Trust Your Crazy Ideas with Navy Veteran Kirk Coco Founder of NOLA Brewing

94: Kirk Coco is a native of New Orleans, who spent 11 years in the United States Navy serving as a Surface Warfare Officer.  During his commission he served as the Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer of the USS CHOSIN, Chief Engineer of the USS PELICAN, Operations Officer of the USS CAMDEN and served onboard the USS RONALD REAGAN as Tactical Action Officer/Readiness Officer for Destroyer Squadron Seven.  Kirk chose to leave the Navy in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to return to New Orleans and help in the rebuilding and renewal of the city. After a short career with Capital One Bank, Kirk began his initial dream of bringing production and manufacturing back to New Orleans, founding NOLA Brewing Company in 2008. Since Dixie’s departure from the city in 2005, NOLA Brewing is the only operating production brewery in Orleans Parish. In May 2015 Kirk began work on NOLA Distilling Company, a craft distillery located just 8 blocks from NOLA Brewery which will produce Vodka, Gin and Whiskeys for the New Orleans cocktail scene.

Kirk is a founding member of the Louisiana Beer Board, a group whose mission is to bring the best craft brewed beers into Louisiana and increase the knowledge and availability of craft brewed beers to New Orleans, as well as the State of Louisiana. He is also a founding member of the LA Brewer’s Guild, organizing brewers in the state for the first time, and ensuring a strong commitment from government for the burgeoning craft beer movement.

Trust your crazy ideas and don’t quit until it is absolutely over!