New Orleans Lager and Ale Brewing (NOLA Brewing) - Craft Beer in New Orleans, Louisiana

📜 Short History:

New Orleans Lager and Ale Brewing Company, commonly known as NOLA Brewing, is a craft brewery based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The brewery was founded by Kirk Coco and Peter Caddoo in 2008.

The idea of starting a brewery came to Kirk Coco after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when he realized that New Orleans, a city with a rich history of brewing, was left without a local brewery. Peter Caddoo, a former brewmaster at Dixie Brewery (another New Orleans-based brewery that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina), joined Coco in this venture.

NOLA Brewing officially started production in 2009. They initially launched with two beers: a blonde ale and a brown ale. The brewery was one of the first to bring back commercial brewing in New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

In 2011, NOLA Brewing expanded its operations to include a tap room, allowing visitors to sample their beers directly at the brewery. The brewery continued to expand its beer portfolio, including the addition of a series of India Pale Ales (IPAs).

In 2014, NOLA Brewing added a distillery to its operations, becoming one of the few breweries in the U.S. to also produce spirits. The distillery, known as NOLA Distilling, began producing vodka and other spirits.

Today, NOLA Brewing continues to be a significant part of the New Orleans craft beer scene, producing a wide range of beers and contributing to the revival of the city's brewing industry.