Parish Brewing to double production with major Broussard expansion

Parish Brewing is building a 22,500-square-foot production facility behind its existing brewery and taproom in Broussard, a clear bet that demand for its beer still has room to grow. The expansion, announced May 13, would nearly double annual production capacity to about 40,000 barrels and keep the company’s growth anchored in the Louisiana town where it built its name.

The new space is planned as a working brewery, not a cosmetic add-on. Parish says the facility is expected to include a brewhouse, fermentation area, warehouse space, loading docks, laboratory and employee offices. That kind of buildout points to more than incremental growth. It gives Parish room for larger production runs, more efficient shipping and the kind of behind-the-scenes infrastructure a regional brand needs when its distribution footprint keeps widening.

That footprint already reaches Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and southeast Texas, with online shipping in nine states. Parish has long been one of Louisiana’s most recognizable independent craft breweries, and the company’s flagship lineup helps explain why. Canebrake has been its best-selling beer since 2010, while Ghost in the Machine remains one of its signature releases, a double IPA brewed with Citra hops that still draws strong attention from beer fans. BeerAdvocate currently lists Ghost in the Machine with a 98 score and more than 1,400 ratings.

The decision to expand in Broussard also fits the way Parish has described itself for years. The brewery’s site says its story began around 2003, when founder Andrew Godley moved from Louisiana to Pittsburgh, found a thriving craft beer scene there and then came home determined to help build Louisiana’s own. Parish says its Broussard location has given the company room to expand and develop the brand while keeping its regular crowd, and the address on file, 229 Jared Dr., Broussard, LA 70518, has become part of the brand’s identity.

In a market where many breweries are trimming back, Parish is doing the opposite. It is adding square footage, protecting its Louisiana base and building for higher volume without leaving the place that made the beer matter in the first place.