Innovative Local Brewery
For 17 years, NOLA Brewing Co. has delivered excellent craft beer and homegrown entertainment that you can enjoy from inside the brewery itself. From the Friday afternoon free tastings that I loved in the early days to its current configuration, this brewery ushered in the craft beer scene in New Orleans and continues to innovate by adding quite possibly the best pizza in the city and an impressive lineup of live music.
In case you haven't visited in a bit, NOLA Brewing Co. has physically changed from two side-by-side red warehouses to one much longer brewery and multi-room taproom. There's more comfortable leisure space to sit and have a slice of pizza and cold beer with your friends and family. Children and dogs are welcome, even though they can't partake in the brews.
As a long time fan of NOLA Brewing Co., I like this era the most. You are greeted at the front door with a bar to get your first beer, and the intoxicating scent of pizza being freshly baked in the oven just feet away. You can see everything going on in the kitchen, even dough being tossed, sauced, and topped before its trip to the oven. This front bar has been around the longest, and the bar up the stairs to the right is a well-known spot for the regulars seeking views of the neighborhood from the patio or of the larger recreational space below.
What may be new to you is the big room at the back of the warehouse (which opens into the parking lot that you are welcome to park in). The middle room with a two-story stack of barrels is a favorite seating area for families who can be a part of the action of the venue space without being too deep into it when a band starts performing.
The wooden/industrial interior of the newer venue area feels like a hip barn; you may think you're in an entirely different city. Perhaps you left New Orleans to visit a small town where all the locals head down to the brewery for a slice and a pint on Friday night? This is a gathering spot where everybody seems to know everybody, and the bartenders are on a first-name basis with the customers. If not for the excellent lineup of NOLA bands with such lyrics as "My baby, she's so Uptown," I could believe it.
As the band set up their gear, I indulged in, of course, pizza and beer. I like a flight so that I can gauge different beers against each other. My four mini beers ranged from the mild Mango Blonde with just a hint of fruitiness to the well-known coffee-noted Irish Channel Stout—a favorite for daytime parade walkers. The Hopitoulas has a richer, deeper bite than the blonde ales NOLA Brewing produces, but the unassuming brightness and clarity of the beer lures you in. The Juice Canoe has hoppiness, but not enough to turn off beer-flavored beer drinkers.
The kitchen here serves more than pizza, so even the pickiest of eaters can find something palatable. The salad and sandwich options are great for those keeping things light, while the wings and bruschetta are heartier. I knew that the meatballs would be filling on their own, but I didn't know I would be taking some home to have tomorrow. The three gargantuan meatballs arrived swimming in a sweet, flavorful red sauce. You would probably say they're just like grandma used to make (or a little bit better) with the perfect amount of seasoning and sauce to tantalize, but not so much that it covers up the good-quality meat. You probably won't be able to finish one order on your own, but you are welcome to try.
A proper slice of pizza deserves a proper-sized beer. I have had a few slices of plain ol' pepperoni pizza here before because I believe that you can judge how good a restaurant's pizza is by their pepperoni pizza. So I opted for the night's special slice: The Capo. This square slice had the traditional pepperonis plus roasted garlic and ricotta. The richness of this slice was well complemented by the seasonal Hearthfire winter, warmer, amber beer. This brew has a creamy, savory flavor clocking in at 35 IBUs and a noticeable 7.5% ABV.
I have been highly impressed with the music lineup that NOLA Brewing has presented and, more often than not, it's free. My visit coincided with Alex McMurray's show. I love a band with an organ, accordion, and fiery guitar solos. Many of those in attendance were moved to dance. The atmosphere here is unparalleled. You can take a seat at a high-top table with your consumables and enjoy a lively show that starts at a decent hour in dim, not dark, lighting. This low-pressure feel makes me enjoy the music a little bit more. There's really no better deal in town when it comes to entertainment, food, and beer.
If you want to try out NOLA Brewing & Pizza Co. without making it your whole night, stop by for the happy hour Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with discounted cocktails, wine, beer, and cheese pizza slices. I wouldn't be surprised if you end up staying later to get your fill of pizza, live music, and craft beer, though.
