It’s been more than four years since San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing first announced its intent to build a secondary brewing facility on the East Coast and the company has finally set an official grand opening date.
Green Flash today said it would open its 58,000 sq. ft. brewery in Virginia Beach, Va. on Nov. 13, marking the occasion with a series of events, the company said via a press release today.
“The new brewery will allow us to offer East Coast consumers fresh Green Flash beers at West Coast pricing starting January 1st 2017,” brewery co-founder Mike Hinkley said in the release. “We are also looking forward to connecting with our customers face-to-face in Virginia Beach – allowing them to experience Green Flash beers at the source.”
The new production facility will eventually be capable of brewing and packaging 100,000 barrels annually and Green Flash said it plans to pass savings gained from freight efficiencies directly along to consumers.
And while Green Flash will maintain its headquarters and corporate offices in San Diego, an East Coast outpost also gives the company an opportunity to interact directly with both new and existing customers, according to the release.
“The tasting room will be family-friendly and feature as many as 30 Green Flash beers on tap, a vast beer garden, food trucks, retail store, extensive brewery tour program and large private-event room and garden,” the company wrote.
When Green Flash first expressed interest in building an East Coast brewery, in 2012, it ended the year ranked no. 59 on the Brewers Association list of largest regional brewing companies and had produced just 23,360 barrels. It has since grown to become the 45th largest craft brewery in the U.S. and last year brewed more than 81,000 barrels of beer.
The company said it is currently in the process of hiring for both brewery and tasting room positions, and plans to maintain a staff of about 40 at the new facility.
“Having this world-class craft brewery in our backyard is certainly something to cheer about,” Virginia Beach economic development director Warren Harris said via the release. “Not only will Green Flash serve the East Coast some award-winning beers, but the company has a history of supporting the community in a variety of ways that make a difference in people’s lives.”