Calling all beer-lovers, on your next trip to New Orleans, make a trip to Abita Brewing Company. Founded in 1986, Abita was the first craft brewery in the Southeast. The brewery is nestled in the woods 30 miles north of New Orleans, Louisiana. By 1994, they had outgrown their original site and moved to a larger facility to keep up with demand. Abita is the most popular beer in New Orleans, outselling many of the larger brands combined.
They brew all their beers, as well as their own root beer and sodas, in small batches in a state-of-the-art brewing facility. The brewery’s water source is artesian wells that feed spring water directly from the Southern Hills aquifer system. The water was once known for its healing properties and is still known for its great taste!
Getting There
Abita Springs is about an hour’s drive from New Orleans, crossing over Lake Pontchartrain on one of the world’s longest bridges, the Causeway. Because of the distance, you will definitely want to bring a designated driver. Or, Abita partners with two transportation companies that can bring you to the brewery.
NOLA Brew Bus: NOLA Brew Bus offers tours to Abita on Thursday, Sunday, and Monday starting at 12:30pm. Cost is &75 per person.
All tours include:
– Roundtrip transportation to Abita Brewing Company
– Enjoy an Abita Beer on the way to Abita Springs, LA, approximately 1-hour north
– Brewery Tour will be provided at Abita
– Beer samples at the Brewery
Southern Style Tours: Southern Style Tours offers Abita tours Thursday-Sunday starting at 1:30pm. Cost is $75 per person and feature three pick-up locations.
All tours include:
– Round trip transportation for New Orleans
– Admission to tour
– Abita Beer and water available on the van
– Cold storage for any beer purchases
– Beer samples (21 and over)
Tours
Guided Tours
Learn about their brewing process, beer, and history on a guided tour of the recently expanded brewery. Tours last about 30 minutes and include four 4-ounce tastings of their beers. Tours are $5 and are family-friendly (under 21 is free). If you know the date of your visit, reservations can be made online.
Another great family-friendly option would be to go on a Craft Soda Tour! The tour guide will teach you about the local ingredients they use to brew sodas and walk you through the brewing process. Tours last about 20 minutes and include a flight of three sodas.
Self-Guided Tours
Self-guided tours are free and include access to the mezzanine level that overlooks the brew house tanks. Inside the brewery, you can view videos about the beer and brewing process from a touchscreen device. Self-guided tours do not include beer samples, but you can purchase a pint in the Tap Room after exploring the brewery. Self-guided tours are available on days and times when they do not offer guided tours. Check the website for hours.
Tap Room & Brewpub
Tap Room
The Abita Tap Room is open 7 days a week. Enjoy a pint at the bar or outside in the courtyard or beer garden. You can select from year-round flagships, as well as seasonals, limited releases, and their own root beer. Some of the beers cannot be found anywhere else! The Tap Room doesn’t serve food, but they have a rotating schedule of weekly food trucks.
Brewpub
Another spot to enjoy the beer is the Abita Brewpub, a full-service restaurant in the original brewery building. Views of the Tammany Trace hiking trail are visible from the two dining rooms. From the main dining room, you can also view the original 15-barrel brew-house. Note: The Abita Brew Pub is located in the town of Abita Springs at 72011 Holly Street. It is not located at the Brewery and Visitor Center.
Abita Brewing Company
166 Barbee Road
Covington, LA 70433
