So, your relatives are in town. You've had dinner, you've opened presents, and now they're still here till Monday (or later in the week). What to do to fill the time? Something that will make your family much more enjoyable - booze. And not just sitting around bars all day trying to keep the conversation going- though, no judgment here if that's how you roll - but exciting and educational boozing, with tours and tastings.
New Orleans and Louisiana have a variety of breweries and distilleries that will be open over the holidays and will serve as a delicious, adult distraction. Bonus: many of these tours are cheap (or free!), and usually provide samples. Fun, economical, supporting local businesses, entertaining, AND filled with hooch - it's a holiday miracle!
Old New Orleans Rum is the oldest sibling of all the rum makers popping up around Louisiana these days, and is the only one in New Orleans proper. Their tours are well known and well run. Tours are about 45 minutes, start at 12, 2, and 4pm every day except Christmas Eve, when there's only one tour at noon and Christmas Day, when they're closed. Tours are $10 - which gets you a cocktail, a tour, and the opportunity to sample all the distillery's products. Plus, if you're in the FQ, they have a complimentary shuttle to pick you up and drop you off... if you have a designated driver though, they have plenty of street parking.
NOLA Brewing's Tap Room is open for their regular hours except for Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day, so stop by and try a flight of their flagship beers or some of their tap room-exclusive experimental beers. The regular Friday tour won't be held on 12/26, but the one on 1/2 should be a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
This newly opened nanobrewery and tap room will be open to the public during their regular hours, which are 11am-9pm Thursday-Sunday. They won't be open on Christmas Day; however, they will make up for that by being open the following Wednesday for New Years Eve. If you swing by there on New Years Day, they'll have grilled oysters.
Not yet open a year, 40 Arpent Brewing is along the levee in Arabi, just over the parish line. Every Friday, the brewery is open to the public between 5-7 for tours and tasting, including on the day after Christmas. Try flagship Basin Milk Stout, Red Beans and Rice Ale, Copasaw Wheat, and anything special the brewmaster might have on tap.
Cross Lake Pontchartrain and enjoy a lovely afternoon on the North Shore. Louisiana's brewing leader, Abita, has tours out of their tasting room every day except for Christmas. On Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, they will be offering tours at 11am, noon, 1pm, and 2pm. Their regular tours otherwise are on Wednesday-Friday at 2pm, and on Saturdays at 11am, noon, 1pm, and 2pm. PS, this tour is free.
Start your weekend off right - on Saturdays, Covington Brewhouse is open for tours at 10:30 and 11:30am, including the weekend after Christmas. Covington's well known for German style brews, but have added a porter and IPA to the lineup, so get out there and check it out.
Another new brewery in Hammond, Gnarly Barley is open on Saturdays from noon-3pm. Their tour starts at 1pm, and costs $5 (cash only), which includes a pint glass and three pints of their fresh, Louisiana beer.
Checking out Cajun country is a roadtrip worth taking. And if you do, definitely stop by Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville for some southern hospitality. Their tap room is open from 10am-7pm Monday-Saturday, except for December 24 and 25. Every Saturday afternoon they feature live Cajun music on the brewery's porch and food trucks are there to provide food to sop up the delicious beer. Tours are available on Fridays and Saturdays between 10am and 6pm.
Also out in Cajun country, the distillery and tasting room will be closed on December 25 and 26 as well as January 1. Otherwise it's open to visit and tour. Tours are Tuesday-Friday 10am, 1pm, and 2pm, and Saturdays at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm. Go get you some real Louisiana holiday spirit!
The home of Rougaroux Rum, LA-1 Louisiana whiskey, and Oryza vodka and gin, Donner-Peltier is located in Thibodaux which is to the southwest of New Orleans. The distillery's tasting room is open for business from 9am-6pm Monday through Friday - except December 24, 25, and January 1 when it will be closed - and Saturdays from noon-6pm. Tours are at 4pm during the week (again, except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day). On 12/26 and on Saturdays, there will be two tours: one at 2pm and one at 4pm.
