Jackson Brewing Company (New Orleans) facts for kids
Jackson Brewery, 1976
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| Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1890 |
| Headquarters | New Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| Products | Beer |
The Jackson Brewing Company, also known as Jackson Brewery, was a famous company that made beer in New Orleans. It operated from 1890 to 1974. This company was one of two breweries that sold a popular beer called Jax. The other was the Jax Brewing Company in Jacksonville, Florida. Many people called the New Orleans company the Jax Brewery. When it was at its biggest, it was the largest beer company in the Southern United States.
Today, the old brewery building is a special landmark in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It now has restaurants, apartments, and fun places to visit.
Contents
The Story of Jackson Brewery
The Jackson Brewing Company was started by Lawrence Fabacher in 1890. It was first called Jackson Bohemian Brewery. Later, its name changed to Jax Beer and then to Jackson Brewing Company. The name was chosen to honor Andrew Jackson and Jackson Square in New Orleans.
The company quickly grew into a major brewery for its region. It was one of only two breweries in New Orleans that survived Prohibition. Prohibition was a time in the United States when it was illegal to make or sell alcoholic drinks.
Jax Beer Trademark Dispute
In 1935, the Jackson Brewing Company had a legal disagreement. It was with the Jacksonville Brewing Company over the "Jax Beer" name. Both companies were using the same name for their beer. They reached an agreement to solve the problem. The Jacksonville company could sell Jax beer only in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The Jackson Brewing Company could sell it in states to the west.
Growth and Changes
The Jackson Brewing Company grew a lot in the 1940s. This was because more people wanted their beer. But in the 1950s, bigger national breweries started to compete. In 1954, Jackson Brewing bought the full rights to the Jax trademark. The Jacksonville company stopped making beer after this. This made Jackson Brewing the 10th largest brewery in the U.S. It was also the biggest in the South.
In 1974, Jackson Brewing Company started to have money problems. It was then bought by the Pearl Brewing Company. Pearl continued to make Jax Beer until 1984. After that, Pabst Brewing Company bought Pearl. The beer then took on the Pabst brand name.
The old brewery building is still an important landmark in New Orleans. After the beer-making stopped, the building was bought. It was changed into homes, shops, and restaurants.
Jax in Popular Culture
The Jackson Brewing Company and its beer are part of American culture. In the famous 1947 play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, a character named Steve Hubbell orders a Jax Beer. This happens in the very first scene of the play.
