What’s New in Southwest Louisiana

What’s New in Southwest Louisiana

Exciting new attractions are coming to Southwest Louisiana this spring. The latest additions to the area include new developments at casino resorts, a resurgence in local craft breweries, a new market downtown specializing in locally sourced products, events promoting Cajun cultural preservation and a creative program that unites local restaurants with the fishing industry.

Casino expansion is underway in Southwest Louisiana. Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel in Vinton, La. is undergoing a $45 million expansion project slated for completion in December 2016. The first phase was recently complete by opening Rosewater Grill and Tavern with a menu that includes mouth-watering steaks, seafood, cocktails and craft beer overlooking the racetrack. Golden Nugget Lake Charles, located adjacent to L’Auberge Casino Resort, is currently adding an additional 300-room hotel tower which will be completed in the spring of 2017, bringing the resort to 1,040 rooms. L’Auberge Casino Resort recently expanded its dining options by opening Modern Pantry, a 24 hour dine in or grab-and-go restaurant offering a wide variety of options from local creole favorites like boudin and gumbo to sushi, salads, sandwiches and gelato. Isle of Capri Casino Hotel has updated its entertainment facilities by renovating their concert venue, The Lone Wolf, complete with an action-packed live music schedule.

Lake Charles, La. is welcoming developments to the craft brewery industry. Crying Eagle Brewing Co. is under construction in Lake Charles with a 15,000-square-foot facility to produce craft beer. It will feature indoor and outdoor stages, a private events space and a landscaped outdoor beer garden. Rikenjaks Brewing Company is about to make a comeback in Lake Charles, which first made its debut in the 1990s. Rikenjaks is set to make a rebirth this spring as a new venue for drinking, eating and music.

One of the latest developments to downtown Lake Charles is the new City Market and Deli. Located on Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive in a uniquely designed building, they provide fresh deli items with a neighborhood feel. City Market and Deli offers an assortment of food in the deli made daily including soups, salads, sandwiches, locally-made Pops and Rockets ice pops and a locally-blended medium roast coffee from Acadian Coffee Roasters.

The 29th Annual Cajun French Music Festival (CFMA) will be held July 15-16, 2016 at the Burton Coliseum Complex. This festival aims to preserve the Cajun traditions and heritage through music, dancing, and food. The CFMA continues to promote the preservation of Cajun culture in Lake Charles. They offer Cajun dance lessons on the 3rd Thursday of every month, Cajun jam sessions on the first Friday of every month, as well as hosting Cajun language classes at the CFMA Building.

Southwest Louisiana is known for its exciting fishing adventures. Sportsmen visit the area throughout the year to enjoy some of the best fresh and saltwater fishing around. The Catch and Cook Program now allows anglers to experience the excitement of catching thier fish, then having a local restaurant prepare it for them professionally only hours after coming out of the water. Several local restaurants in Lake Charles are now participating in the new and innovative program, bringing a brand new element of fishing to the table.

What’s Happening in Southwest Louisiana


First NELA Brewery Opens in Ouachita Parish

First NELA Brewery Opens in Ouachita Parish

Northeast Louisiana now has it’s first brewery located in Ouachita Parish; it’s the Cottonport Brewery and staff there are paying homage to the old style beer.

Also paying homage to way of life during the prohibition days.
They held their grand opening this past Saturday, and people were lined out the door waiting to get their hands on an ice cold adult beverage.

The three owners said they did some research before opening.
They went down to the library and found out there were no records of a brewery in Ouachita Parish since the turn of the century.

One of the owners Troy DuGuay senior said he’s always enjoyed home brewing ever since the 80’s, and enjoyed craft beer over the beer on the market.

He said you get the satisfaction of knowing you made the beer yourself.

But if your looking for your typical beer you won’t find it here; they look to old recipes during the prohibition days when beer was more simple.

They try to resurrect the old styles from the 20’s and 30’s when beer was designed for being social with a low alcohol percentage; know as sessionable beers.

The brewery also honors the history of the river boat traffic.

“The ports along the way from Columbia to the Monroe port, to the Ouachita city port. There’s a whole bunch of different cotton ports sort of speak, as you now get the name. That all was developed all early throughout the parish”, Part owner Troy DuGuay Senior said.

