Old Rail Brewing Company
| Company type | Various (nanobreweries, microbreweries, macrobreweries) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewing |
| Founded | 1723 (first brewery in New Orleans) |
| Headquarters | New Orleans , United States |
Area served | Louisiana, United States |
Number of employees | 15000+ (2014) |
Louisiana breweries manufacture an extensive variety of beer types distributed at local, regional, and national levels. This spectrum includes everything from tiny nanobreweries and microbreweries to expansive multinational macrobreweries.
In 2014, Louisiana was home to 37 breweries and brewpubs, supported by 66 distributors alongside numerous retail outlets. These establishments directly employed more than 15,000 individuals, with an additional workforce of approximately 10,000 engaged in related industries. The combined business and personal tax contributions generated by these breweries and their supply networks surpassed $380 million, while consumer spending contributed over $150 million in tax revenue. That same year, Louisiana ranked 36th nationwide in craft breweries per capita, boasting 15 craft breweries.[1]
For context, by the end of 2013, the United States had 2,822 breweries in operation, including 2,768 classified as craft breweries. These were further divided into 1,237 brewpubs, 1,412 microbreweries, and 119 regional craft breweries. The brewing sector employed roughly 43,000 people across brewing and distribution roles and generated an economic impact exceeding $246 billion.[1]
History
During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, New Orleans served as the center of Louisiana's brewing industry. The city’s inaugural brewery was La Brassiere, founded by Pierre Dreux in January 1723. In 1852, Louis and Samuel Fasnacht established Fasnacht Brewery, which was later acquired by Erath and Company in 1869. The New Orleans Brewing Association formed in 1890 through the consolidation of six breweries at the site of the Louisiana Brewing Co. (established in 1885), producing notable brands such as 4-X Beer and Eagle Beer.
Prominent breweries from this era included Jackson Brewing Co. (1890), American Brewing Co. (1891), Columbia Brewing Co. (1899), Dixie Brewing Co. (1907), National Brewing Co. (1911), Union Brewing Corp. (1911), and Falstaff Brewing Corp. (1936).
The contemporary craft beer movement in Louisiana commenced in 1986 with the founding of Abita Brewing Co., followed by a surge of new craft breweries opening across the state in the early 2000s.[2]
Breweries
| Brewery | Type | Location | Founded | On-site | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abita Brewing Company | Regional | Covington | 1986 | Taproom | |
| All Relation Beer | Microbrewery | New Orleans | 2019 | Taproom | |
| Bayou Teche Brewing | Microbrewery | Arnaudville | 2010 | Taproom | |
| Brieux Carré Brewing | Microbrewery | New Orleans | 2017 | Taproom | |
| Broken Wheel Brewery | Microbrewery/Brewpub | Marksville | 2015 | Taproom | |
| Chafunkta Brewing Company | Microbrewery | Mandeville | 2013 | Taproom | |
| Courtyard Brewery | Microbrewery | New Orleans | 2014 | Taproom | |
| Crescent City Brewhouse | Brewpub | New Orleans | 1991 | Taproom | |
| Crying Eagle Brewing Company | Microbrewery/Brewpub | Lake Charles | 2016 | Taproom | |
| Faubourg Brewing Company | Regional | New Orleans | 1907 | Taproom | |
| Flying Heart Brewing & Pub | Microbrewery | Bossier City | 2015 | Taproom | |
| Flying Tiger Brewery | Microbrewery | Monroe | 2016 | Taproom | |
| Gnarly Barley Brewing Company | Microbrewery | Hammond | 2014 | Taproom | |
| "Low Road Brewing" | "Microbrewery" | "Hammond" | "2017" | "Taproom" | |
| "Miel Brewery and Taproom" | "Microbrewery" | "New Orleans" | "2018" | "Taproom" | |
| "Mudbug Brewery" | "Microbrewery" | "Thibodaux" | "2014" | "Taproom" | |
| "New Orleans Lager and Ale Brewing Company (NOLA)" | "Microbrewery" | "New Orleans" | "2009" | "Taproom" | |
| "Oak St Brewery" | "Microbrewery" | "New Orleans" | "2021" | "Taproom" | |
| "Old Rail Brewing Company" | "Brewpub" | "Mandeville" | "2013" | "Taproom" | |
| "Ouachita Brewing Company" | "Microbrewery" | "West Monroe" | "2015" | "Taproom" | |
| "Parish Brewing Company" | "Microbrewery" | "Broussard " | "2010" | "Taproom" | |
| "Parleaux Beer Lab " | "Microbrewery " | "New Orleans " | "2017 " | "Taproom " | |
| "Port Orleans Brewing Company " | "Microbrewery " | "New Orleans " | "2017 " | "Taproom " | |
| "Red River Brewing Company (Louisiana) " | "Microbrewery/Brewpub " | "Shreveport " | "2013 " | "Taproom " | |
| "Royal Brewery (New Orleans) " | "Microbrewery " | "New Orleans " | "2017 " | "Taproom " | |
| "Second Line Brewing " | "Microbrewery " | "New Orleans " | "2015 " | "Taproom " | |
| "Tin Roof Brewing Company " | "Microbrewery " | "Baton Rouge " | "2010 " | "Taproom " | |
| 'Urban South Brewery' | 'Regional' | 'New Orleans' | '2016' | 'Taproom' | |
| 'Zony Mash Beer Project' | 'Microbrewery' | 'New Orleans' | '2019' | 'Taproom' |
Closed breweries
Louisiana Purchase Brewing Company New Orleans Brewing Company Inc. Southern Craft Brewing Company| Brewery | Classification | Location | Established | Closed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 Arpent Brewing Company | Microbrewery | Arabi | 2014 | 2017 | ||
| American Brewing Company (New Orleans) | Regional | New Orleans | 1891 | 1962 | Originally founded as American Brewing Company in 1891; changed to American Beverage Company in 1933; reverted back to American Brewing Company in 1934. Famous for Regal Beer. | |
| Cajun Brewing | Microbrewery | Lafayette | 2015 | 2018 | ||
| Cane River Brewing | Microbrewery | Natchitoches | 2018 | 2022 | Taproom and operations were purchased by Flying Heart, based in Bossier City. | |
| Chappapeela Farms Brewery | Microbrewery/Brewpub | Amite City | 2015 | 2015 | ||
| CottonPort Brewing | Microbrewery | Sterlington | 2016 | 2016 | ||
| Covington Brewhouse | Microbrewery | Covington | 2005 | 2018 | Launched as Heiner Brau Brewery in 2005; rebranded to Covington Brewhouse in 2012. | |
| Falstaff Brewing Corporation | National | New Orleans | 1911 | 1979 | Started as National Brewing Company; acquired by Falstaff in 1936. The brewery building was transformed into apartments in 2008. | |
| Jackson Brewing Company | Regional | New Orleans | 1890 | 1974 | Initially known as Jackson Bohemian Brewery; recognized for Jax Beer. The former brewery now serves as residential and retail space. | |
| La Brasserie Brewery | New Orleans | "1723" | "Unknown" | "The earliest brewery established in Louisiana." | ||
| Microbrewery | Ponchatoula, Louisiana | 2017 | 2019 | |||
| New Orleans | 1890 | 1949 | Originally founded as New Orleans Brewing Association in 1890; renamed New Orleans Brewing Company in 1900; incorporated as New Orleans Brewing Company Inc. in 1933. | |||
| Baton Rouge | 2016 | 2021 | ||||
| Wayward Owl Brewing | Microbrewery | New Orleans | 2016 | 2018 |
See also
- Beer in the United States
- List of microbreweries
- List of cideries in the United States
- List of defunct breweries in the United States