E-Malt.com News article: USA, AL: Straight to Ale brewery to expand in Alabama

Straight to Ale brewery is poised to become the largest brewery in Alabama with its latest expansion at Campus No. 805 in west Huntsville, AL.com reported on July 9.

When complete, the project will span 40,000 square feet, double Straight to Ale's workforce and triple the brewery's production capacity at the former Stone Middle School campus near the intersection of Triana Boulevard, Clinton Avenue and Governors Drive in Huntsville.

Chad Emerson, chief executive officer of Downtown Huntsville Inc., said the mixed-use development is slated to become "one of the most interesting gateways into anywhere."

"It takes an innovative vision to take an old middle school and turn it into two breweries," Emerson said.

The 5-year-old brewery broke ground on July 9 at the 13-acre property in Huntsville.

Straight to Ale’s CEO and co-founder Dan Perry said they plan to reuse as many building materials from the old school as possible.

"We loved the idea of repurposing an old school into a brewery for the whole community," Perry said.

Earlier this year, Perry said the project may come been stopped if lawmakers did not pass the Alabama Brewers Guild's off-premises beer sales legislation. The group's third direct sales bill died in June without a vote, but Perry feels confident the brewers and wholesalers will come to an agreement by the next legislative session.

An Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Study Commission was formed recently to look at the state's alcohol laws and is expected to report its findings by the end of the year. Three public meetings will be held later this month in Huntsville, Hoover and Mobile.

"We've had a lot of talks directly with our wholesaler partners in the state and the feeling now on both sides is that we're going to be able to come to a compromise that will allow us to sell beer to-go from the breweries this coming year," Perry said.

Perry said the expansion at Campus No. 805 will create a 40-barrel brewhouse with new equipment and fermentation capacity. They plan to keep the brewery's current facility on 3200 Leeman Ferry Road in Huntsville open, after the new larger brewery launches in seven months.

Perry operates Straight to Ale brewery with business partners Bruce and Jo Weddendorf and Colin Austin.


15 July, 2015