DuGuay senior said don’t come back expecting the same beer every time; they will keep it fresh by adding different styles, though some favorites might stick around.

The brewery is owned by a father, son and friend.
DuGuay Senior said they work as a team to get everything done.

“I’m the guy that has the recipes and stuff like that, but the other two are as much as if not more important to the whole thing. I mean it is a group effort; there’s some other people that help us in addition to the three of us, which make it work”, Part owner Troy DuGuay Senior said.

The brewery’s goal is to be open every Saturday, but they are trying to get a rhythm going and learn how much beer they need to make.

The best way to stay up to date with their hours and events is to visit their Facebook page.

I have links for Cottonport’s Facebook and website in the “related links” section.

They are located at 5946 Horseshoe Lk. Rd. Sterlington, Louisiana.
They can be reached at (318) 331-7145.

STERLINGTON, La (KNOE 8 News)

First NELA Brewery Opens

 


New Craft Brewery Starting in Baton Rouge: We Want to ‘focus on Southern and local ingredients’

New Craft Brewery Starting in Baton Rouge: We Want to ‘focus on Southern and local ingredients’

Southern Craft Brewing Co. has started construction on a brewery and taproom in the Barringer Foreman Technology Park, with hopes of selling its brews in local bars and restaurants in early 2016.

 Joseph Picou and Wes Hedges, two local engineers and award-winning homebrewers, founded Southern Craft. Along with building the brewery and tap room at 14141 Airline Highway, they’re finalizing an agreement with a local distributor. The goal is to have Southern Craft’s beers in bars and restaurants in the first quarter and open the taproom in the second.
“What we want to do here is focus on Southern and local ingredients, to use as many local ingredients as possible,” Picou said. “The name of the company reflects what we want to do. We want to have a Southern ring to our beers and make a handcrafted product.”

Picou wouldn’t say yet what type of beers Southern Craft will initially launch with.

Despite the booming popularity of craft beer and the fondness Louisiana residents have for good food and drink, the state has lagged behind development of microbreweries. The only craft brewer in Baton Rouge is Tin Roof Brewing Co., which was launched in 2010. According to the Brewers Association, a national trade group, Louisiana had 15 craft breweries in 2014, which breaks out to 0.5 breweries per 100,000 adults. That ranked Louisiana 49th in the nation.

Timothy Boone, The Advocate

New Craft Brewery Starting in Baton Rouge


Louisiana-Special Session Ends: A Breakdown of What Passed in Final Hours

Louisiana-Special Session Ends: A Breakdown of What Passed in Final Hours

BATON ROUGE – Louisiana’s lawmakers wrapped up a special legislative session Wednesday night at 6 p.m. aimed at balancing this year’s budget. Decisions on several tax proposals that could help get the state treasury back in decent shape went down to the wire as the debate ended in a flurry of activity. While this year’s budget is rebalanced, there is plenty of work to be done for next year.

WHAT PASSED:

-Increase Louisiana’s 4-cent sales tax by another penny on every dollar spent, starting April 1, without many of the exemptions allowed on the other four pennies of the tax. Revenue raised: $215 million for this year’s budget and $883 million annually. House Bill 62.

-Lessen state sales tax exemptions, including on business utilities and on the purchase of manufacturing equipment. Revenue raised: About $80 million for this year’s budget and about $400 million annually. House Bill 61.

-Allow sales taxes to be charged at certain events at Louisiana domed stadiums and baseball facilities starting April 1, like music concerts, not for athletic events. Revenue raised: Uncertain. Senate Bill 22.

-Boost the cigarette tax from 86 cents per pack to $1.08, starting April 1. Revenue raised: $11 million for this year’s budget and $46 million annually. House Bill 14.

-Change what businesses can deduct from their income for tax purposes. Revenue raised: Uncertain. House Bill 55.

-Increase the rates charged on liquor, wine and beer, starting April 1. Revenue raised: $4.7 million for this year’s budget and $19.2 million annually. House Bill 27.

-Charge a state sales tax on hotel rooms booked through short-term rental sites like Airbnb. Revenue raised: Uncertain. House Bill 59.

-Reinstate a 2.5 percent state car rental tax that expired four years ago, starting April 1. Revenue raised: $800,000 for this year’s budget and $5 million for the state annually. House Bill 39.

