E-Malt.com News article: USA, TX: Karbach Brewing Company coming to Austin

Karbach Brewing Co. has expanded across the Lone Star State, offering beer on Austin taps for the first time on January 14, according to Houston Chronicle.

The makers of favorites like Weisse Versa and Sympathy for the Lager opened in Houston just two years ago and have already made it to bars and grocery stores in College Station, Galveston, Beaumont and San Antonio.

"We've experienced incredible growth," said David Graham, head of marketing at Karbach. "Austin was always something we wanted, but we also wanted to be sure we could meet demand."

The company will start by selling signature beers on tap in Austin bars and restaurants before expanding to selling direct from grocery stores.

"We've driven down to Houston to pick them up before," says David Voss, GM at Craft Pride who start their 16 tap take over on January 14, "People are always looking for them."

"I am excited," says Eric Ebbinghauf, Bar Manager at Open Divine Marina who will have 14 Karbach brews on tap from January 17, "I'm off on January 17 and I'll be up here enjoying them, they have two bourbon-barrel-aged porters that sound pretty awesome."

Since Karbach started in September 2011, production has gone from 6,000 barrels the first year to 19,000 the second year. The company recently added 23 new fermenters, boosting its capacity by 250 percent.

Karbach is expected to break ground on a new facility adjacent to their current building later this spring.

"Craft beer nationally and locally has really exploded, it seems the day we opened was the peak of that explosion, it was great timing," said Graham.

That explosion is certainly not limited to Karbach.

Houston's St. Arnold Brewing Company, which shipped its first keg of craft beer back in 1994, also increased production last year by 19 percent.

The Brewer's Association estimates Texas craft beer makers now contribute more than $2.3 billion to the state's economy.


17 January, 2014