Meet Louie Louie, The Cannabis Drink of NOLA

by Rachel Burkons

The Sazerac cocktail, a timeless New Orleans classic, traces its roots back to the 1830s when it was created by apothecary owner Antoine Amédée Peychaud. Originally concocted with Sazerac French brandy and his eponymous bitters, it eventually evolved into the whiskey-based delight we know and love today. Today, it’s a drink found all over the Crescent City - and all over the world, and it serves as a liquid ambassador for the city, even 200 years later.

So with a deeply-ingrained cocktail culture in a city known for drinking, it’s high time there’s a NOLA-born cannabis beverage that can offer an alternative fit for the modern day consumer, one looking for a less, er…nearly-100%-spirit-based drinking experience a la the Sazerac. After all, as consumers continue to drink less and less alcohol, they’re also increasingly looking for alcohol-free options, even in places like New Orleans. And for those who still want a buzz, but want to skip the hangover, cannabis beverages offer an ideal alternative.

Although cannabis remains illegal in the state of Louisiana, hemp-derived THC Louie Louie Blackberry Lemon Seltzer is throwing its hat into the ring as a contender in New Orleans’ bustling food and beverage scene and forging into new liquid territory at key bars, restaurants, and retailers across the city. “What's amazing about Louisiana is that our products can be sold in grocery stores,” explains Marie La France, co-founder of the brand. “We are also available in some of the city's best bars and restaurants, including the Tell Me Bar, which was just named one of Esquire's top bars in America. The South is known for its hospitality, but man, have we been blown away by the reception we’ve gotten!” she continues. “We sold out our first production run after just one month.”

Your New Mardi Gras Drink

From its vintage street sign-inspired branding, to its locally sourced ingredients, “everything about Louie Louie reflects our hometown of New Orleans,” quips La France. With a NOLA-inspired look and authentic flavor profile, Louie Louie has been a natural fit with its local community.

La France cites the social aspect of beverages as a contributing factor to what’s made Louie Louie so successful locally. “We are a social community,” she says. “We gather on porches, we dance in the streets. Smoking cannabis in public is still criminalized here, and edibles aren’t exactly a communal experience. The beverage format allows us to consume cannabis in our natural habitats - festivals, crawfish boils, and parades. We party all day and late into the night down here - that’s why we made Louie Louie to be sessionable, and we think the 5mg.THC/5mg CBD combo gives a nice, relaxed high that’s appropriate for any setting.”

And with a light, refreshing flavor, Louie Louie is perfect for those hot, humid NOLA nights, but like the Sazerac before it, Louie Louie is looking to make a name for itself. “We are launching delivery to 30 states next month, and plan to spread to other markets later this year,” states La France, “and we are honored to have received a Bronze Medal [at the recent High Spirits Awards].” So with success rolling through like a parade float, who knows; perhaps one day in the not-too-distant future, Louie Louie will join the Sazerac’s ranks as a New Orleans classic.

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