-Renew the state telecommunications tax that expires April 1. Revenue raised: $600,000 in state general fund for this year’s budget and $2.2 million annually. House Bill 72.

-Provide a method for collecting state sales tax from online retailers. Revenue raised: Uncertain. House Bill 30.

-Cap the amount a vendor can receive as compensation for timely filing and payment of state sales taxes, starting April 1. Revenue raised: $1.6 million for this year’s budget and $6.4 million annually. House Bill 43.

-Reduce the discount rate a business receives for timely filing and payment of state alcohol taxes, starting April 1. Revenue raised: $94,000 for this year’s budget and $375,000 annually. House Bill 28.

-Reduce the discount rate for tobacco dealers for expenses related to tax collection, starting April 1. Revenue raised: $275,000 in state general fund for this year’s budget and $1.1 million for state general fund annually. House Bill 18.

-Lessen a tax break given to insurance companies. Revenue raised: $8 million in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 budget years. House Bill 87.

WHAT FAILED:

-Charge corporate franchise tax on more businesses, starting Jan. 1, 2017. Revenue raised: $10 million in the 2016-17 budget year, $89 million in 2017-18 and $94 million after that. House Bill 19.

-Reduce the tax credit businesses can receive from the state for paying local property taxes on their inventory. Revenue raised: About $50 million annually. House Bill 46.

The regular session will begins on Monday.

WBRZ, Baton Rouge

Special Session Ends:A Breakdown of what passed_failed


Anheuser-Busch Sends Drinking Water To Louisiana Tornado Victims

Anheuser-Busch Sends Drinking Water To Louisiana Tornado Victims

The company’s Cartersville brewery will delivery about 50,000 cans of emergency water to victims of about 65 tornadoes near Baton Rouge.
 Anheuser-Busch Sends Drinking Water To Louisiana Tornado Victims

CARTERSVILLE, GA — Anheuser-Busch will once again team up with the American Red Cross to provide a basic necessity to citizens facing a dire situation.

The company will deliver more than 50,000 cans of emergency water to victims recovering from a series of more than 65 tornadoes that ravaged communities around Baton Rouge last week.

To assist residents in Baton Rouge and surrounding communities during their recovery, Anheuser-Busch’s Cartersville brewery will send a truckload of clean drinking water to the Louisiana Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. The water is scheduled to arrive on Thursday, March 3.

“Anheuser-Busch has a longstanding history of supporting the Red Cross in their disaster relief efforts,” said Kevin Fahrenkrog, senior general manager of Anheuser-Busch’s Cartersville Brewery. “We are proud to be part of that tradition of providing water and supplies to those affected by natural disasters nationwide.”

Anheuser-Busch Sends Drinking Water To Louisiana Tornado Victims

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Chafunka, how does your biergarten grow?

Chafunka, how does your biergarten grow?

A lot of Louisiana’s small businesses are family operations. Consequently, it should be no surprise that many of state’s newest breweries are operated by families, too.

A great example is Chafunkta Brewing Company in Mandeville. Founded by the husband and wife team of Josh and Jamie Erickson, Chafunkta is a Nanobrewery (the smallest size of production brewery) that opened in June of 2011.

Josh still has his day job as a software development manager, and Jamie is a stay at home mom. Josh’s position at the brewery is listed as founder and brewmaster, and Jamie is co-owner and manager, which means Jamie really does all of the work that isn’t fun. Josh and Jamie told me it is quite a challenge juggling the demands of having a full-time job, operating a business, raising four kids, and still having a bit of time left over for each other. It’s a tale you’ll hear repeated by most of Louisiana’s brewery owners.

Chafunkta Brewing Company was born from the Erickson’s shared obsession for brewing great craft beer. They started Chafunkta with the desire of doing something for a living that they both truly loved and enjoyed. They also firmly believe in increasing craft beer market awareness in Louisiana by creating and delivering great tasting beers.

What’s with that crazy name you ask?

Well, the word “Chafunkta,” or “Tchefuncte,” was an early Indian settlement located in what is now the city of Mandeville. There also is a river named the Tchefuncte in the Mandeville area. And while they may be one of the smallest breweries in Louisiana, they still want to give all of their fans a chance to see where their beers are created. Tours are from 6-7 p.m. Fridays. Josh and Jamie will share their story and show guests around. In addition, there are samples of Chafunkta brews to try!

