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)