E-Malt.com News article: USA, CO: The two Longmont craft breweries report more than 40 percent growth

Both of Longmont's craft breweries, Left Hand Brewing Co. and Oskar Blues Brewery, grew at about four times the overall industry's rate of growth in 2011, TimesCall.com reported on April, 3.

Left Hand Brewing said that it produced 36,380 barrels of its Sawtooth Ale, Black Jack Porter and other brews during the year, a 49.4 percent increase over 2010's total. The company is now up to 63 employees, which is a 50 percent increase just in the past year.

The company also continued to expand its production capability in the past year, adding three new 480-barrel fermenters, for a total of six, and an additional 500-barrel bright tank.

By the end of this year, after it installs a new $3 mln bottling line, slated for this fall, Left Hand will have invested $9 mln in expanding its production facility since 2008.

Oskar Blues Brewery just completed a $4 mln expansion, including the addition of a new high-speed, $2 mln canning line.

Even before the new canning line was operational, Oskar Blues produced 59,000 barrels of its Dale's Pale Ale, Old Chub and other beer in 2011, a 40 percent increase over 2010.

The 17,000 more barrels it produced last year was equal to the brewery's entire output in 2008, the year the company moved its headquarters and brewing facilities to Longmont from Lyons.

Oskar Blues employs about 65 people at its Longmont facility and another 18 salespeople in Colorado and elsewhere.

Oskar Blues also continues to add more equipment, and its plans for 2012 include revamping its offices, expanding its cooler and adding a patio to its tasting room, the Tasty Weasel.

According to recent figures from the Boulder-based Craft Brewers Association, overall industry volume was up 13 percent in 2010, totalling 5.68 percent of the total U.S. beer market. It was the first time ever that figure topped 5 percent.


05 April, 2012