Mardi Gras Monday: Alcohol
  photo credit: nyki_m |
If you want to learn about “portion distortion”, head to Bourbon St. on a Saturday night.
Between the “Huge Ass” beers, fishbowl hurricanes, giant hand grenade glasses and much more, “only having a couple of drinks” is even more meaningless to the nice police officers than usual.
Alcohol is entwined with Mardi Gras in a way that no one can deny. From drunken revelry in the French Quarter to the wine tastings in the Garden District, alcohol is practically the gasoline that fuels Mardi Gras.
Now, I have to plead a little bit of ignorance. I’m not really much of a drinker, I much prefer a glass of wine at home to a pair of hurricanes in the quarter. However, I’ve brought in a little bit of help (from both Google and harder drinking friends) and am going to bring you the need-to-know information about drinking during Mardi Gras.
A Word About Open Containers
Before we go any farther, we need to stop and talk about New Orleans open container law. Within the city, it is perfectly legal to carry an open alcoholic container in the street. No need for brown paper bags or anything to the like. You’re allowed to drink and have drinks in pubilc.
The caveat is that your drinks can not be in glass containers. The reason is that glass gets dropped and shatters, becoming a danger for others on the street, especially pedestrians. That problem is amplified along parade routes and the French Quarter, where people are crammed in tight and can’t watch their feet.
During most weeks of the year, the police are pretty relaxed on this policy. They might remind you to get a plastic cup or otherwise nudge you to throw out the container, but they rarely write tickets. However, around Mardi Gras, cops are working way too much overtime and the danger is far greater. The police do not hesitate to write tickets for this infraction.
It may not sink your Mardi Gras vacation, but it can be a great way to put a damper on your day.
The good news is that most places that sell alcohol in New Orleans do so in plastic containers. You’ll be hard pressed to find a glass beer bottle anywhere in the French Quarter. If you are smart enough to not bring glass bottles with you, you’ll probably be fine. Do be wary of the places that are selling glass bottles though, they are trying to keep you in the bar sneakily.
What You’re Supposed to Drink
If you come to New Orleans, your friends and family will tell you that you need to drink certain traditional beverages while you are here, including the following:
- Hurricanes: Defining a Hurricane has become pretty tricky. Traditionally it is a drink that mixes a series of rums with strong-flavored juices along with some lemon/lime soda and crusted ice. Usually served in a distinct “hurricane glass”. The idea is to hide the rum flavor, which a good Hurricane does well, making it taste more like juice or Kool-Aid while still packing a strong alcoholic punch. Now though, variations include nearly every kind of alcohol, every kind of juice and every kind of container, most amusing being a fishbowl. Best (and most traditional) Hurricanes are usually found at Pat O’Brien’s on Bourbon.
- Hand Grenades: Little is known about the Hand Grenade. It is served only in a few locations in New Orleans, the main one being the Tropical Isle on Bourbon St. and it is served in a long glass fashioned like an old stick grenade. Though it claims to be New Orleans’ strongest drink, that title is very much in dispute. It boasts a very melon-like flavor and is served through a long straw. It has a natural advantage in the French Quarter as it is difficult to spill the glass, even in the jostling crowds, but one does have to go to great lengths to get one at times as they are both scarce and popular.
- The Jester: Widely viewed as a knock off of the Hand Grenade, The Jester tries to claim the title of New Orleans’ strongest drinks by, allegedly, packing more alcohol into the concoction. Most seem to prefer Hand Grenades but there are more than a few defenders of The Jester, including a lot of bleary-eyed drinkers in the early AM.
The problem with these drinks is that, while you should definitely try them, they are also very expensive. Though most drinks on Bourbon St. are cheap, these specialty drinks can run up a tab in a hurry, costing five dollars or more on the cheap end. Though they are large drinks that will certainly last with you for some time, most people quickly switch to other beverages to save money and, more importantly, avoid unnecessary trips to the restroom.
What You Will Be Drinking
If you’re like most tourists, you will try, and enjoy, the famous mixed drinks but end up steering clear of them for most of the time. As good as they are, most people just return to their roots.
As such, you’ll likely be switching to beer (Bourbon St. being famous for its “Huge Ass” beers for a few dollars) and, more importantly, shots.
Shots are probably the best drinking tip anyone can give you during Mardi Gras time. The reason is that shots give one the right amount of alcohol at a good price, usually around $2 a shot, and it doesn’t come with a need to go to the restroom every few hours.
Though the city of New Orleans brings in a lot of portable toilets for Mardi Gras season, you’re probably not going to be too eager to visit them, so doing the occasional shot, as opposed to carrying around a beer or mixed drink, will keep you from needing a restroom too often while helping you keep your blood alcohol level about where you want it.
However, I do encourage everyone to at least try the better-known local drinks. They are pretty good and well worth experiencing at least once. If you’re a drinker at all, you’d be remiss to not get at least a sip.
Bottom Line
Personally, I have a rule that I don’t drink at Mardi Gras time and, if I do, it is limited to one or two small beverages a day. Cost is a big factor in it but wanting to keep my wits about me is far more important. Since I will be doing at least some driving every given day, for me, keeping alcohol to a minimum is crucial, if I don’t just cut it out completely, which is much more typical.
There are plenty of things to do in the French Quarter that don’t require drinking to enjoy, in fact, I find that I have a lot more fun with my camera and a friendly smile. If you’re going to be in town for a week or more, why not make at least one day an alcohol-free day, perhaps on the weekend before, just to see how it goes?
Above all else though, be safe when drinking in the city. You don’t want your Mardi Gras story to end with an arrest, a regrettable affair or, even worse, a horrible accident. Be smart, be safe and know your limits.
I know it’s Mardi Gras, but you’re going to want to go home at some point…
