E-Malt.com News article: USA, WI: Lakefront Brewery to expand

Lakefront Brewery, Inc., Milwaukee’s largest producer of craft beer, is once again eyeing a potential expansion site, brewbound.com reported on August, 245.

The brewery announced it has an accepted offer to buy land adjacent to the existing Lakefront facility.

According to Lakefront Brewery Owner Russ Klisch, plans are to purchase lot next door and build on it as soon as it is financially feasible for the brewery. The brewery plans to relocate its packaging lines and additional fermentation tanks at the new facility. The brew house would retain all of its existing fermentation tanks and would use the space vacated by packaging for barrel aging.

The expansion is being driven by increased demand. Lakefront now brews 40,000 barrels per year, with production having nearly doubled in the past two years alone. The second brewing location will provide Lakefront with the ability to expand its production and distribution. The company has also begun expanding its warehouse facilities.

“We are taking a very measured approach to expansion, and acquiring this land is an initial step,” said Klisch. “However, the craft beer market just continues to grow and we need to expand production or we won’t be able to keep up with demand.”

Lakefront Brewery, Inc. was started in 1987. The brewery distributes its products to 35 states, Japan, Korea and Canada. Lakefront Brewery, Inc. was the first brewery to brew a government-approved, gluten-free beer, New Grist, and brews the oldest USDA-certified organic beer, Organic ESB.


27 August, 2014