Kegs & Kids
October has arrived in its full glory, and everyone is celebrating the wonderful weather and Oktoberfest—including children.
To make sure everyone is included, we have put together a brief guide for families who want to bring the kiddos to our local breweries for some fun. The under-21s in tow can still enjoy these breweries' expansive outdoor spaces to play board games or other activities with (or without) their drinking-age companions. Beyond craft beers, non-alcoholic options abound for the younger patrons and the designated drivers to not feel left out.
Skeeta Hawk Brewing
455 N. Dorgenois St.
Mon.-Fri., 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If trivia is your jam and you have older children, then Skeeta Hawk Brewing is a great option. Every Thursday night, families flock to this Mid-City brewery for music, a variety of local pop-ups, and a wildly popular trivia competition for $25, $50, and $100 prize tabs. They have food trucks posted up Wednesday through Sunday, and Flour Moon Bagels, right next door, is open until 2 p.m.
Their shaded patio overlooks the Lafitte Greenway (which makes biking to the brewery easier and safer, too), and there are board games and a multi-game arcade machine indoors. Skeeta Hawk has lots to offer families—but especially beer aficionados. Notably, their beer selection changes weekly, and they specialize in Belgians, European Czech-style lagers, and West Coast-inspired IPAs. Pass by October 4-6 when they are celebrating their two-year anniversary with experimental, small-batch beers.
NOLA Brewing & Pizza Company
3033 Tchoupitoulas St.
Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Finding a place to cut up a dance floor with the whole family is a challenging task in most towns. However, Friday night kickstarts a weekend full of fun at NOLA Brewing & Pizza Company, where the whole krewe can groove through the night to live local music—and grown-ups can sample some classic NOLA brews. Having opened their doors in the Irish Channel over 15 years ago, they boast of being "truly the OG of the craft beer scene in New Orleans." Their vast collection of flagship beers is testimony to that legacy, including their "Funk Series of sour beers aged for years in wood barrels," the only of its kind in the state.
Their New York City pizza, made possible through "reverse engineered the water from three NYC boroughs" and a fermentation time of 48 hours, is some of the best you'll have and is a real crowd-pleaser, too. Besides NYC-style pies, they also offer "traditional and authentic Buffalo Style" wings and "classic hero sandwiches." Get a $2 slice and a $4 beer (or $6 glass of wine or cocktail) during Happy Hour from 3-6 pm Monday through Thursday, $.50 wings on Wednesdays, and bottles of wine discounted 50% on Thirsty Thursdays.
Port Orleans Brewing Co.
4124 Tchoupitoulas St.
Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
If you are looking for fun outside with the wee ones any weekend, head Uptown to Port Orleans. A wide covered patio with music piping from the sound system, a chill taproom with pinball machines and board games, a giant side yard with games and fire pits, a bounce house every Saturday and Sunday—Port Orleans has something for everyone.
Avo Taco is in-house, so you have to check out Taco Tuesday with three tacos for $12. They also have Wing Wednesday (dine-in only), trivia on Thursdays, brunch on Sundays, and happy hour from 3-6 p.m., Monday-Thursday, with discounted pints. They organize special events with community partners, such as this month's Oschtoberfest Concert to raise money for Ochsner Hospital, as well as Santa Paws, in partnership with Animal Rescue New Orleans, in December.
Urban South Brewery
1645 Tchoupitoulas St.
Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Urban South makes it clear that they "love hosting families at the taproom." This humongous Lower Garden District beer hall, in hues of tropical fruit-flavored candy, features a wall of arcade games. They have a bounce house every Sunday, as well. Food is covered by the Urban Smash food truck, and you'll find juice and soda, as well as lemonade and other nonalcoholic beverages, on tap. Families can even book kids' parties with their ART Bus (plus the bounce house on Sundays, of course).
Recent past events, such as this past summer's "Potions & Pints" with magicians and wand-decorating for kids, as well as Butterscotch Beer and Potion flights for grown-ups, spotlight their commitment to family fun. This winter, expect a Black Friday market with a limited release of "a very special wax-dipped bottle" in November and "a family-friendly holiday makers market" in December.
Parleaux Beer Lab
634 Lesseps St.
Sun.-Thurs., 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Alongside the railroad tracks, deep in the Bywater, is Parleaux Beer Lab. Parleaux is the perfect place to relax and chat with friends while the kids explore their verdant, sun-dappled yard. Truly, no one is impervious to the magic of the space, which is in perpetual bloom, crisscrossed with draping muscadine vines and overflowing with 15 fruit and citrus trees and an herb garden, providing ingredients for the microbrews flowing from their taps.
You'll find a few toy trucks in the "secret garden" and board games indoors, where they also offer a selection of kid-friendly snacks. Weekends always feature spicy pop-ups in the yard, but Parleaux may be our Monday-night favorite with family-friendly food vendors (think po-boys, empanadas, or fancy dogs) and trivia at 7 p.m.
Brieux Carré Brewing Company
2115 Decatur St.
Sun.-Thurs., 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tucked peacefully between Frenchman and Elysian Fields in the Marigny, at the edge of the French Quarter, lies Brieux Carré, a quietly modest and award-winning brewery.
While their goal is crafting some of the most delicious and memorable brews, they have recently expanded their indoor space, opening the "Lager Lounge," which will lead to their new gaming nook, opening this fall, with bookcases filled with even more games for the family. Their courtyard has a covered patio where they host monthly events, including art markets. You can count on bingo every second Tuesday for some big family fun.
