E-Malt.com News article: USA, WI: St. Francis Brewing revises the expansion plan

St. Francis Brewing Co. is no longer considering a site in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley for a new brewery, and is instead focusing on a smaller expansion plan at a neighbouring building, as quoted by Journal Sentinel on May 1.

St. Francis Brewing, a brew pub, in 2014 proposed a new 20,000-square-foot brewery and banquet hall in a storage building it owns at 3815 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Saint Francis. That property is next to the brew pub, which opened at 3825 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in 2009.

Owner Rick Michalski, said the company needs a second brewery to meet the rapidly growing demand for carryout packaged beer, which it sells in liquor stores, supermarkets and other retail outlets. St. Francis Brewing now contracts with Sand Creek Brewing Co., in Black River Falls, to brew and bottle its brands.

St. Francis Brewing faced a $1.7 million gap in its financing plan for the Kinnickinnic Ave., in Saint Francis facility, and sought city financing help for the $8.5 million project.

Michalski also placed under contract an alternative site: 2 acres in the 800 block of W. Canal St., Milwaukee.

But that Menomonee Valley site, Milwaukee, would have required extensive pilings to make the soil stable, which would have been too costly, Michalski said.

The company is now planning a smaller expansion at the storage building, with less brewing capacity than in the initial phase, he said. Also, plans for a banquet hall would be delayed.

Michalski is continuing to discuss possible city financing help with St. Francis officials, but no specific proposal has yet surfaced for the Common Council to consider.


06 May, 2015