Parish Brewing, just outside Lafayette, will be closed December 24, 25, 26, and January 1. Otherwise, they're open regular hours (M-T 2-8pm, Saturday 11am-7pm) Free tours will happen on Saturday 12/27 as usual, at noon, 1pm, and 2pm.
Old New Orleans Rum is the oldest sibling of all the rum makers popping up around Louisiana these days, and is the only one in New Orleans proper. Their tours are well known and well run. Tours are about 45 minutes, start at 12, 2, and 4pm every day except Christmas Eve, when there's only one tour at noon and Christmas Day, when they're closed. Tours are $10 - which gets you a cocktail, a tour, and the opportunity to sample all the distillery's products. Plus, if you're in the FQ, they have a complimentary shuttle to pick you up and drop you off... if you have a designated driver though, they have plenty of street parking.
NOLA Brewing's Tap Room is open for their regular hours except for Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day, so stop by and try a flight of their flagship beers or some of their tap room-exclusive experimental beers. The regular Friday tour won't be held on 12/26, but the one on 1/2 should be a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
This newly opened nanobrewery and tap room will be open to the public during their regular hours, which are 11am-9pm Thursday-Sunday. They won't be open on Christmas Day; however, they will make up for that by being open the following Wednesday for New Years Eve. If you swing by there on New Years Day, they'll have grilled oysters.
Not yet open a year, 40 Arpent Brewing is along the levee in Arabi, just over the parish line. Every Friday, the brewery is open to the public between 5-7 for tours and tasting, including on the day after Christmas. Try flagship Basin Milk Stout, Red Beans and Rice Ale, Copasaw Wheat, and anything special the brewmaster might have on tap.
Cross Lake Pontchartrain and enjoy a lovely afternoon on the North Shore. Louisiana's brewing leader, Abita, has tours out of their tasting room every day except for Christmas. On Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, they will be offering tours at 11am, noon, 1pm, and 2pm. Their regular tours otherwise are on Wednesday-Friday at 2pm, and on Saturdays at 11am, noon, 1pm, and 2pm. PS, this tour is free.
Start your weekend off right - on Saturdays, Covington Brewhouse is open for tours at 10:30 and 11:30am, including the weekend after Christmas. Covington's well known for German style brews, but have added a porter and IPA to the lineup, so get out there and check it out.
Another new brewery in Hammond, Gnarly Barley is open on Saturdays from noon-3pm. Their tour starts at 1pm, and costs $5 (cash only), which includes a pint glass and three pints of their fresh, Louisiana beer.
Checking out Cajun country is a roadtrip worth taking. And if you do, definitely stop by Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville for some southern hospitality. Their tap room is open from 10am-7pm Monday-Saturday, except for December 24 and 25. Every Saturday afternoon they feature live Cajun music on the brewery's porch and food trucks are there to provide food to sop up the delicious beer. Tours are available on Fridays and Saturdays between 10am and 6pm.
Also out in Cajun country, the distillery and tasting room will be closed on December 25 and 26 as well as January 1. Otherwise it's open to visit and tour. Tours are Tuesday-Friday 10am, 1pm, and 2pm, and Saturdays at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm. Go get you some real Louisiana holiday spirit!
The home of Rougaroux Rum, LA-1 Louisiana whiskey, and Oryza vodka and gin, Donner-Peltier is located in Thibodaux which is to the southwest of New Orleans. The distillery's tasting room is open for business from 9am-6pm Monday through Friday - except December 24, 25, and January 1 when it will be closed - and Saturdays from noon-6pm. Tours are at 4pm during the week (again, except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day). On 12/26 and on Saturdays, there will be two tours: one at 2pm and one at 4pm.
Parish Brewing, just outside Lafayette, will be closed December 24, 25, 26, and January 1. Otherwise, they're open regular hours (M-T 2-8pm, Saturday 11am-7pm) Free tours will happen on Saturday 12/27 as usual, at noon, 1pm, and 2pm.
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