Table of Contents:
NEW LOUISIANA BEER.
LOUISIANA BREWERIES
SUMMARY
Wines of Louisiana, Taste Louisiana, Louisiana Spirits.
Old Louisiana Beer.
Did you ever wonder why beer was so popular in Louisiana? Or why Zydeco music includes an accordion?
It’s the Germans. What? In Louisiana?
In 1718, John Law, who is running the Louisiana Company from France, is looking for unsuspecting dupes. He has swampland in Louisiana to unload on them.He goes to France’s new Alsatian region, full of Germans and Swiss. Until recently, they were living in Germany. Then there is a shift in the borders, and they live in France. Not happy with French rule, they buy into the dream.
Many die en-route. Even more of the settlers die after arriving at the swamp area around Biloxi.
By 1721, the remaining Germans are in New Orleans, not much more than a port area at that time. Karl D’Arensbourg talks them out of returning to Germany and settling in an area 25 miles upriver.
The Germans, as early as 1724, are supplying excess food to the faltering New Orleans. When John Law’s company disintegrates around 1731, the settlers are no longer indentured.
They continue to farm and supply New Orleans. They are probably responsible for getting New Orleans through its first several years.
The region becomes known as the Lac des Allemands (Lake of the German). They refer to it as the Cote des Allemands (Coast of the Germans) along the river.
A Brewery
The La Brassiere Brewery opens for business around 1723. They are the first manufacturing establishment in the city of New Orleans. There is no clear information on how long they were in business.
The next brewery to open isn’t until 1852. The Fasnacht brothers start Fasnacht Brewery. They sell out to the Erath and Company Brewery 13 years later.
By the mid-1880s, New Orleans is the beer capital of the south.
1890 is a banner year. The American Brewery opens.
The same year, the Louisiana Brewing Company and five other smaller breweries merge to become the New Orleans Brewing Co. They produce Eagle Beer, Double Eagle Ale, and 4-X Beer.
Jackson Bohemian Brewery also opens. It will remain in business until 1974, doing business as Jackson Brewery.
The Columbia Brewing Co. opens during the last months of the century. It will close in 1924.
By the turn of the century, there are around 30 breweries in New Orleans.
The New Century
Breweries continue to open. The Dixie Brewing Company powers up in 1907.
The National Brewing Co. opens in 1911 but closes in 1920.
Union Brewing Co. opens in 1914 and closes in 1927.
By the time of Prohibition in 1920, there are around 40 breweries in operation.
Some breweries can stay in business by making “near-beer,” a very low alcohol beverage still legal.
Others began bottling sodas or any other beverages they could.
Post Prohibition
Only a few are producing beer by 1933.
Louisiana Brewing company and its Eagle Beer survives until 1949.
The American Brewery reopens making Regal beer. It is their most successful beer, lasting until 1962.
Jackson Brewery continues to make JAX beer. They have legal disputes with a brewery in Jacksonville, Florida, that makes JAX beer. Pearl Brewery acquires them circa 1974.
Only one “new” beer pops up after prohibition. The Falstaff Brewing Co out of St Louis buys the National Brewery building in 1937 and begins brewing Falstaff. The plant closes in 1979 due to falling sales.
Dixie Brewery rides through Prohibition as the Dixie Beverage Company. They flip back to beer production and continues until 2005.
The brewery receives severe damage by floodwaters from Hurricane Katrina. Then, looters take most of their equipment. They have to use breweries in other states to continue making Dixie beer.
New Beer
By 1980, Dixie is the only “old” beer company still producing in New Orleans. A few U.S. Breweries buy up the small players with Large European companies buying up the rest.
Today, three European companies own the majority of mainline breweries.
By the mid-1980s, beer drinkers are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. Craft and Microbreweries begin popping up across America.
Louisiana is no different. The 1986 opening of the Abita Brewing Company is a new chapter in Louisiana beer. The Crescent City Brewhouse opens five years later.
