Today is a great day for Abita Beer. This morning, everyone who works at the brewery came together to celebrate the wrap up of our three-year, $30 million dollar expansion. This expansion means exciting things for people who love Abita Beer. A brand new visitor center, a new and bigger gift shop, more tours each week and most importantly, in order to brew the finest craft beer possible, a state-of-the art brewhouse and cellar. We’ve come a long way since we started in 1986 in the tiny back room of what is now the Abita Brew Pub restaurant. We’re proud of the fact that we were the very first craft brewer – not just in Louisiana but in the entire southeast. And we’re proud of the role we played as a pioneer in the craft movement. Abita brews the beer that reflects the people, passion and culture of Louisiana. I knew when I was just 17 what I wanted to do with my life. I invested my teenage savings – all $2,500 of it – into what would become the Abita Brewery. Little did I know that one day I’d have one of the greatest jobs in Louisiana. I’m very...
Craft beers accounted for 11% of U.S. beer sales volume in 2014, marking the first time that segment reached the double-digit mark, according to an annual industry report. And local brewer, Abita, did its part to contribute to that mark."We've definitely played our part," says David President of Abita Brewing Company. "I think, last year, we were the 14th largest craft brewer in the United States." Craft brewers last year produced 22.2 million barrels, and saw an 18% increase in sales volume and a 22% increase in retail dollar sales, according to the Brewers Association, a trade group representing small and independent craft brewers. "I'm not surprised," Blossman says. "Our goal is, by 2020, to be 20 percent of the overall beer market in the United States." He says Abita Brewing sold about 173,000 barrels of beer and root beer in 2014. The number of operating breweries grew 19% last year, totaling 3,464 breweries, with 3,418 considered craft breweries, including 1,871 microbreweries, 1,412 brew pubs and 135 regional craft breweries. There were 615 new brewery openings in 2014, and 46 closings. Why are craft beer sales so frothy? "I think people are gravitating toward craft beers," says Blossman. "It's like...
Beer giant Budweiser has gotten a lot of flack for its “Brewed The Hard Way" Super Bowl ad, which some brewers charge takes a dig at craft beer drinkers --even as Budweiser’s parent company continues to buy smaller breweries. “It’s brewed for drinking not dissecting,” the spot proclaims of its "macro" brew while hipsters sip brews from tiny glasses. The tag line on the ad is: "Let them sip their pumpkin peach ale. We'll be brewing us some golden suds.'' But Abita Brewing Co., a Louisiana based microbrewery, is firing back with a spot of its own. "We're not a dog and pony show,'' reads the Abita video ad copy, over a backdrop of pint beer glasses. "We're Louisiana. Proudly American-owned. Yeah, we made a pumpkin peach beer. And it was good. Damn good.'' The Times-Picayune went to Abita to talk to patrons about what they really think of Budweiser versus craft beer. But instead of talking trash, Abita fans pretty much just confirmed what most of America already know: People who like craft beer are just regular people who like beer. And Bud is basically for people who want to get drunk without really tasting what they’re consuming. “I...
The Abita Brewing Company is proud to announce their craft-brewed root beer will now be available in cans. The naturally caffeine-free root beer that’s made with pure Louisiana cane sugar will soon be available in cans for the very first time. “Ever since we launched Abita beer in cans, people have been asking for our root beer in cans too,” said David Blossman, president of Abita Beer. “It’s the same great old-fashioned root beer you’ve loved for years, but now you can get it in portable, recyclable 12-pack aluminum cans. Abita root beer fans can bring it along to their next picnic, soccer game or pack it in their lunchbox.” Abita root beer will also continue to be sold in six-pack glass bottles. Abita has been craft brewing their root beer for over 20 years. The drink is made with herbs, vanilla and yucca (which creates the foam), and it is sweetened with Louisiana sugar cane rather than the corn syrups that are the standard of the large soft-drink makers. The root beer is hot brewed rather than cold mixed, and there’s no caffeine – it would have to be artificially added to the soft drink, and that’s not the...