USA, MI: Ann Arbor’s Wolverine Brewing expands further in the craft brewing market

Ann Arbor's Wolverine Brewing Co. has broken ground on a 6,000-square-foot on-site expansion, essentially doubling the brewery's footprint and production capacity, MLive reported on March 20.

Matt Roy, who opened Wolverine State Brewing in 2006 with childhood friend Trevor Thrall, estimates that the expansion will cost between $150,000-$200,000.

Marketing manager Mackenzie Meter estimates that construction on the new space should be completed within about four months.

Wolverine State Brewing Co. was steadily growing in beer sales across southeast Michigan for the last several years (from 35 barrels in its first year, to 2,200 barrels in 2014). Brewing only lagers, the company is unique in the craft brewing market.

"Ultimately, we'd like to get to 4,700 barrels by the end of 2017," said Roy.

"We've carved out a great niche market with our lagers in the southeast Michigan area, primarily in Washtenaw and Livingston counties, with some movement into the metro area. Now we're setting our sights on Grand Rapids and southwest Michigan, and eventually working our way north."

This is Wolverine State Brewing's second expansion. The first was in 2012.

"It gets to a point where we need to make more beer if we're going to push across the state," said Meter.

27 March, 2015