Today, there are more than 30 breweries in the Pelican State.
With each brewery turning out several flavors, that means the serious beer drinker has their work cut out for them.
Louisiana Beers
The list is changing almost daily, but here are some as a starting point.
Notice how many are not in New Orleans. Get out and see the rest of Louisiana.
New Orleans
Crescent City Brewhouse (New Orleans, 1991) – Restaurant with an in-house brewery.
New Orleans Lager and Ale Brewing Company (New Orleans, 2009) – Brewery, tours, and taproom.
Second Line Brewing (New Orleans, 2014) – Taproom/Beer Garden.
Courtyard Brewery (New Orleans, 2015) – Tap Room.
Urban South Brewery (New Orleans, 2016) – Kid-friendly Taproom.
Brieux Carré Brewery (New Orleans, 2017) – Taproom.
Parleaux Beer Lab (New Orleans, 2017) – Taproom open select days.
Port Orleans Brewing Company (New Orleans, 2017) – BrewPub with an in-house brewery.
Royal Brewery New Orleans (New Orleans, 2017) – Taproom open select days.
Meil (New Orleans, 2018) – Taproom.
Louisiana Beer outside Nola
Abita Brewing Company (Covington, 1986) – Brewery, tours, and taproom.
Parish Brewing Company (Broussard, 2008) – Taproom and tours select days.
Bayou Teche Brewery (Arnaudville, 2010) – Brewery, tours, and taproom.
Tin Roof Brewing Company (Baton Rouge, 2010) – Taproom and tours select days.
Chafunkta Brewing Company (Mandeville, 2011) – Taproom open select days.
Great Raft Brewing (Shreveport, 2013) – Taproom and tours on select days.
Old Rail Brewing Company (Mandeville, 2013) – Brewery, tours, and taproom.
Red River Brewing (Shreveport, 2013) – Restaurant with an in-house brewery.
Gnarly Barley Brewing Company (Hammond, 2014) – Taproom and tours select days.
Broken Wheel Brewery (Marksville, 2015) – Restaurant with an in-house brewery.
Flying Heart Brewing (Bossier City, 2015) – BrewPub with an in-house brewery.
Ouachita Brewing Company (West Monroe, 2015) – Taproom open select days.
Crying Eagle Brewing Company (Lake Charles, 2016) – BrewPub with an in-house brewery.
Southern Craft Brewing Company (Baton Rouge, 2016) – Taproom open select days.
Low Road Brewery (Hammond, 2016) – Taproom open select days.
Louisiana Purchase Brewing Company (Ponchatoula, 2017) – Taproom open select days.
Huckleberry Brewery (Alexandria, 2017) – Taproom open select days.
Utility Brewery (Ruston, 2019) – BrewPub with an in-house brewery.
Cypress Cove Brewery (Baton Rouge, 2019) – Taproom open select days.
Special Recognition
Dixie Beer (New Orleans, 1907) – After losing their brewery in Hurricane Katrina, Dixie Beer began bottling in Wisconsin.
In 2017, new owners moved the bottling to Memphis, back in the south.
They also began construction on a new bottling center in New Orleans, looking to open the Fall of 2019.
Louisiana Beer Round-up.
ONCE AGAIN, this is ONLY a handful of the craft beers in Louisiana. The list is usually out of date before hitting the “save” button.
New breweries and new flavors keep popping up every day. Therefore, there is no way to keep up with them. Also, there are seasonal beers. There is no way to keep current.
Louisiana beers that are favorites today may not be next season. Artesian beers, like wines, have good years and bad years. Just because it was great last year does not guarantee it will be as exceptional this year. In contrast, it may be even better.
And finally, all people do not like the same beer. Or wine or…
For this reason, a good bartender or server is probably necessary to point you in the right direction.
Then, YOU need to decide on YOUR OWN if it’s your Louisiana beer.