USA, OR & UT: Eugene-based Ninkasi Brewing Co. expands into Utah

Eugene-based Ninkasi Brewing Co. has expanded into Utah, the ninth state where it will be offering its craft beers, The Register-Guard reported on February 20.

Ninkasi is partnering with General Distributing Co. of Salt Lake City.

“We are excited to continue to build craft beer culture and community in a state that has a lot of great beer fans, breweries, and of course, all kinds of spectacular recreation,” Ninkasi CEO and co-founder Nikos Ridge said.

Ridge and Jamie Floyd founded Ninkasi in 2006 in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood as a tiny production brewery. Since then, it has grown rapidly and is now the 30th largest craft brewery in the United States,

Its beers are now sold throughout Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington, as well as Alberta and Vancouver, Canada.

Ninkasi completed a $24 million expansion last year that increased its brewing capacity by more than 40 percent initially, to 160,000 barrels, with the potential to grow to 250,000 barrels over the next 10 to 15 years.

Floyd and Ridge also have been eyeing Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado as areas for future expansion, but have said they have no immediate plans to start distribution in those states.

20 February, 2015