E-Malt.com News article: USA, NY: Ellicottville Brewing Company clears one of final hurdles to open a brewery in Little Valley

Little Valley is getting a concoction of new brews. Like Blueberry Wheat, 2 Brothers, and Stainless Steel IPA — three beers produced by Ellicottville Brewing Company.

EBC has cleared one of its final hurdles with its plans to open a brewery, tasting room, museum and outdoor concert venue, Buffalo Business First reported on December 8.

The County of Cattaraugus Industrial Development Agency’s directors approved tax breaks for the planned $5.5 million project that will bring new life to a vacant building along Second Street in Little Valley. As many as 30 people will be hired for the project.

“This is significant, in a lot of different and important ways, for Little Valley,” said Corey Wiktor, County of Cattaraugus IDA executive director. Little Valley is less than 10 miles from Ellicottville.

Wiktor said the project qualifies for tax breaks because it is manufacturing based but also has a tourism, agri-business and adaptive re-use attributes.

Work on the building, last used by Salamanca Beverage Co. as a distribution center, is extensive including roof and siding repairs, parking lot improvements and electrical upgrades - all needed before the beer making equipment can be installed.

Unlike Ellicottville Brewing Co.’s locations in Ellicottville, Fredonia and Bemus Point, the focus on the Little Valley project will be on beer production, the concert venue and museum, which will focus on the craft brewery industry.

Little Valley will be the company’s primary brewery while Ellicottville will shift to the production on a new line of aged beers.

Founded in 1995, Ellicottville Brewery Co. now sells its beer in four states and in South Korea.

The company has 160 employees spread among its three locations.

Work on the project is expected to start later this winter with the production facility and tasting room anticipated to open late next year and the concert venue and museum to follow in 2018.


14 December, 2016