E-Malt.com News article: USA, CO & NC: New Belgium Brewing to increase production for its 25th anniversary

New Belgium Brewing Co. has transformed from a basement brewery to USA’s fourth-largest craft brewer, USA Today reported on June 21.

And as the Fort Collins, Colorado-based brewery approaches its 25th year, the employee-owned company has more expansion on the horizon. New Belgium Brewing is expected to open an Asheville, North Carolina, brewing facility by the end of 2015. CEO and co-founder Kim Jordan said construction, which started in 2014, is about two-thirds complete.

"I'm often asked by people if I had any idea New Belgium Brewing would grow to its size — the answer is 'Of course not,' " said Jordan, who opened the brewery in 1991 with former husband, Jeff Lebesch.

"I remember in the very beginning Jeff was interviewed about New Belgium Brewing and said 'If we can just grow this to 90 cases a week, I think we can make it.' In hindsight, of course, that's very funny."

In 2014, New Belgium Brewing reported it produced 945,000 barrels of beer. It's distributed to more than 35 states.

According to the Brewers Association, D.G. Yuengling and Son of Pennsylvania, Boston Beer Co. of Massachusetts, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. of California were the only U.S.-based craft breweries to sell more than New Belgium Brewing.

Jordan said New Belgium Brewing started exploring an Asheville location in 2008.

The brewery is 100 percent company-owned, a transition made two years ago. The company, which rewards employees on their fifth work anniversary with a free trip to Belgium, has had some form of employee ownership since 1996.

And New Belgium Brewing is now approaching its 25th year, a fact that's hard for Jordan to comprehend.

"It's one of those paradoxical things," she said. "On one hand it feels like I've been doing this forever — and not in a bad sense, just that it's so integrated into my life.

"But on the other hand it kind of feels like yesterday. I'm always surprised when new craft brewers reference us as being old and wise, or talk about us as legacy brewers."


24 June, 2015