E-Malt.com News article: USA, IN: Sun King Brewing Co. to build a second production facility in central Indiana

Craft beer maker Sun King Brewing Co. announced plans on August 18 to build a second production facility and tasting room in central Indiana.

Sun King said it would spend about $9 million for the new brewery near Interstate 69 in the northern Indianapolis suburb of Fishers, while keeping open its current brewery in downtown Indianapolis.

Sun King President Omar Robinson said the new Fishers brewery will help it keep up with demand. The facility will have a large canning line, indoor tap room and outdoor beer garden.

"This brewery will have a whole different feel," Robinson said. "We'll have enough room outside to do some pretty cool events, like an Oktoberfest, with room for 3,000 people outside, plus food trucks and Sun King beer trucks."

The Fishers Town Council is considering a $2.5 million development agreement with Sun King that calls for capturing property taxes generated by the brewery for 25 years to pay for infrastructure improvements and help offset project costs, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported.

"Their ideas are pretty extraordinary, and they fit well with our young, entrepreneurial vision for Fishers," Town Manager Scott Fadness said.

The new brewery is expected to open next summer with at least 20 workers, Sun King said.

Founded in 2009, Sun King expects to produce about 28,500 barrels of beer this year, Robinson said. That's up from 5,000 barrels in its first year — and trailing only Three Floyds Brewing Co. of Munster among Indiana's craft brewers.

The Fishers brewery will increase Sun King's capacity by more than 20,000 barrels next year, Robinson said.

"We are extremely close to maxing out that facility," Robinson said of the Indianapolis brewery. "We're running out of space for tanks."

Sun King continues to have no plans for distributing beer outside of the state.

The Fishers facility will brew and distribute Sun King's Sunlight Cream Ale, Osiris Pale Ale and Wee Mac Scottish-Style Ale. The downtown Indianapolis brewery will handle production for Sun King's seasonal and specially beers, bourbon-barrel aged beers and sours.


20 August, 2014