New this year is their Dew Drop series of small batch beers. Once a quarter they release a unique, limited edition of a beer. This year’s first quarter beer is a chocolate raspberry stout called The Sky’s the Limit. Chafunkta’s new series of beers is named after a groovy social hall in Mandeville dating to May 5, 1885.  That year, a group of civic-minded African-American residents, led by Olivia Eunio, created the Dew Drop Social and Benevolent Association. The hall still is still a vibrant jazz music venue.

Chafunkta Brewing currently offers four of its beers year round on draft and in bottles. The distribution is pretty much statewide. Look for a six-pack — buying one will help support one of the small, independent and family-owned and operated breweries in Louisiana.

Four of my favorite Chafunkta Ales:

Voo Ka Ray IPA 

Style: imperial IPA | 7.5% ABV

Voo Ka Ray, or “Vieux Carré” (“French Quarter”), is a malt forward yet hop-centric Imperial IPA that avoids the extra bitterness found in many other IPAs with similar hop levels by using a “late hopping” brewing technique.  This allows for the flavor and aroma of the hops to shine without overpowering your palate with extreme bitterness.

 Old 504 

Style: robust porter | 6% ABV

Old 504 is a coffee and vanilla-infused robust porter that uses real coffee and Madagascar bourbon Vanilla beans, both imported by two local companies in the “new” 504, Orleans Coffee Exchange & Ronald Reginald’s Vanillas. Named after the original “old” Louisiana statewide area code, unlike many other Porters, Old 504 is a dark, yet light bodied Porter full of flavor that is enjoyable year round.

 Kingfish Ale 

Style: American cream ale |  5% ABV

Kingfish Ale is a light colored American cream ale with minimal hop flavor and a hint of lingering sweetness. It’s crisp and refreshing like a lager, with the flavor and complexity of an ale. Named after Louisiana legend Huey P. Long, the brewers proudly say, “Every Can A King!!”

 Bayou Blaze 

Style: Irish red | 5.5% ABV

An easy drinking true-to-style traditional Irish red, this beer provides your palate not only with caramel malt and slight roast flavors, but also has little to no bitterness and and a clean dry finish. Named not only for its red color/hue, Bayou Blaze was also named in homage to Blaze Starr, an American Burlesque dancer in New Orleans, who happened to have a well-known affair with Earl Long, Huey P. Long’s (The Kingfish!) brother and then Louisiana governor!

 Karlos Knott is the president of Bayou Teche Brewing. When not brewing beer, drinking beer or reading about drinking beer, Karlos enjoys playing his Cajun accordion, cooking for and spending time with his family and cruising rural Acadiana highways on his Harley Springer looking for the elusive perfect link of boudin. 

Anheuser-Busch InBev to Sell Brands in Europe to Ease Beer Merger

Anheuser-Busch InBev to Sell Brands in Europe to Ease Beer Merger

LONDON — Anheuser-Busch InBev said on Thursday that it planned to seek the sale of several of SABMiller’s premium brands in Europe, including Peroni and Grolsch, in the hope of easing regulatory concerns about the brewers’ proposed $105 billion merger.

The move is the second major asset sale that the companies have announced as they look to create an industry giant with annual revenue of about $64 billion that would account for nearly 30 percent of beer sales globally.

The combination would give Anheuser-Busch InBev, already the world’s largest brewer, a substantial operation in Africa, where it has little presence, and greater dominance in Latin America.

In November, SABMiller said that it would sell its 59 percent stake in MillerCoors in the United States to Molson Coors Brewing, a joint venture partner, for about $12 billion.

That transaction includes the global rights to the Miller brand, as well as the rights to sell Peroni and other brands in the United States. It would make Molson Coors the second-largest brewer in the United States, behind Anheuser-Busch InBev.

A deal between Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller would be the latest merger of mass-market beer brands.

On Thursday, Anheuser-Busch InBev said that it would seek to sell the Peroni and Grolsch brands and their associated businesses in Britain, Italy and the Netherlands. It also said it would seek to sell Meantime Brewing Company, a British craft brewer that SABMiller bought in May.

