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Southern Craft Brewing ends its nearly five-year run, closing permanently due to impacts of COVID-19

Southern Craft Brewing Company, the area’s second commercial brewery after Tin Roof, is closing after almost five years of business.

The Airline Highway brewery announced its closure Monday, Jan. 18, in a Facebook post. “We simply didn’t have enough momentum going into the COVID shutdown to be able to survive the shutdown of our Tap Room,” the Facebook post reads.

225 first wrote about Southern Craft when it opened in May 2016, showcasing its Red Stick Rye and Pompous Pelican double IPA with a cozy tap room and a spacious brewery housing three vats for brewing, a walk-in cooler and space for expansion.

In our February 2018 cover story on the booming beer scene in Baton Rouge, Southern Craft co-founder Joe Picou said he was feeling positive about Baton Rouge’s gradual embrace of craft beer. At the time, the business was expanding into nearby markets. “I love it when somebody who has traditionally been drinking one of the lighter national beers comes into our tap room and tastes something like our [light honey ale] Swamp Sting,” Picou said. “Their eyes open, and you can almost see the conversion right there.”

Southern Craft was forced to close its tap room to visitors about 10 months ago, according to this Daily Report story, because of the COVID-19 shutdown. The brewery’s Facebook post closed with this message: “Thanks again to all our supporters and best wishes to all the LA Craft Breweries out there trying to survive these challenging times.”