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54
MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
JULY | AUGUST 2016
the
Cocktail
issue
A
s the number of the region’s breweries
increases, there are more and more
opportunities to connect with the
people and places that brew the beer you love.
NOLA Brewing’s new taproom is open
every day from 11am-11pm, serving the
brewery’s flagship and experimental brews
as well as McClure’s BBQ. Free tours of the
brewery happen on Fridays at 2pm (with
free beer from 2-3pm) and on Saturdays
between 2-4pm.
Urban South is New Orleans’ newest
brewery, open onThursday and Fridays from
4-9pm, Saturdays, noon-9pm, and Sundays
between 2-8pm. Tours take place at 5pm
and 7pm onThursdays and Fridays, and at 3
pm, 5pm, and 7pm over the weekend.
Right across the Orleans-St. Bernard Parish
line in Arabi is 40 Arpent Brewing, which
offers free tours on Friday evenings from
5-7pm. Stop by to try some beers, take the
tour and eat from local food truck vendors.
Across Lake Pontchartrain on the
Northshore, Chafunkta Brewing also does
a “Free Tour Friday” from 6-8pm at their
tiny Mandeville brewery. From there, head
to Covington Brewhouse’s taproom, open
Wednesday-Friday, 5-9pm, Saturday 11am-
9pm, and Sunday noon-6pm. They also
offer free tours on Saturdays at 11:30am,
1pm, and 2:30pm.
Louisiana’s oldest brewery, Abita, is
just down the street from Covington
Brewhouse, and their newly redesigned
taproom and visitors center is where to
catch the guided tour, which happens every
half hour onWednesday andThursday from
2-3pm, Friday from 1-3pm, Saturday from
10:30am-3pm, and Sunday from 2-3pm. It
costs $5 and includes a flight of four 4-oz
pours of beer.There’s also a self-guided tour
option, available on: Sundays, 11am-1pm;
Monday and Tuesday, 10am-2pm; and
Wednesday and Thursday, 10am-1pm.
On Saturdays, check out Gnarly Barley in
Hammond, which is open to the public
from noon-3pm, with a free tour at 1pm,
and pints for purchase.
In Baton Rouge,Tin Roof ’s tap room is open
Wednesday-Friday 4-10pm, Saturday noon-
10pm, and Sunday noon-8pm. Tours begin
at 6pm on Friday and 3pm on Saturday.
Check out Baton Rouge’s newest brewery,
Southern Craft Brewing Company, on
Fridays when their tap room is open 5-8pm,
with free tours at 6pm and 7pm.
Out in the Lafayette area, the rural
background of Bayou Teche Brewing’s
Arnaudville taproom is the perfect place
to enjoy a beer Monday-Thursday, 11am-
6pm, Friday and Saturday, 11am-8pm, and
Sunday from 11am-6pm. On Saturdays,
enjoy live Cajun music as well as tours
running from 11:30am-6:15pm.
In Broussard, Parish Brewing’s tap room
is open Monday-Wednesday, 2-8pm,
Thursday and Friday, noon-9pm, and
Saturday, 11am-7pm. They also provide
beer to go in “crowlers,” a canned 32-oz
beer container. Free tours take place on
Saturdays at noon, 1pm, and 2pm.
Heading to the south a bit in Thibodaux,
Mudbug Brewing’s taproom is usually open
starting at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday, closing at 10pm on Thursday
and midnight on Friday and Saturday. No
formal tour times, but they are available
upon request.
Way up in Northwest Louisiana, visit Great
Raft Brewing on Wednesday-Friday from
4-9pm and Saturday from noon-9pm. Free
tours are available on Saturdays at 1pm,
2pm, and 3pm and last approximately 20-
30 minutes. Although free, they do suggest
making a donation to help support various
animal rescue organizations in the area.
Cross state lines to Lazy Magnolia Brewing
in Kiln, Mississippi. Although state law
prohibits breweries selling beer to consumers
directly in taprooms, Lazy Magnolia does
offer tours with tastings on Thursday and
tours
&
tastings
by
Nora D. McGunnigle
Rouses stocks the largest selection
of local beers, craft beers, hard sodas
and shandies on the Gulf Coast.