sharon loved their Mystery Romp Porter and the one I liked, an IPA, was one of the three beers they are making for the sole distribution by the Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi. That’s right the Beau Rivage serves three of their beers made especially for them… pretty cool.

After the tour we moseyed over to a place to grab a bite at the Government Street Grocery not far from the brewery . This bar/restaurant was recommended to us by the brew master at the Crooked Letter Brewery. We shared a real tasty fried gulf shrimp po’ boy and some equally tasty hand cut fries.  A great ending  to a very fun evening for us both…

We liked the beer so much we made a visit to the Beau Rivage Casino on another day for some complimentary drinks and some gaming. I also failed to mention that the Brew Master at the Crooked Letter Brewery will also be at Mardi Gras (our next stop) and invited us to a private party while we are there. We will certainly take advantage of this if we happen to find the party.. Tomorrow we are excitedly headed to the fun-filled festivities in New Orleans for Mardi Gras…