“Any sale may include one or more of these brands or businesses and would be conditional upon closing of the acquisition of SABMiller,” Anheuser-Busch InBev said in a news release.

The announcement came after news reports this weekend indicated that Anheuser-Busch InBev was considering the sale of the Peroni and Grolsch brands to appease regulators.

SABMiller said that Anheuser-Busch InBev would lead the sales process with SABMiller providing assistance, including the “preparation of the relevant information for potential buyers.”

“These beers are loved by consumers, and we are very proud of them,” Alan Clark, the chief executive of SABMiller, said in a news release. “Until the change of control, we will continue to invest in growing these great beers and supporting our talented people who brew, sell and manage them.”

Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller reached an agreement in principle to merge on Oct. 13 and completed their negotiations last month, with SABMiller’s board recommending that shareholders accept the deal.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is offering to pay 44 pounds, or about $66, a share in cash for SABMiller.

As part of the transaction, SABMiller’s two largest shareholders — the American tobacco giant Altria and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia — agreed to receive restricted shares and a smaller amount of cash at a discount to the cash offer, allowing them to avoid a huge tax bill from the sale of their holdings.

As a result, Anheuser-Busch InBev would probably pay a total of £69.8 billion.

Analysts have indicated that the companies may have to sell assets to win regulatory approval, including SABMiller’s 49 percent stake in a joint venture that owns Snow, China’s best-selling beer brand.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is the third-largest brewer in China, behind CR Snow, SABMiller’s joint venture, and Tsingtao Brewery, but it would become the country’s largest brewer by market share if it is allowed to keep the stake.

China Resources Enterprise, SABMiller’s joint venture partner, would be a likely buyer in the event of a sale, analysts said.

As part of the SABMiller merger, Anheuser-Busch InBev agreed to pay a $3 billion fee if regulators did not approve the merger.

Euromonitor, a research firm, has estimated that a combined Anheuser-Busch InBev-SABMiller could account for 29 percent of global beer sales even after selling some assets. It would also be more than three times as large in terms of sales as its next closest competitor, the Dutch brewer Heineken, according to Euromonitor.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has tackled similar regulatory issues before.

It was forced to restructure its $20.1 billion takeover of Grupo Modelo of Mexico in 2013 after the Justice Department sued to block the deal.

Among the concessions in that deal, Anheuser-Busch InBev agreed to sell the rights to Corona beer and other Grupo Modelo brands in the United States to Constellation Brands, one of the world’s largest wine companies, for $2.9 billion.

Chad Bray,  The New York Times

Anheuser-Busch InBev to Sell Brands in Europe to Ease Beer Merger


ATC Suspends 4 More Bourbon Street Clubs in Operation Trick or Treat

ATC Suspends 4 More Bourbon Street Clubs in Operation Trick or Treat

November 5, 2015

Baton Rouge, La. – Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) Commissioner Troy Hebert issued emergency suspensions to four more French Quarter bars found in violation during the Agency’s “Operation Trick or Treat” investigation. Commissioner Hebert ordered the businesses to immediately stop selling alcohol and tobacco products after the agency’s investigation uncovered illegal drug sales at two bars and illegal prostitution and drug activity at two strip clubs.

“We are in the second month of this operation and it will continue to run through the holidays. ATC will continue to do its part to weed out criminal activity at locations that are given the privilege to sell alcohol and tobacco,” stated Commissioner Hebert.

Louisiana State Police (LSP) is continuing to investigate the findings by ATC to determine possible criminal charges.

The following businesses were issued emergency suspensions of their alcohol and tobacco permits on November 5, 2015:

Business Owner                                       D/B/A                            Address/ Violations
RMDR Investments Inc.                      Babes Cabaret                433 Bourbon St.
4 cts. Prostitution
1 ct. CDS (drugs)
2 cts. Lewd/Improper Acts

508 Bourbon LLC                                Big Daddy’s                     508 Bourbon St.
4 cts. Prostitution
2 cts. CDS (drugs)
5 cts. Lewd/Improper Acts

241 Enterprises LLC                           Bourbon Cowboy             241 Bourbon St.
3 cts. CDS (drugs)

516 Enterprises LLC                        The Swamp on Bourbon     516 Bourbon St.
4 cts. CDS (drugs)

Administrative hearings to address the violations against the above businesses will be held in the coming weeks.

