USA, CA: Mraz Brewing Company moving into new location soon

Mraz Brewing Company founder and brewmaster Mike Mraz will start moving into a new, 3,000 square foot production facility in El Dorado Hills in coming months to keep up with the growing demand of his American and Belgian style ales, The Folsom Telegraph reported on January 21.

The site, located approximately two miles south of the current brewery and tap room on Francisco Dr., will be home to a new brewing and tasting area, as well as one of the largest barrel-aging programs in the region, Mraz said.

“We’re really excited about the move,” Mraz said. “It’ll give us the space we need to produce more beer. It will also allow us to really focus on increasing our barrel-aging capabilities, something we’re becoming known for. Right now, it’s difficult holding beer back for our tap room. The more people learn about us, the more they want our beer.”

The industrial building will be used exclusively for barrel aging upon the planned February move-in.

Mraz said he anticipates having the brewing system transitioned into the new location by late 2015.

“We’ll add as much barrelage as I can fill in the beginning, with the goal being about a 100-barrel capacity,” Mraz said.

The location will initially be closed to the public, however when the tasting area does open, Mraz said it will be a different experience than the intimate Francisco Dr. location.

“I want it to be open. Barrels around the side with picnic tables and a tap center in the middle,” Mraz detailed. “It’ll have less of a bar feel and more of an industrial feel where the customers are immersed in the brewery.”

The current tasting room will continue to serve in the same capacity even after the brewing equipment has been moved to the new property. Mraz said he hopes to eventually have food available at the Francisco Dr. location.

“This will be a positive move for us in both locations,” Mraz said. “We want to have more of an artisan feel here in the Francisco location and make the new location more of a production facility to meet the growing needs and demands of our customers.”

Since opening in May 2013, Mraz Brewing Company has released more than 30 beers, won a pair of gold medals at the California State Fair Craft Brew Competition, more than quadrupled its initial production capacity and expanded distribution to the Bay Area.

23 January, 2015