Team
NOLA Brewing would not be the great brewery it is today without our incredible team of staff and volunteers. Each one of us works hard to deliver great taste and quality in our ales and all play an important role in our great quality and pride in making each batch. Click the names below for more details on who we are and what we do each day at NOLA Brewing.
Kirk Coco – President
Photo by David Grunfeld / The Times-Picayune
NOLA Brewing is the concept and dream of entrepreneur Kirk Coco. Kirk is a native New Orleanian who earned his BA and Juris Doctorate from Louisiana State University, his MBA from the University of New Orleans and served 11 years as a Surface Warfare Officer in the United States Navy. After watching the effects of Katrina while on deployment in the Arabian Gulf, he decided to come home to help rebuild and develop commerce in post-Katrina New Orleans.
While enjoying great tasting beer of fellow New Orleanian and home brewer Byron Towles, the question arose, “Why doesn’t New Orleans have several great local micro-breweries like Portland or Seattle to offer a variety of beer to a city full of brewing history?” Once the cradle of brewing in the Deep South, New Orleans boasted world famous beers such as Falstaff, Regal, Union, Dixie, Jax, New Orleans Brewing and XXXX (Four X).
The result of this conversation was NOLA Brewing – bringing you great New Orleans beer.
Dylan Lintern – Vice President
Dylan at NOLA Brewing
Dylan came to NOLA Brewing in late 2008 from Firehouse Brewing Company in San Diego where he was the Director of Finance and Government Relations. He is using the knowledge he gained there to help us run daily operations and all government reporting – a very important aspects to us staying in business! Dylan graduated from University of Colorado in 2006 with a degree in Finance - this is also where he learned how to brew. His love of beer and music have both grown since moving to New Orleans, and if not at the brewery he often can be found on Phish tour, playing kickball, or enjoying a pint at the Pub.
Melanie Knepp – Head Brewer
Melanie Knepp has been in the craft brewing industry for the past ten years, wearing many hats as a craft beer advocate.
Melanie at NOLA Brewing
Currently serving as Head Brewer at NOLA, she possesses a passion for her work and the advancement of both the company, and the industry. Melanie first came to NOLA as a volunteer after meeting founder and owner Kirk Coco at the 2008 Craft Brewer’s Conference in San Diego. With an intense love for craft beer, the city of New Orleans, and it’s culture, she has quickly found her niche in the crescent city as a member of our team. Having traveled abroad to Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic for beer study, as well as completion of the Concise Course on Brewing Technology through the Siebel Institute, Melanie has proven herself to be a relentless student of her trade. She is a proud member of the Pink Boots Society, and can be seen at local beer events sporting her custom made NOLA Brewing pink boots to honor and recognize all women involved in the craft beer movement.
Peter Caddoo – Brewmaster
The highly skilled and well respected former brewmaster of Dixie Beer, Peter Caddoo – has 26 years of brewing experience. Peter, who has a culinary degree and great experience in developing unique and award winning beer flavors, was in Downtown New Orleans during Katrina and has remained in New Orleans since, brewing for the local New Orleans homebrewers association, as well as friends and family.
Peter is known throughout the New Orleans beer drinking community as a master of taste. With NOLA Brewing he will be able to not only delight the taste buds of his fan club, but bring his own recipes and award winning flavors to the city of New Orleans.
Mike “Indy” Grap – Cellarman
“Indy” got started home brewing in the late ’90′s while living in Seattle, Washington and has loved the process of making beer ever since.
As an 
apprentice under Todd Hicks at The Cannon Brew Pub in Mobile, Alabama, Indy decided he wanted to make beer for a living. In 2009 he started as a volunteer at NOLA Brewing where he impressed the team with his homebrewed beers and dedication to perfection in all of his activities. Indy has been Cellarman at NOLA since January 2010, and is responsible for all packaging operations. When asked what NOLA Fans should know about the “inner Indy,” he statsd: “My turn on’s include: beer, fire, & long walks along the Sea of Grass on Hyperion.” When not brewing, Indy likes to entertain us with his Slim Pickens imitations (see picture!)
Will Thompson – Cellarman
Will gained his appreciation for quality beer growing up in Germany and England.
After returning to the Chicagoland area,where he was born, he 
attended the University of Redlands in Southern California earning a BS and BA. It was here on the West Coast, sipping high-quality craft brews, that he realized that there was a galaxy of great beer to be explored right here in the States. While his adoration for the European brewing traditions lingered, he wanted to be part of the American craft-beer revolution that had been occurring for the last four decades. Will brings passion for beer with him to New Orleans where he has been homebrewing and volunteering for NOLA Brewing since late 2010. Will is the latest permanent member of the NOLA Brewing team!
