E-Malt.com News article: USA, WA: Propolis Brewing to expand operations in Port Townsend

Propolis Brewing has secured a retail and production location in the vicinity of the new Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, Port Townsend, and hope to open as soon as August, Port Townsend Leader reported on June 24.

Co-owners Robert Horner and Piper Corbett are looking for "community-sourced capital" in the form of micro loans to finance the remodel of the new location.

"We are a for-profit business and we don't just want to take people's money," Horner said.

If the campaign is successful, Propolis Brewing is set to move existing production equipment to the new location during the summer and remodel the existing building to receive new production equipment in September. Horner said they plan to produce 10 times as many cases of beer with the acquisition of the additional equipment.

Propolis Brewing started in June 2012 and is one of Washington's smallest breweries, working on a one-barrel system that allows it to produce about 1,300 cases per year.

"It's about having a different worldview of business in a small town," Corbett said. "What sets our beer apart [is that] we're focusing on beers that are representative of our local place and a traditional style."

Co-owners Horner and Corbett intend to keep Propolis Brewing local and satisfy existing orders with the increased productivity, rather than expand to new locations.

"We want to focus on quality, not quantity, and encourage people to come here, visit Port Townsend," Horner said. "Our intention is to bring money from elsewhere into Port Townsend," he added.

With the promise of a location in a more central area of the city, Horner said, they want to "help encourage this new area by the chamber" and "help make it an artisan community."

Horner and Corbett worked for a year to get a loan for the new production equipment. Horner said they're also open to working with local investors who want to see a return.

"It's hard to get money as a two-person business that's 3 years old," Corbett said, adding, "We wanted a way for people to help us."

Thus, the community-sourced capital campaign was born.

Horner and Corbett expect to pay square holders back within three years, though it could be sooner.

"We want to pay people back as soon as we can," Corbett said.


26 June, 2015