The Barrel - New Bar in Broussard

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A new whiskey bar set to open this month in Broussard will offer barrel-aged cocktails, specialty wine and local craft beer in a smoke-free environment. The Barrel will offer an alternative to the traditional bar venues in the Broussard, Youngsville and Milton area, according to the bar's general manager Paul Landry. "The idea we're working with is for an upscale whiskey bar that offers the Broussard crowd something that's smoke-free and nicer than a daiquiri shop," Landry says.

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I went for the ribbon cutting last week. Small bar but pretty nice. They were doing 25% off your tab so I had a glass or two of Stag's Leap - Artemis. $12 per glass was much cheaper than I've seen anywhere else. Don't go for your typical budlight though ($5 per bottle).


They also used this bad arse little wine gadget. They've been around a while but I've never seen one used in person. It inserts a needle through the cork, uses argon canisters to pressurize the bottle and pour the wine. The needle can then be extracted and the cork re-seals itself leaving only the argon behind. Because the bottle doesn't come into contact with O2, it can remain on the shelf for several months/years.

I thought it was pretty cool because it allows just about any traditionally corked bottle to be served by the glass. Only downside is the Coravin unit runs about $350 and the argon canisters are $10 each. Fortunately, I never have leftover wine at home so it probably won't be necessary. It could be useful for those wanting to see how an older wine has aged without popping the cork.