Dixie Beer, a New Orleans fixture since 1907, is now Faubourg Brewing Co., the brewery announced today.
"When my husband and I acquired the majority interest in Dixie Beer in 2016, we recognized that we were investing in more than a brewery, we were investing in a strong and resilient community," said owner Gayle Benson. "When the team embarked upon this journey in June, we understood that our new name must encompass the spirit and diversity of all of New Orleans unique neighborhoods."
While the Dixie name has been around for more than a century, the term "Dixie" has also come to denote the "Old South," and Benson announced last summer that the name would change.
"The brewery proactively decided after very productive conversations with leaders of our Black and Brown communities to retire the name 'Dixie' this past June," the company said in a statement. "This decision was made while our nation continues to have critical conversations about social justice issues that have caused immeasurable pain and oppression of Black and Brown communities."
"Our commitment to New Orleans and our customers will not change because we have a new name," said General Manager Jim Birch. "And, we look forward to spreading a taste of New Orleans across the country with Faubourg,"
The Dixie brand will still be seen on store shelves for a few more months. The company says the changeover to Faubourg will begin in early 2021.
