Inugural Startup St. Bernard Winner, 40 Arpent Brewing Company Hosts Taproom Grand Opening

What began as a home brewing hobby for Michael Naquin has blossomed into a 6,000 square foot micro-brewing operation nestled in the heart of Old Arabi on the bank of the Mississippi River.         

Founded in 2011, 40 Arpent Brewing Company has provided locally crafted beer to restaurants and bars throughout Southeast Louisiana, but with the completion of a 1,200 square foot taproom, Naquin and his staff look forward to serving their product on site.   

The addition, formally used as practice spaces for various bands, was largely constructed by Naquin himself. “I like to call the vibe Reclamation,” he said. “I took a 30-year-old metal building with 200-year-old wood and made a killer spot to enjoy a truly great beer.

The renovation was made possible in part due to a prize package acquired by Naquin and his team by winning the inaugural Startup St. Bernard in 2015.         

“My experience with Startup St. Bernard was great and it only helped to solidify 40 Arpent Brewing Company as a destination location in St. Bernard Parish,” Naquin said.    

Startup St. Bernard presented by the Meraux Foundation and the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation is an entrepreneurial pitch competition held each year during Idea Village’s New Orleans Entrepreneur Week. The competition is designed to propel startup businesses to the next level by competing for a prize package valued at $110,000 in front of a panel of judges and a live audience.          

“The Meraux Foundation created Startup St. Bernard to support new businesses in St. Bernard Parish, and we are thrilled that the competition allowed 40 Arpent to open a taproom that will attract many more people to visit our community and contribute to our local economy,” said Rita Gue, the president of the Meraux Foundation.         

Through the hard work and dedication of Naquin and the injection of capital and professional support from his Startup St. Bernard winnings, 40 Arpent Brewing Company is quickly becoming an icon for the resurgence of the neighborhood, company reps said.

“40 Arpent distinguished themselves in the 2015 competition by highlighting the traffic a new taproom would bring to Old Arabi and all of St. Bernard Parish,” said Andrew Jacques, Executive Director of the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation. “40 Arpent has quickly become one of the more recognizable brands from St. Bernard, and we’re excited to follow their continued growth.”

40 Arpent Brewing Company provides tours to visitors from all reaches of the Gulf South and beyond, and its Taproom is now open Thursday - Sunday from 3:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. and regularly includes food provided by rotating food trucks, live entertainment, and game watching parties.