Adirondack Brewery has announced a five-year expansion plan that will triple its brewing and bottling capacities while enabling the Lake George-based company to grow distribution throughout its home state of New York.
Capacity at the new place, which is to be built on a four-acre lot connected to its Canada Street location, will reach 35,000 barrels, up from its current 12,000-barrel ceiling.
Currently only available throughout 35 counties in the state, the expansion will also allow the brewery to “blanket” the rest of N.Y., according to sales and marketing manager Laura Stevens, making Adirondack beers available statewide.
Construction on the $5 million project, backed by bank loans, is slated to start “as soon as the ground thaws out,” added Stevens.
“When the spring hits, we’ll start digging,” she said.
The company expects to be brewing in the new facility by 2015.
Additionally, the project will include a distillery, tasting room, and events space.
The new distillery, to be called High Peaks, will produce whiskeys and ryes under the brand name Cloud Splitter, according to a company statement. Brewery owner John Carr said he expects the distillery to produce 5,000 cases of spirits per year. It marks the company’s first foray into distilling.
In 2013, the brewery put out 6,000 barrels, which doubles the 3,000 it rolled out the year prior. For 2014, Adirondack is projecting 10,000 barrels.
The full press release is below:
Lake George, N.Y. — The Adirondack Brewery has announced that it has planned a five-year, $5 million expansion that will entail the construction of a distillery and tasting room, an events space and addition brewing and bottling facilities (elevation attached).
To accommodate the expansion, the Adirondack Brewery has purchased a four-acre lot connected to its Canada Street, Lake George location for $1.2 million, owner John Carr has announced. The site was purchased from the Off Track Betting Corporation, said Carr.
With the construction of a new plant on the property, Carr’s brewing and bottling capacities will triple, once the expansion is complete, Adirondack Brewery will produce 35,000 barrels of beer a year, said Carr.
According to Carr, the four-acre parcel includes a pedestrian corridor that will connect it with Sewell Street and the Adirondack Pub & Brewery. That will allow the on-site Pub to shift most of its parking to the former OTB lot, landscape its grounds and expand outdoor restaurant seating.
The new distillery, which will be called High Peaks and produce whiskeys and rye under the brand name Cloud Splitter, will be the first distillery in Lake George. Carr said he expects the distillery to produce 5,000 cases of spirits a year. The plans include renovating the 8,000 square foot OTB building and installing the distillery operation behind a glass wall facing Canada Street.
Once remodeled, the High Peaks distillery will also include space for catered events, which will complement and serve events at the new festival space and conservation park opposite the site.
Adirondack Brewery’s beer is distributed locally within the 11 counties of New York State serviced by DeCrescente Distributing as well as 24 other counties in New York with High Peaks Distributing in Plattsburgh & Lake Placid, McCraith Beverage in Utica, Onondaga Beverage in Syracuse, Eagle Beverage in Owsego & Watertown, Clare Rose Inc. on Long Island & by means of self-distribution in NYC.
About
Adirondack Pub & Brewery is a full functioning brewery in the heart of Lake George Village, with all craft-brewed beers made on premise using the finest malt, hops, yeast and water, since 1999. The Adirondack Pub, a full-service Adirondack themed dining establishment serves up all-American cuisine, is currently open on weekends and offers brewery tours Tuesdays & Fridays at 4 pm and Saturdays at 11:30 am. Visit Adirondack Pub & Brewery at 33 Canada Street in Lake George, New York, www.adkbrewery.com