E-Malt.com News article: USA, CO: Breckenridge Brewery's to increase its capacity

The final numbers are still being tallied, but Breckenridge Brewery saw close to 30 percent growth in 2011 - about double the growth rate of the craft beer industry as a whole, Westword.com reported on January, 24.

Once the brewery's seven new tanks - six fermenters and one brite tank - are on line in April, the brewery conservatively expects to brew 35,000 more barrels a year.

In all, the brewery will have the ability to produce 75,000 barrels a year (the equivalent of about 24 mln bottles of beer) once the new equipment is operational.

Breckenridge broke ground on its expansion back in November.

"We reached capacity at our brewery, and we needed to get some new tanks in and pump up our production," says Terry Usry, who is married to brewmaster Todd Usry and has been associated with the brewery for more than twenty years.

Usry adds that Breckenridge had the cash on hand to pay for the new equipment, a result of a "booming" craft beer market; the company merged with the Wynkoop Restaurant Group in late 2010.

"The craft beer industry is booming right now, and we had a couple good years," Usry says, noting that the brewery has plans for a new kegging line to be installed in late summer. Breckenridge currently distributes in 32 states.


01 February, 2012