For more information, please contact:
Troy Hebert, Commissioner
Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control
(225) 925-6645
Troy.hebert@atc.la.gov

Press Release-ATC Suspends 4 More Bourbon Street Clubs in Operation Trick or Treat

 


Craft Beer Company Brewing Big Plans for Downtown

Craft Beer Company Brewing Big Plans for Downtown

Ten years ago Shreveport-Bossier City was unknown to local craft breweries.
But much has changed in just a few years for beer lovers and it’s impacting the future of northwest Louisiana.

In September, Red River Brewing owners Jared Beville and Beau Raines cut the ribbon at what will be the company’s first taproom at 1200 Marshall St. in downtown Shreveport. After a full renovation of the empty warehouse, it’s expected to open by the end of this year or early 2016.

Red River Brewing opened in 2013, but customers wanting a Hay Ryed American wheat ale or a River Monster pale malt have only been able to get a taste at local bars and restaurants.

The opening of the taproom will allow customers to come directly to the source to experience the brews. Also, it will raise the bar for Red River Brewing to compete with other local breweries, Great Raft Brewing and Flying Heart Brewing that opened their taprooms within the past two years.

It’s not just a good business plan for the company – it also benefits the region.

“In the last 10 years, (the craft beer community) has really grown,” said Jeff Pieper, River Cities Brew Krewe member. “We’re way behind a lot of areas in the United States.”

Like Pieper, Beville and Raines were home brewers and began making beer as a hobby from their garage. And just a couple of years later they have become a leader in the craft beer industry in the region as mass producer and public distributor.

It’s not only another step toward making Shreveport-Bossier City a craft beer destination but also in developing the culture in downtown Shreveport.

The taproom will move into a warehouse on Marshall Street in the outskirts of downtown Shreveport. It’s the ideal location for company, the city and the customers, Beville said.

The total space is 23,000 square feet with about 6,500 square feet for public space and about 17,000 designated for production.

The amount of space is the main reason Red River Brewing owners chose the building. To operate, the brewery needed space for brewing and for the public — and ideally room to grow in the future. Options available in downtown fitting the requirements were limited.

“We’re going to have a four-vessel 20 barrel brew house, which gives us a lot of capacity,” Beville said. “In brewing, a barrel of beer is 31.5 gallons, so right now we’re brewing about five barrels at a time. We’re going to go from five barrels to 20 barrels.”

The new additions will allow for more beer making and cut down production time. It’ll be a significant improvement on what the brewers have had for the last several years.

“The number of vessels we have really kind of limits your capacity of how much you can brew in a day,” Beville said. “Right now we have a 2-vessel brew house so we can do two brews in about a 16-hour day. We should be able to chop that down to a 12- or 13-hour day. As we grow we can move a lot more product through the facility.”

Patrons will have free access to an 85-space parking lot. And a glass roll-up door will be installed to give customers a prime view of downtown.

A portion of the taproom will be partitioned to create a smaller space for private events.

“Having them in that area is going to be paramount to bringing more people into downtown Shreveport,” said Kelly LaGrone, librarian for Malt Munching Mash Monsters homebrew club. “With the whole downtown development thing that’s going on, this is going to be absolutely fantastic for this area.”

The brewery will bring the customers behind the scenes of brewing in action.

Visitors will see where all the magic happens through a large glass window separating the taproom from the brew room.

It’s a process intriguing to the growing community of craft beer lovers, and the addition of more local brewers breeds education opportunities for outsiders. People begin to take note of a movement.

“The craft beer community has grown so much it’s not about dividing it up and splitting the pie, but more (about) education and more people going to sample this and find there’s a whole bunch of craft beer out there, especially all through Louisiana,” Pieper said.

The craft beer community has rapidly grown across the country, with many cities such as Dallas, Portland and Austin becoming known for their multitude of breweries. Shreveport-Bossier City in considerably behind in this aspect, but the craft community is hopeful of making the cities a beer destination for locals and tourists. It’s also a place for local and outside brewers to consider starting.
“When people see the audience craft brew gets here and they see the potential here, it’s going to be a lot of local people, of course, but there will be a lot of people from other places that want to have a niche in an up-and-coming, growing environment,” LaGrone said.

