Jause, the Second Breakfast

I had some cracklins from Don's Meat Market in Scott, Louisiana and a glass of Independence Pale Ale for jause this morning. The second breakfast, known as "jause" in Austria or zweites frühstück in Germany, is a fine old tradition that I have adopted at my house. Sausage or cold cuts, served with toast and a small glass of beer, is typical for the second breakfast, which is served at 10:30 or 11 a.m.

Independence Pale Ale is the first beer I have sampled from the Independence Brewing Company, which was founded in 2004 in South Austin. Made with Pacific Northwest hops and then generously dry-hopped with Cascade hops, it's a beer for hopheads. The label features a picture of Angelina Eberly, an Austin innkeeper who fired a cannon at Sam Houston's troops when they tried to remove the state archives to Washington on the Brazos. Is Eberly a symbol of Independence, or internecine warfare? Depends on where you live, I guess.

Independence Pale Ale is an excellent second breakfast beer with bacon or cracklins. It really cuts the pork fat. I look forward to trying Independence Brewing Company's Stash IPA, a seasonal offering that is hopped five times.