Red Stick Rye, Pompous Pelican and Swamp Sting are the three beers brewed weekly by the relatively new Southern Craft Brewing Company of Baton Rouge.
Red Stick Rye is their winning beer, taking second place in 2011 at the National Homebrew Competition in San Diego. This beer’s featured ingredient is Carolina rye malt.
Red Stick Rye is the beer that started it all for Joseph Picou and Wes Hedges, owners of Southern Craft.
That said, Pompous Pelican currently is the most popular, Picou said. Pompous Pelican is a “smooth drinking double IPA.” It is made with raw cane and southern Cascade hops.  
Swamp Sting was only a seasonal beer to begin with, but it was so liked, say the owners, it is now one of the beers Southern Craft features. Why Swamp Sting? Honey. This beer is a light American ale with a sweet kick from the Louisiana honey mixed in.
With the eating and drinking culture of Louisiana, it is hard to believe that Baton Rouge had but a single brewery, Tin Roof, before Southern Craf Brewing.  Overall, Louisiana currently has 22 active microbreweries, according to ratebeer.com.
Southern Craft Brewing opened in May, but Picou has been home-brewing for 10 years. His interests in brewing his own beer came from a European vacation with in 2006.
He traveled from one European town to another, making sure to visit every brewery.  The experience of unique-tasting brews sparked his interest, Picou said.
Returning home, he saw a Samuel Adams commercial for a home brewing contest. Picou figured why not?
“I totally missed the competition, but I had fun doing it, and a really good beer came of it.”
Being an engineer by day, Picou enjoyed learning the steps of making one’s own beer. He says commercial brewing is just like home brewing, it’s just that it’s on a much larger scale.
Nearly 500 gallons are the result of one batch, or about 90 kegs, Picou said. As of now, Southern Craft is only selling beer by the keg. Sometime in 2017, they plan on selling cans and bottles.
Some Baton Rouge bars and restaurants carry the beer, the largest being The Bulldog, Parrain’s Seafood Restaurant, Burgersmith locations and The Chimes..
Red Stick Rye, Pompous Pelican, and Swamp Sting can be sampled at Southern Craft’s tap room. Each Friday, the tap room is open from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. for tastings. Additionally, Picou gives free tours at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. of his brewery, 14141 Airline Highway, located in Barringer Foreman Technology Park.