Faubourg Brewing Company facts for kids
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Formerly
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Dixie Brewing Company (1907–2021) |
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| Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Founder | Valentine Merz |
| Headquarters | 3501 Jourdan Road, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| Products | Beer |
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Production output
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1,000,000 cases (pre-Katrina) |
| Owner | Gayle Benson (majority owner) Joe and Kendra Bruno (minority owners) |
Faubourg Brewing Company is a place where beer is made. It was started in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 31, 1907. Its first name was Dixie Brewing Company. The original brewery was on Tulane Avenue. It closed in 2005 because of damage from Hurricane Katrina. After that, the beer was made in other states. A new brewery opened in New Orleans in November 2019. In 2021, the company changed its name to Faubourg Brewing Company.
History of the Brewery
Faubourg Brewing Company began as Dixie Brewing. It was founded by Valentine Merz. Beer production started in 1907. The first Dixie Brewery building was made of brick. It was located at 2401 Tulane Avenue. A German architect named Louis Lehle designed it. It was finished in 1907. A wooden part was added in 1919.
During a time called Prohibition, it was against the law to make or sell alcohol. So, the company changed its name to "Dixie Beverage Company." They made other drinks instead of beer.
In 1983, a company called Coy International bought Dixie. Then, in November 1985, Joseph and Kendra Elliott Bruno bought it. In 1989, the owners had financial problems. They filed for a special type of bankruptcy. After getting reorganized in 1992, the brewery made new special beers. These included Blackened Voodoo, a dark beer, and Crimson Voodoo, a red beer. In 1993, they also introduced Jazz Amber Light.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused big problems. The Dixie Brewery was badly damaged when the Mid-City New Orleans area flooded. This happened because of broken levees. After the water was gone, many things were stolen from the brewery. Even though people hoped the brewery would reopen, it never did. Because the original brewery closed, Dixie Beer was then made by another company. This company was the Joseph Huber Brewing Company in Monroe, Wisconsin.
The old brewery building on Tulane Avenue was later used for a new hospital. This was a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. During its repair, the focus was on making the old building strong again. Liz Failla, who worked on the project, said they wanted to keep the famous tower. This tower had the "Dixie Brewery" name on it. The plan was to save and fix the old parts of the brewery. A new, modern building would be built behind the historic front.
Tom Benson bought most of the Dixie brand in 2017. He owned the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans. He planned to bring the brewing back to New Orleans. After Tom Benson passed away in 2018, his wife Gayle Benson took over the company.
On August 7, 2018, it was announced that a new Dixie Brewery would be built. It would be in Eastern New Orleans. The new building would look like the old one. It would have a copy of the brick tower. It would also have the metal letters from the original brewery. The new brewery and taproom are very large. They are inside an 80,000-square-foot part of a warehouse.
There is a special event space above the taproom. It has a bar made from an old fermenting tank. This tank was also from the first brewery. A kitchen near the taproom offers snacks and food. Food trucks can also be found outside. The property also has a beer museum. There is a grassy area with a pond and walking paths. You can also find bocce ball courts and fire pits. There is a space for yard games too.
In June 2019, Dixie Beer started being made in Memphis, Tennessee. This was at the Blues City Brewery. It was a step before returning to New Orleans.
On November 25, 2019, Dixie Brewing Company began making beer at its new place in New Orleans. This was the first time Dixie beer was brewed in New Orleans since 2005. The brewery officially opened to the public on January 25, 2020.
In November 2020, the company announced a big change. They would change their name from Dixie Brewing Company to Faubourg Brewing Company. The beer would also be called Faubourg beer. Faubourg is a French word. People in New Orleans often use it to mean "neighborhood." The company changed the name because the word "Dixie" can be seen as divisive. This means it can cause strong disagreements. In February 2021, the signs on the brewery were changed. New packaging for the beer was also prepared.
Popular Culture
The brewery or its beer has been shown in many films. These include Red, Southern Comfort, Steel Magnolias, Stone Cold, Tigerland, and Tightrope. It is also mentioned briefly in some books. These books are A Confederacy of Dunces, American Psycho, Drawing Blood, and True Blood.
