E-Malt.com News article: US, GA: SweetWater Brewing Company expands by purchasing a new building

Midtown's SweetWater Brewing Co., one of the largest craft breweries in the Southeast is about to get bigger, 11Alive.com reported on June, 24.

The hometown brewery has been at its Ottley Drive location near Interstate 85 since 2004. Their brewery tours and tastings have built a following that now stretches into six states across the Southeast. They are now fielding calls from wholesalers in Missouri and Connecticut. Their beer is in demand. So is space.

SweetWater's existing space is 26,000 square feet. The company purchased the building next door and began demolition on June, 24. When construction is finished in November, they will quadruple capacity.

Last year, the brewery produced 77,000 barrels, making them one of the top 50 brewing companies, according to the Brewers Association. That same trade group says that while the overall beer industry is struggling to grow, craft beers like SweetWater are rapidly gaining popularity. Even in the middle of the recession, craft beer sales rose 12 percent last year.

It explains why the expansion is needed. SweetWater says they aren't looking at spreading their geographic footprint right now. This just gives them the capacity they need to meet a rocketing demand just within the Southeast.


29 June, 2011