 Opening in 2014
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has chosen a site near Asheville for the future home of an East Coast brewery. The site, approximately 90 acres in the Henderson County town of Mills River - along the French Broad River, 12 miles south of "Beer City USA"- will be home to the new production facility, as well as a proposed restaurant and gift shop. New Belgium will open a brewery in 2015 near downtown Asheville.
"We are thrilled to have found an ideal location in western North Carolina for our second brewery," says Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada. "The beer culture, water quality and quality of life are excellent. We feel lucky to be a part of this community."
The new facility will add much needed capacity for Sierra Nevada, and will allow for the quick shipment of brewery-fresh beer to consumers in the east. The East Coast brewery will start with a capacity around 300,000 barrels, with room to grow. The added barrelage will accommodate wider production of the myriad of seasonal beers and bottled specialties Sierra Nevada has produced in recent years, as well as an expansion of the brewery's well-known flagship product: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
Sierra Nevada began the search for a new location several years ago. The brewery looked at hundreds of potential sites, eventually narrowing the search down to a handful of locations. The list of criteria was long and included quantifiable factors such as ease of shipping and water quality, as well as quality of life issues for its employees. Sierra Nevada has a reputation for a laid-back brewery culture and a love of the outdoors, and the new facility will retain this same tone.
 Sierra Nevada's eastern brewery site is expected to employ approximately 90 workers, with additional staff in the restaurant to follow. The brewery anticipates being operational by early 2014.
They follow traditional brewing methods, using only select malted barley, whole hop flowers, brewer's yeast, and pure water. The quality of ingredients and devotion to the craft of brewing shows in the superior flavor, aroma, balance, and character of our ales and lagers.
Visitors will be welcome at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Asheville. You can see the brewing process for yourself, then try award-winning ales and lagers in a Taproom & Restaurant. Guided tours are complimentary and will be available daily.
About Sierra Nevada
Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America's premier craft breweries, highly regarded for using only whole-cone hops and ingredients of the finest quality. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for artisan brewers worldwide as a winner of numerous awards for its extensive line of beers including the flagship Pale Ale, Torpedo, Porter, Stout, Kellerweis, four seasonal beers, Estate Ale, Harvest Ales, Ovila Abbey Ales and a host of draught-only specialties.
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