Ready to taste some beer? Here are some suggestions on how to go about it.
The New Orleans metro area has almost overnight become a "hopping" craft beer scene. From smaller brewpubs that only provide beer on-site to full-fledged breweries that produce beer for sale elsewhere, the city has developed a rather large offering of craft beer options.
With that in mind, we attempt to "pour" through all of the choices and provide our very own tour of New Orleans breweries. Enjoy responsibly!
* Breweries listed in order of date opened, from oldest to newest.
Abita Brewing Company
166 Barbee Road
Covington, Louisiana 70433
Founded in 1986, Abita Brewing Company might be accurately referred to as being the grandfather of New Orleans breweries. They are the largest producer of beer in the state, brewing over 151,000 barrels of beer a year. A full brew pub restaurant is located down the road at the former bottling site, and guided tours of the current facility (which include 4 oz. tastings) are available Wed. through Sun. Self-guided tours are Sun. – Fri. and access to the tap room (and its many beer choices) is available daily.
Crescent City Brewhouse
527 Decatur Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
When it opened in 1991, Crescent City Brewhouse became the first brewpub in New Orleans while simultaneously reviving a French Quarter neighborhood tradition of beer brewing. A full selection of beer and New Orleans-themed grub awaits visitors. Open daily 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. and until 11 on Fri. & Sat.
Gordon Biersch
200 Poydras Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
This national chain of microbrews landed in New Orleans’ warehouse district in 2004. The star attractions here are beer and food menus tailored to the specific location, including several microbrews developed locally. Tours and samplings are available. Hours of operation are Sun. – Thu. 11 a.m. – 12 a.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. – 1 a.m. Happy hour Mon. – Fri. 4 – 6:30 p.m.
Covington Brewhouse
226 East Lockwood Street
Covington, Louisiana 70433
Opened under the moniker “Heinerbrau” in 2005, Covington is now known for being the second oldest distributing brewery in the state. They boast five flagship beers and several seasonal and “rock star” varieties. Tasting room is open Wed. – Fri., 5-9 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sun. 12-6 p.m. Brewery tours are available Sat. at 11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.
Nola Brewing Company
3001 Tchoupitoulas St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70115
Established in 2008 as a response to a lack of local brewing in New Orleans, Nola Brewing Company is the longest-running producer of beer within the city limits. Their tap room (open daily) offers a wealth of non-canned options including several sour beers and food from onsite popup McClure’s BBQ. Tours are available at 2 p.m. Fri., Sat. and Sun. Friday tours include tokens for two free beers.
Chafunkta Brewing Company
21449 Marion Lane
Mandeville, Louisiana 70471
The name “Chafunkta” (est. 2011) refers to Tchefuncte, an early Indian settlement in the Mandeville area. As for the beer, they boast four flagships, including a porter, IPA, cream ale, and an Irish red. Open Thu/Fri, 5-9, Sat 11-9, Sun 12-6.
Old Rail Brewing Company
639 Girod St.
Mandeville, Louisiana 70448
Opened in 2013, this brewpub offers alternate takes on traditional pub fare and several seasonal brews to pair with its flagships. Hours: Tue. – Thu. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. and Sun. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Gnarly Barley Brewing
1709 Corbin Road
Hammond, Louisiana 70403
Established in 2014, Gnarly Barley is the brainchild of a husband and wife team, rotating through several different varieties on tap, from porters to pale ales and all points in between. Their stated mission: to blur the lines of traditional beer styles. The brewery is open to the public Sat. from 12 – 5 p.m. with tours at 1 p.m.
