E-Malt.com News article: USA, IL: Chicago's Atlas Brewing expands operations by launching second facility in Chicago

Atlas Brewing Co., the Lincoln Avenue-based brewpub, just launched a line of cans that is making its way to liquor stores around Chicago, DNAinfo reported on July 27.

The young brewing company fired up its operations at a new South Side facility located inside the former Jay's Potato Chip factory at 99th and Cottage Grove.

Atlas Brewing's beers had primarily only been available on tap at its Lincoln Park location, 2747 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago, until earlier this month.

"It's exciting. It's scary. It's an opportunity to really turn this thing into something that can be a long-term career," said Ben Saller, who runs the brewery and brewpub with his brother John.

Ben Saller, a co-founder of the company, works on a batch at the new Atlas Brewing plant.

Atlas Brewing began looking for a location to expand their operation into a full-scale brewery about a year and a half ago and settled into the old Jay's factory about a month-and-a-half ago.

The Jay's factory shut down in 2007 and had been vacant up until Atlas Brewing moved in.

The young brewery's first cans were shipped out about three weeks ago and can be found in about 30 liquor stores.

"Right now it's definitely a bit stressful because we are yet to see how things are going to go," Saller said. "I'm very happy on the reactions that we have seen to the cans and the beer we have inside of them."

The plant currently has the capacity to produce about 8,000 barrels of beer a year, but has space to bring in more tanks to up the capacity to 50,000 barrels a year if demand warrants.

The Atlas Brewing Company name originated in Chicago in 1896, but that brewery closed after prohibition.

The Sallers brought back the historic name and gave a nod to Chicago history in their unique cans. Each beer makes reference to Chicago history.

"Those of us behind the company are all either lifelong Chicagoans or long-time residents," Saller said. "We love the city."

Atlas Brewing will continue brewing small batches at the Lincoln Park brewpub in Chicago, but all of that beer will remain at that location.

"We don't have a real fixed goal," Saller said. "We just want to see how we grow and hopefully we will need to buy some more tanks within the next year or so."


28 July, 2015