Cahaba Brewing Company

Overview of the Distillery

Cahaba Brewing Company is a microbrewery and distillery in the Avondale neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama. The facility is housed in a renovated industrial building and features a large taproom with more than 26 taps, on-site canning, and both core and taproom-exclusive releases, making the place a local gathering spot for craft beer and smaller spirits production.

History

Cahaba began as a small brewery that grew quickly, and in January 2016 moved its 3-barrel homebrew project to East Avondale, while upgrading to a 30-barrel brewhouse. Subsequently, production was consolidated in a 51,000 square-foot building in the historic Continental Gin Complex, where there is now space for core products, experimental brews, and on-site packaging. Eric Meyer serves as co-founder and is one of the leading figures behind the operation.

Raw Materials and Production

The production facilities combine experimental and commercial units: a 3.5-barrel system from 2011 is used for experiments, while a 30-barrel Sprinkman system serves the routine production. The facilities house three 60-barrel and three 120-barrel fermentation tanks, as well as two brite tanks (60 and 120 barrels). On site, packaging is performed on a Wild Goose canning line, so both brewing and canning are done locally in Birmingham.

Whiskies

The taproom and can releases include core beers such as Blonde, Oka Uba IPA, Pale Ale, and Lager, as well as seasonal and taproom-only releases such as DD’s Cherry Hibiscus Sour. The products are packaged on site, and the brewery distributes in several areas of Alabama.

Visit the Distillery

The taproom is open several days a week during the stated hours and offers over 26 taps, with staples and rotating taproom releases. There is an option to purchase can releases via the online shop, and private events can be booked through an events manager. The taproom is the primary guest experience for visitors.

The listed hours are MON: 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM; TUE–SAT: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM; SUN: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM.

Philosophy and Craft

Cahaba takes its name from the local Cahaba River and emphasizes local roots, diversity, and a combination of core products and room for experimentation. On-site production and packaging are central to the company’s approach.