Abita Brewing to expand into New Orleans with new Irish Channel brewery
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A rendering of the New Orleans tasting room from Abita Brewing. Rendering courtesy of Abita Brewing Co.
Abita Brewing Company is expanding with a new brewery to open early next year in the Irish Channel.
Why it matters: The move represents big growth for Louisiana's largest craft brewery even as the beer market struggles nationally.
The latest: Abita will open its New Orleans brewery at Tchoupitoulas and 1st streets, it said on X.
- Though the space will be smaller than its Northshore base of operations, a press release says, the New Orleans location will include a brewhouse, tasting room and event space.
- "Adding a brewery location in New Orleans just makes sense," said Abita's vice president of marketing, Heidi Guerra, in a press release. "We want people to have the opportunity to taste our beers where it's most convenient for them and for a lot of Louisianians and visitors, that's in the heart of New Orleans."
The intrigue: The South Shore brewery will use "the same pure, artesian spring water" that comes from Abita Springs for brewing all of its beverages, Guerra said.
- It wasn't clear from the press release how the brewery would achieve the logistics of that.
- "Water is the foundation of all our brews, and we are committed to our craft brewing principles and staying true to who we are," Guerra said.
Catch up quick: Abita was founded in 1986, borrowing its name from the small North Shore town.
- The brewery outgrew its original 100-seat location by 1994, according to the company, and now annually produces more than 150,000 barrels of beer and more than 9,000 barrels of root beer.