While craft brew companies are few in the area, the number of home brewers who do it for recreation has grown exponentially in the past decade. Having the craft breweries open is a celebratory feat for the beer lovers.

Many want to see it continue to grow with the addition of new craft breweries. Business is competitive no matter the industry, but there’s room enough for all three brewers to co-exist.

Bossier City resident and beer connoisseur Lewis Hughes believes in the case of craft breweries — the more the merrier.

“Those businesses don’t need to see each other as competition, but work together. When I visit Denver and other areas where the craft beer scene is, a lot of the breweries work together and collaborate on lots projects because whenever you can get more people involved in craft beer you’re going to have more business for all around, for everyone involved.”

Red River Brewing’s opening is one part of a grand master plan to revitalize the area.

The brewery is at the line that divides downtown and Highland in an area where many industrial companies are rooted, but also across the street from Central Station lounge and about a block’s distance from the row of businesses that include Agora Borealis art gallery, Good Granoly, iArchitecture and Bayou Some Junque Cafe and Antiques.

A few months ago, Agora Borealis, Good Granoly and iArchitecture celebrated the two-year anniversary of opening on Lake Street.

Since then, Shreveport Downtown Development Authority executive director Liz Swaine said foot traffic has increased in the area and predicts more to come with the opening of Red River Brewing and additional business development expected.

“What we’re going to see happen is a bit of organic development around there,” Swaine said. “As the taproom opens and starts bringing hundreds of people per day other property owners around there will see there are options for them. Already one building owner is talking about redoing his space for food trucks.”

Having more customer-centric shops has increased foot traffic in the area, Swaine said, and more is expected with the opening of the brewery.

Many bars exist downtown — most on Texas Street leading into Red River District — and of course there are the bars, lounges and restaurants inside the casinos.
“(A brewery) expands your market and gives you the opportunity to bring people in who are very much interested in the whole craft beer movement. It’s a different sort of atmosphere between a taproom and a bar,” Swaine said. It helps grow the market all together.”

There aren’t many chain businesses in downtown, so when tourists and locals come to the area they’ll definitely experience Shreveport flavor.

And by stopping at Red River Brewing, tourists and locals alike will be able to sit back and watch history in the making as the new developments bring Shreveport more into the spotlight.

“Red River is the next step of putting Shreveport-Bossier City on the map in the national beer spotlight,” LaGrone said. “It’s going to be absolutely great for those guys and the sky’s the limit for them.”

If you go:
What: Red River Brewing
Where: 1200 Marshall St., downtown Shreveport (opening late 2015)
Info: redriverbeer.com
What: Great Raft Brewing
Where: 1251 Dalzell St., Shreveport
Info: greatraftbrewing.com

Craft Beer Company Brewing Big Plans Downtown

Tiana Kennell, shreveporttimes.com


Cajun Brewing Opens in Lafayette and Becomes Louisiana’s 17th Brewery

Cajun Brewing Opens in Lafayette and Becomes Louisiana’s 17th Brewery

Cajun Brewing is the state’s 17th brewery and the first based in Lafayette. Other Acadiana-area breweries include Parish Brewing Company in Broussard and Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville.

According to general manager Chad Lege, the idea for Cajun Brewery developed when owner/founder Zeke Bossley fell in love with brewing and became a member of Lafayette’s Dead Yeast Society homebrew club. Bossley met James Lutgring and Gene Nelson in the club, and all three served in leadership positions. The trio began building Lafayette’s first brewery in 2010 when Bossley bought the building that later became the brewery’s home.

Cajun Brewing became licensed in September and brewed the first commercial batch of Cajun Wit on its one-barrel pilot system last week. The brewery’s 30-barrel brewhouse and 60-barrel fermenters will be installed in November, but the pilot system-brewed Cajun Wit will be available at Lafayette locations in a few weeks.

“Our first focus is to capture the Lafayette market,” Lege says. “That’s our home city.”

As soon as normal brewing operations are in place, the team will focus on developing a tasting and tap room, which they expect to open by early 2016. Lege says that the tasting room will serve as a guide to what beers are popular.

“Our first few beers are pretty approachable,” Lege says, noting a brown ale and red ale will follow the release of Cajun Wit.

Cajun Brewing opens in Lafayette