E-Malt.com News article: Canada, NS: Garrison Brewing Co. completes third capacity expansion

Garrison Brewing Co. in Halifax has completed its third capacity expansion in as many years, The Chronicle Herald reported on April, 9.

"We are just completing installation of a couple of brewing tanks that will bump up our existing capacity by a full 50 per cent," owner Brian Titus said from Garrison’s Halifax waterfront location next to the Seaport Farmers Market.

"We just barely kept up with increasing demand for new speciality brands and regular product. We knew we had to get our capacity up to be ready for this summer."

With the expansion, the plant at Garrison will be capable of producing the equivalent of about 2.5 million bottles of craft beer a year.

Titus said the two brewing tanks for the latest expansion were obtained from Diversified Metal Engineering on Prince Edward Island.

He said that company has built up a great reputation in the industry after providing tanks for some of the most successful craft breweries in North America. Many craft breweries use tanks from Chinese suppliers.

"It’s pretty terrific to have one of the best fabricators of brewing tanks right here in Atlantic Canada. The tanks were on the way here almost immediately."

Titus said demand for Garrison product increases by about 25 per cent annually.

Part of the increase is due to customers scooping up designer brands. The microbrewery sold the entire pre-Christmas 2010 run of its spruce-flavoured beer within two days. About 1,200 litres were produced.

Craft beer lovers also drank up a maple-flavoured product and another brew that was aged in whiskey barrels.

Titus said the most popular brands produced at Garrison are Tall Ship Amber and Hopyard Pale.


13 April, 2011