USA, MT: Lewis & Clark Brewing Company expands production capacity by 30%

"Out with the old, in with the new" - the familiar New Year's saying that's been taken to heart this week at the Lewis & Clark Brewing Company, kpax.com reported on December 30.

Two 40-barrel fermenters were taken out of the brewery's roof with a crane on December 29, and were replaced by two new 60-barrel fermenters that were lowered into the brewery the same way. A third 60-barrel unit was wheeled in through a loading dock.

The brewery will be able to increase their production capacity by as much as 30% thanks to the new additions.

"What it means for us in 2015 is that we can continue this growth pace that we are on and try to satisfy all of Montana. Right now there's still markets like Billings and Sidney and some of the eastern Montana markets that we're still working to get into," brewery owner Max Pigman noted.

Pigman took the sub-freezing temperatures in stride and said, "Could have picked a warmer day, but, hey, can't pick that!"

Pigman says the new fermenters should be up and running in a week to 10 days.

02 January, 2015