re: Baton Rouge Market for a Craft Brewery

quote:

---

I honestly think New Orleans could get close to Portland's level, with multiple successful breweries by neighborhood. You can only drink certain beers by actually going to those hoods.

---

I agree. Surprised there isn't one in the Marigny/Bywater area yet.

quote:

---

I honestly think New Orleans could get close to Portland's level, with multiple successful breweries by neighborhood. You can only drink certain beers by actually going to those hoods. I think NOLA could handle at least 20 more breweries just in the city and become a wildly popular craft beer town in addition to everything else they offer.

In reference, Portland supports 58 right now and is about twice the size of NOLA.

---

I agree, also, although many on here don't. Although that number of 58 is probably low (maybe that's just Portland proper and doesn't include the burbs?), the vast majority of those are small brewpubs that are more along the lines of a restaurant, and not like Parish or Abita. Some of them bottle/can their beer, but they use mobile canning/bottling services because they don't make enough beer to own their own lines.

If you think of a brewpub like you would a Pizza Restaurant, how many pizza restaurants can New Orleans support? How is it that some pizza joints make money even though their pizza sucks? Some make thick crust, some thin, and others do deep dish. Some are traditional, some have exotic toppings. Same with breweries. They are not all the same, and that's a good thing. Some will serve food, some don't. Some make sours, others make IPAs and stouts, and still others specialize in beer that smells like a horse's stall.

It would be really great if some of these distribution laws could be changed so that small brewpubs could sell their excess kegged beer to taprooms and restaurants, as well as to distributors.

Honestly, I think it is probably a great time to get into that business in LA. Most people on this board have access to a lot of really good beer, right now. Yet, the most popular beers are local ones. Most people will choose to drink a LA beer, given the choice. And why not? Parish is killing it. Parish is also making money hand over fist. Even the breweries that get no love on this message board are probably making money. If you have the right team and can make some good, if not great beer, I would think you would do well.