Lt. Gov. Dardenne announces Louisiana Craft Brewery Trail

BATON ROUGE - Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne is announcing LouisianaTravel.com’s newest visitor’s trail, the Louisiana Craft Brewery Trail.

The trail was created in cooperation with the Louisiana Craft Brewers Guild and includes seven breweries - Abita Brewing Company, Abita Springs; Bayou Teche Brewing, Arnaudville; Chafunkta Brewing Company, Mandeville; Covington Brewhouse, Covington; NOLA Brewing Company, New Orleans; Parish Brewing Company, Broussard and Tin Roof Brewing Company, Baton Rouge.

New sites will be added to the trail as Louisiana’s craft brewery industry expands. Two breweries in Shreveport, Red River Brewing and Great Raft Brewing, will be the next additions to the trail.

“Craft beer is a hot industry in the U.S. right now. In 2012 the industry grew by 15 percent in volume and 17 percent in dollars and continues to create quality jobs for Louisianians,” Lt. Governor Dardenne said. “We want to take full advantage of the trend and make sure Louisiana visitors get to enjoy the incredible experiences the seven breweries offer.”

The trail, housed at www.LouisianaBrewTrail.com, includes information about each brewery including its history, tour information and hours of operation. Additionally, each brewery page offers itineraries suggesting nearby dining, entertainment and other attractions.

Each brewery tour showcases Louisiana beer often made with local ingredients adding to the state’s culinary tourism appeal. Many local restaurants are offering beer pairings in addition to wine pairings to go with the state’s already-famous Louisiana seafood, Cajun and creole cuisine.

The Louisiana Brewery Trail joins several other microsites associated with LouisianaTravel.com such as Lousiana Soundtrack, Louisiana Paddle, Bike Louisiana, Louisiana Fishing, Louisiana Culinary Trails, The African American Heritage Trail and the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.