Yunko
Well-Known Member
[via http://www.nileguide.com]
Does it get much better than beer-themed urban exploring? We didn’t think so… You probably won’t be able to find any of the good stuff still lying around in these defunct breweries, but there are still tons of abandoned items to discover. Massive round holes left over from industrial vats are a mainstay, as are interesting machinery and tons of old labels.
These breweries can be found around the world, especially in the US Midwest and Belgium, where enthusiastic brewers revolutionized the art of beer making around the turn of the century. Although some of the beer brands are now defunct and others have moved on to more high-tech breweries, these massive factories still stand as a testament to a very special time in beer-making history.
Since these buildings are so popular, many have already been turned into modern housing or office buildings, so start exploring soon before the original architecture and machinery are all gone. NOTE: do so with caution! These breweries are private property and can be very dangerous if you enter without permission, get permission and proceed with extreme care.
1. The Dixie Brewery – New Orleans, Louisiana
This stunning turn-of-the century building was constructed in 1907 to brew Dixie Beer. Built for only $85,000, the plant stayed open during prohibition by producing non-alcoholic beer. When alcohol became legal again, they switched back to brewing the hard stuff, and were still producing Dixie Beer when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.
Like so many other wonderful buildings in that area, the brewery became irreparably flooded during the hurricane, and much of its machinery was looted in the aftermath of the storm.
Today it stands ravaged and crumbling, with not much promise of a revival. Since the brewery is situated in the footprint of the yet-to-be-constructed VA Hospital, its future looks grim. Although the brewery hasn’t been torn down yet, there’s real concern over its survival, and a push to grant the building rights as a historical landmark is in the works.
Does it get much better than beer-themed urban exploring? We didn’t think so… You probably won’t be able to find any of the good stuff still lying around in these defunct breweries, but there are still tons of abandoned items to discover. Massive round holes left over from industrial vats are a mainstay, as are interesting machinery and tons of old labels.
These breweries can be found around the world, especially in the US Midwest and Belgium, where enthusiastic brewers revolutionized the art of beer making around the turn of the century. Although some of the beer brands are now defunct and others have moved on to more high-tech breweries, these massive factories still stand as a testament to a very special time in beer-making history.
Since these buildings are so popular, many have already been turned into modern housing or office buildings, so start exploring soon before the original architecture and machinery are all gone. NOTE: do so with caution! These breweries are private property and can be very dangerous if you enter without permission, get permission and proceed with extreme care.
1. The Dixie Brewery – New Orleans, Louisiana
This stunning turn-of-the century building was constructed in 1907 to brew Dixie Beer. Built for only $85,000, the plant stayed open during prohibition by producing non-alcoholic beer. When alcohol became legal again, they switched back to brewing the hard stuff, and were still producing Dixie Beer when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.
Like so many other wonderful buildings in that area, the brewery became irreparably flooded during the hurricane, and much of its machinery was looted in the aftermath of the storm.
Today it stands ravaged and crumbling, with not much promise of a revival. Since the brewery is situated in the footprint of the yet-to-be-constructed VA Hospital, its future looks grim. Although the brewery hasn’t been torn down yet, there’s real concern over its survival, and a push to grant the building rights as a historical landmark is in the works.