10 Best Local Breweries
1. Abita Brewing Company
2375 Tchoupitoulas St., (985) 893-3143
There is no better brewery when it comes to Louisiana-inspired flavors. Abita produces limited-time brews including the Bad Mother Shucker, an oyster stout, seasonal flavors including Mardi Gras Bock, and year-round flavors such as The Boot. The brewery also offers a root beer, vanilla cream soda, and Mardi Gras soda so the kids don't feel left out at parties and events.
2. Second Line Brewing
433 N. Bernadotte St., (504) 248-8979
Second Line Brewing is what you get when a group of friends begins brewing beer for fun. Second Line makes some of the best-tasting craft beer in Louisiana, but the brewery's main attraction is its beer garden. Its beer garden keeps the brewery's founding spirit alive as a great place to drink, eat, and play with your friends.
3. Port Orleans Brewing Co.
4124 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 266-2332
portorleansbrewingco.com
Not many brewery spaces are kid- and pet-friendly, but Port Orleans works to be one of the most inclusive in the city. Port Orleans is not afraid to experiment, offering brews ranging from Mexican lager to ale and coffee stout. The food is not bad either, with classic bar fare on the menu and weekly specials for wings and tacos.
4. Miel
405 6th St., (504) 372-4260
Brewers at Miel let their brains run wild when it comes to brew ideas, and they tend to work. Miel offers two lagers blended with pickle juice, Just Enough and Just A Bit More, a pomegranate and passionfruit ale blended with Champagne enzymes, Frutsecco, and a Jamaican-inspired ale that uses hibiscus, sea salt, and cinnamon, Flor De Jamaica. Miel also feeds patrons well, hosting regular pop-ups from cultural restaurants and food trucks at its brewery.
5. Oak Street Brewery
8203 Oak St., (504) 533-9139
Oak Street Brewery is the result of a passion project founded after the owner's retirement and it shows. Its laid-back atmosphere is a staple of the business, allowing anyone in and customers to bring outside food so they can have their favorite takeout dishes along with Oak Street's great brews. Those brews do not stick to a set feel, as the brewery offers traditional pilsners and lagers alongside red ales and a saltwater gose.
6. Crescent City Brewhouse
527 Decatur St., (504) 522-0571
Crescent City Brewhouse presents an experience unlike any other in New Orleans, combining a microbrewery and restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter. While most breweries bring in outside food vendors with fast, often finger food meals, Crescent City Brewhouse commits fully to its food, offering jambalaya, BBQ shrimp, and brisket. The brewery offers a drink selection that is inclined to traditional beers, including a pilsner, weiss beer, and the Munich-style Black Forest.
7. Brieux Carre Brewing Co.
2115 Decatur St., (504) 304-4242
Brieux Carre Brewing Co. prides itself on cold, crisp beers that go down easy, such as its three pilsners and rice lager alongside its more full-bodied brews. The brewery has five weekly specials: red beans and rice on Monday and the other four going Thursday through Sunday. You can also catch some fun on Monday nights and have a chance to win prizes with Brieux Carre's weekly free trivia night.
8. Skeeta Hawk
445 N. Dorgenois St.
Skeeta Hawk prioritizes its customer service, creating a welcoming atmosphere and educating all employees on the brewing process, so they are better able to give you recommendations. It is also a completely inclusive space, allowing kids and well-behaved pets, so everyone can enjoy its brews and beautiful beer garden. Although dedicated to the brewery experience, Skeeta Hawk still has a great selection of beers with two Belgian brews and a Czech lager regularly on tap, as well as ever-changing IPA choices.
9. Parleaux
634 Lesseps St.
Parleaux keeps the spirit of the Bywater alive and well in its colorful neighborhood location. That attitude is reflected in the lineup of brews as well, serving up an oyster stout and a mango and satsuma weisse. Check out Parleaux's social media year-round for info on future events and drink releases.
10. Care Forgot Beercraft
1728 St. Charles St., (504) 224-5937
Located alongside the historic St. Charles streetcar line, Care Forgot is a New Orleans as brewery can get. That feeling is reflected in the brew selection that includes multiple locally inspired beers, as well as some wacky fun flavors. Care Forgot also hosts regularly scheduled White-Elephant-style item swap nights, Wednesday trivia, and a $2 off beer weekday happy hour; there is never a dull moment.
