Manzanita Brewing Company, a member of our 11 beer businesses to watch in 2011 club, will soon be moving all operations to 10151 Prospect Avenue, just 2/10 of a mile from their current location in Santee. “This is going to mean the difference between 1,200 and 25,000 barrels a year,” says Co-Founder Jeff Trevaskis, who expects to have the first keg tapped and ready to serve in the 1,000 sq ft tasting room by Christmas.
The new digs will house a 30 barrel, US-made Criveller system, 30-ton chiller, 50 hp boiler, six 60-barrel fermenters and two 60-barrel bright tanks. The equipment is due to arrive at the end of November and brewing is expected to be in full production by the end of January 2012. Trevaskis and Co-Founder/Brewmaster Garry Pitman have also discussed the possibility of adding another mash tun and a whirlpool so up to four brews a day can be completed.
“This new location will allow us to grow for the next ten years,” says Pitman, who was also excited to reveal that a new sour program will start by the end of the year. Expect more barrel-aging as well, as racks for 40+ barrels were recently purchased.
So, when did Manzanita realize a move was needed? “Back in February,” Trevaskis recalls. “I looked at the numbers and knew we’d be out of head room by July or August, and here we are.”
What will happen to the brewery’s current location? “It will be sold as a turn-key – everything included. We’ll put a sticker on the wall, and you can start brewing the next day,” Trevaskis told us. The price tag for this ready-made brewery? $400,000-500,000. In addition to the current equipment included in the asking price, Trevaskis and Pitman will be adding three fermenters, a 5-ton chiller and a 5-ton air conditioner.
In other Manzanita news — three more styles will be bottled next week. Lazy Saison and crowd favorite Chaotic Double IPA will go into 22 oz bottles, while the 1-year anniversary barleywine Serenity will make its way into 1,200-1,300 12 oz, wax-capped bottles. More on those releases next week.