When I heard that Abita Brewery was throwing a birthday party, I went running because that meant one thing: free beer! As a bonus, the brewery was offering free tours, live music, and local food trucks selling lots of good food. There were also games and cute little spots to take pictures.

I decided to drag my family along for a family Sunday funday. The town of Abita Springs located about 45 minutes north of New Orleans. It was a little trek to get to Abita Springs, but it was worth the drive. We had perfect timing because we got a front row parking spot and jumped right on the 3 pm tour.

As we walked through the brewery, we learned about the ingredients and the process that gives Abita its special, unique flavor. We also learned the difference between a craft beer and a conventional beer. If you want to know the true scoop about this topic, you will need to experience the tour yourself. Don't worry if you forget your awesome kicks at home, because Abita will gladly provide you with some fashionable bright blue shoe covers that will complete your outfit.

The founders of Abita chose the location because of the natural Abita Springs located 3000 feet below the original brewery. The town and the beer are both named after these springs. The water is crystal clear and does not need to be filtrated, so it is pumped directly from the ground into the tanks where the brewing process begins. This water is what gives Abita beer it's recognizable flavor and makes it something special in the beer market.

Apparently, if you wanted to empty the tank pictured below, you would have to drink a six pack a day for sixty years. Standing next to all these huge tanks filled with thousand of gallons of beer made me feel pretty small.

After the tour, we headed straight for the free samples offered up at the bar. Hey bartender, I'll take one of everything please!

Each of us got a full serving of our favorite Abita beer. I went for the Abita Strawberry and Dad went for Purple Haze. Mom doesn’t enjoy beer, but she does enjoy a hard root beer, and Abita makes a fantastic one. There was a party atmosphere at the bar and the room was filled with people sampling the beer. It was fun to just enjoy the day surrounded by others who were also looking for a little Sunday fun.

Next, I went to check out the outside festivities. Rain decided to make another appearance, but it didn’t affect the mood of the crowd. Abita had prepared for the rain by providing large white tents and covering the ground with hay. The people were comfortable under the tents as they enjoyed a cold beer, listened to the live music, and danced in the hay.

The famous New Orleans 610 Stompers made an appearance at the festival. They are a group of men who dance and support a lot of New Orleans events. They march in Mardi Gras parades and even perform at Saint’s games on occasion. I was happy to see them there because they are always a joy to be around!

The outing only took a few hours, but it was good to support a local product and see first hand how much goes into producing it. Thank you Abita Brewery for throwing one heck of a birthday party. Happy 30th birthday, you only get better with age!