E-Malt.com News article: USA, MI: Greenbush Brewing Co. to triple production by the end of 2013

The founders of Greenbush Brewing Co. never expected to grow as fast as they are. Greenbush is on track to more than triple its production by the end of 2013, with 13,000 barrels, mlive.com reported on April, 22.

Last year, the brewery put out about 4,000 barrels.

“Our growth over the last 23 months has been like nothing we'd ever expected,” said owner Jill Sites. “We had no idea our taproom would be as popular as it is. We obviously needed to add seating in the first year. But then, our brewing needs quadrupled, and then tripled on top of that, and you need to keep growing. And in order to keep growing in a small space, you eventually have to add what little amount of space you can find and manage, which is what we've been doing.”

The brewery is currently expanding for the fourth time in less than two years.

Greenbush added 1,500 square feet to its 3,000-square-foot building for a fermentation room, a 15 barrel brew house and additional seating space. The kitchen improvements should be completed by mid-May.

Greenbush also added patio seating and is already planning to expand its outdoor seating capabilities. However, even the recent expansion does not seem to be enough.

“The next big expansion is to build a large production facility across the street with a 50 barrel system,” Sites said. “We're in the drawing stages, which is pretty fantastic. We're hoping to see that up and running by early 2014.”

Sites and Scott Sullivan, both owners of the brewery, were the only employees when Greenbush first opened in 2011 but now the brewery employs 44 people, including bartenders, brewers and cellarmen. It is owned by Sullivan, Sites and Justin Heckathorn and distributes in Chicago and northern Indiana.

The brewery began selling four and six-pack bottles of five of its brews for the first time in Michigan in February and they plan to distribute bottles in Chicago and Northern Indiana soon.

Sites said the brewery has no plans for canning beer.

“We are bottle people, and we want to keep it that way,” she said, adding that Unicorn Killer, a pumpkin ale, will be available in bottles for a longer duration this fall. “Growth is what keeps everything moving.”


24 April, 2013