Courtyard Brewery
1020 Erato St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Not a distribution center but rather a beer garden, Courtyard Brewery (est. 2014) nevertheless has a wide range of in-house beers available … as well as a deep list of beers from other breweries. As an added bonus, several food trucks make regular stops here too. Hours: Mon. – Wed. 4 – 9:30 p.m., Thu. – Sat. 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. and Sun. 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Mudbug Brewery
1878 LA-3185
Thibodaux, Louisiana 70301
Opening its doors in late 2014, Mudbug has quickly made a name for itself with some off-the-wall offerings like its King Cake Ale. There’s something for everyone though with eight different brews (including seasonals) on tap. Tap room is open Thu. 5-10 p.m. and Fri. – Sat. 5 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Second Line Brewing
433 N. Bernadotte St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70119
Second Line launched in 2015 and offers a little bit of everything. Their beer garden has their distributed flagships on tap along with several seasonals and plays host to regular events. A bevy of food truck visits will keep you fed, while brewery tours are also available. Beer Garden is open Wed. – Fri. 4-10 p.m., Sat. 12-10 p.m. and Sun. 12-8 p.m. Tours available Sat. 3 p.m. and Sun. 4 p.m.
Urban South Brewery
1645 Tchoupitoulas St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Urban South burst onto the scene in 2016 with the impressive duo of Charming Wit and Holly Roller, and has since added another flagship, Coop’d Up, and several seasonals to the rotation. This brewery also boasts regular visits from food trucks, features tours, and its tap room is kid friendly. Hours: Mon. 4-8 p.m., Wed. – Thu. 4-9 p.m., Fri. 12-9 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Free tours are at 5 p.m. every day but Tue. and Wed.
Wayward Owl Brewing
3940 Thalia St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70125
Previously situated in a historic New Orleans theater, “The GEM,” Wayward Owl shuttered its tap room in late 2018 (after a two-year run), but has plans to continue brewing for now.
Spigots Brew Pub
622 Barrow St.
Houma, Louisiana 70360
With eight house-brewed beers on tap, Spigots Brew Pub (est. 2017) also features full brunch, lunch and dinner menus (featuring steaks, pasta dishes, sandwiches and more). Open Mon. – Sat. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. & Sun. 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Brieux Carre Brewing Company
2115 Decatur St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
With a stated goal of brewing beers “as weird and interesting’ as the city of New Orleans, this 2017 addition to the craft beer scene is trying to stand out early with ingredients/flavor combinations like banana, chocolate and coffee. The nano-brewery is open 7 days a week, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Low Road Brewing
1110 C M Fagan Drive
Hammond, Louisiana 70403
Similar to Courtyard, Low Road Brewing (est. 2017) is a microbrewery that features 10 taps of its own beer as well as a selection of beer from other breweries. Open Thu. – Sun. Hours: Thu. 2-7 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 12-9 p.m. and Sun. 12-5 p.m.
Port Orleans Brewing Co.
4124 Tchoupitoulas St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70115
Port Orleans debuted in 2017 with three brews (a lager, IPA and an ale), a big open tasting room, a location in the heart of uptown, and onsite pub-style food from new restaurant Stokehold. Family friendly. Open every day but Tuesday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Royal Brewery New Orleans
7366 Townsend Place B
New Orleans, Louisiana 70126
Situated near the Lakefront Airport, Royal Brewery (est. 2017) debuted with its flagship brew, Culicidae Ale, an American Pale Ale. Open Thu. & Fri. 4 – 9 p.m., Sat. & Sun. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Reservations available.
Parleaux Beer Lab
634 Lesseps St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70117
This 2017 addition to the New Orleans brewery roster aims to specialize in small batches of unique beers in a family friendly environment. Open Mon., Thu. & Fri. 3-10 p.m., Sat. 12-10 p.m. and Sun. 12-8 p.m.
Louisiana Purchase Brewing Co.
128 W Pine St.
Ponchatoula, Louisiana 70454
Opened in 2017 as the first brewery in Ponchatoula, Louisiana Purchase serves pints, flights and fills growlers from their tap room. Varieties include a kolsch, porters, an IPA and more. Open Wed. & Thu. 4-8 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 12-9 p.m.
Miel Brewery & Taproom
405 6th St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70115
Situated in the heart of the Irish Channel since 2018, Miel is located in what might be considered New Orleans beer central. The name comes from the French and Spanish word for honey, a nod to their family history (and a potential ingredient in future beers). Tap room is family/pet friendly. No cash accepted. Open Mon. – Thu. 2-10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
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Did we miss anything? Anything new coming up? Let us know! We'll add to this post as new places open.
