Cocktails with Spirit: Explore Louisiana’s Craft Beverage Scene

Add a tasting tour of Louisiana’s award-winning beer, wine and spirits to your itinerary. The Louisiana Libations Trail is a great resource for discovering dozens of craft beverage makers across the state. Download the free Louisiana Libations Trail passport and explore top spots along the Louisiana Distillery, Brewery and Winery Trails. Wine lovers can linger over live jazz and bespoke red blends on the French-inspired grounds of Wild Bush Farm + Vineyard in Bush, while beer enthusiasts can sample dozens of seasonal brews at Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport. Louisiana’s distilleries have plenty to offer, too, with tasting rooms giving you a chance to sample a wide variety of offerings. Sign up for a private tasting at the impressive Spanish-style Galvez Tasting Room & Gardens in Jackson, where you’ll sample flights of premium rums curated by Galvez’ very own “rum maestro.” 1827 Spirits in Vidalia offers a unique micro-distillery experience for tasting artisanal rum, moonshine, rye whiskey and absinthe crafted from Louisiana-grown sugar cane.

In Ascension Parish, summer ushers in the annual Louisiana Sweet Spot Cocktail Trail, an event that sees 15 bars, restaurants and attractions creating their own signature cocktails. Stop into any participating location to pick up your event passport – sample at least 10 different offerings for a chance to win an exciting grand prize.

If you’d like an in-depth look at how Louisiana’s craft beverage makers create their one-of-a-kind drinks, sign up for guided tours of some of the state’s most beloved producers. At the end of your tour, you’ll get a chance to sample each distillery’s offerings fresh from the source. Take a peek behind the scenes at Bayou Rum Distillery & Event Center in Lacassine and discover how the USA’s most-awarded rum is made from locally grown sugarcane and molasses and aged to perfection in bourbon casks. Other notable producers include Oxbow Rum Distillery, which has been operated by the same sugarcane-farming family in Baton Rouge for over a century, and Wildcat Brothers Distilling in Lafayette, whose Rum School distillery tour program covers every step in the rum-making process. Some spots host special events and programming. Head to Houma to enjoy live music with waterfront views every weekend at Bayou Terrebonne Distillers.

For a unique experience that merges history and craft cocktails, visit the Sazerac House in New Orleans. This bar-meets-museum pays homage to the Sazerac, the cognac-based cocktail that was invented in New Orleans in the 1830s and has since become the city’s signature drink. Interact with immersive multimedia exhibits to learn the origins of some of the USA’s most popular cocktails. A full calendar of tasting events gives you a chance to meet craft beverage experts and sample their luxurious libations for yourself.

Getting to Louisiana is easy. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) offers direct flights from most major destinations. Airports in Baton Rouge (BTR), Shreveport (SHV) and Lafayette (LFT) also have regional flights throughout the USA.