The only Black-owned craft brewery in New Orleans’ was released to the market for the first time during Thanksgiving. Though there was no promotion or media announcement about the release, yet the much anticipated Cajun Fire beers were exhausted within 72 hours of the release.Brewmaster Jon Renthrope founded Cajun Fire Brewing Co. in 2011. The Big Chief Créme Stout and Honey Ale brands were never available for sale at shops except on special tasting events or festive occasions. When beer lovers of Greater New Orleans eventually saw the drinks at their local stores, they collaborated to buy the entire stock.Immediately after the beer hit the market, there have been unbelievable posters about the beer. Renthrope, who grew up in New Orleans, had always had the dream of starting a brewery in New Orleans East. Many of the beer lovers and those who follow the news around the brewery industry had still received up –to date information about the progress of the brewery. They were surprised by the quiet lunch of the beer.The launching of the beer coincides with the addition of two new members to the list of microbreweries in New Orleans. The microbreweries are All Relation in Central City and Zony Mash off South Broad.The operations of breweries are capital intensive, and it’s difficult to secure grants. Renthrope founded the company while he was 31-year-old, which is about eight years ago, and he couldn’t help but laugh as he remembers all he had gone through to secure business loans.On Thursday Renthrope hosted a parley for black beer black entrepreneurs at the New Orleans Jazz Market, where they discussed how to improve equity in the sector and gets quick access to funds.At the moment, Cajun Fire is still outsourcing the production of their beer to Virginia-based brewery, which is mostly used by brewers to brew small qty of beer. Renthrope developed the recipe for the beer. A little qty of the beer was sold at the Pacific Northwest for which another brewery was contracted for the production of the brewery. Even then, it wasn’t sold at New Orleans.The beers are now permanently available in New Orleans and Jefferson parishes.
