USA, OH: Maize Valley to expand production

Maize Valley Winery, located just outside Hartville, is abandoning its half-barrel brewing system and investing in a 15-barrel Deutsche Beverage brewhouse. The new system is expected to arrive in November or December, and be pumping out beer either at the end of this year or beginning of next year, Akron Beacon Journal reported on August 3.

“We just can’t keep up with production,” owner Bill Bakan said. “We’re constantly running out of beer here.”

Maize Valley launched its brewery last year, intentionally starting out small to see if the demand was there.

“The brewery has eight draft handles, but during the heavier summer months, there are only about five beers on draft because more visitors are drinking more beer,” Bakan said. They even tried to bump up production to have some beer in reserve but “darn it, wouldn’t you know that people bought more,” Bakan said.

Maize Valley saw a 30 percent increase in customers last fall – an increase that Bakan attributes partly to providing beer. The winery-brewery also hosts many well-attended fall events, including a corn maze and hot air balloon launch. As Bakan put it, Maize Valley is “no longer a rinky dink roadside stand.”

The larger system will allow Maize Valley to distribute its beers on draft to area bars and restaurants – a demand they can’t really fill now, Bakan said.

The brewery also will have some limited release beers available in 22-ounce bottles. And it is looking into canning its beers.

But the extent of the bottling and canning isn’t known quite yet, as Bakan wants to see how the demand for draft beer goes first.

05 August, 2015