Riding high from the successful opening of his Page, Arizona, location of Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery, founder, John Peasley, has his sights set on a massive expansion plan at the flagship location in Williams. In what will become the largest addition to the space, two new construction builds will add 12,500 sq. ft. Construction is set to begin on the 4.5-acre lot in late April 2022 and be done by the end of July 2022. The total investment is over $1,000,000.
“This is a huge step for us to increase our brewing and distilling capacity plus streamline many of our processes like shipping, storage and keg washing. We’re adding jobs and expect our production rate to increase by 62% in the first year. I’m thankful for the success and growth we’ve experienced and look forward to moving full steam ahead,” John Peasley, Founder, Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery.
Peasley attributes the demand for increased production to the success and popularity of his Prickly Pear Wheat beer. He estimates that this single brand will account for nearly 50% of production within the year.
Equipment additions in the brewhouse include:
· Five, 120bbl fermenters
· One, 120bbl Brite tank
· One, $359,000 Comac automatic keg washer and filler
Equipment additions to the distillery include:
· Four, 1,000-gallon pot stills
· One coffee bean roaster
The distillery is currently housed in the brewing facility but after this expansion, it will move to a 7,000 sq. ft. space inside of the rickhouse. Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery is home to Arizona’s only rickhouse – a space used to store and age 210 barrels of whiskey. After the expansion, there will be room for about 500 barrels. The distillery capacity will increase by 600% with the addition of the four 1,000-gallon pot stills. The coffee bean roaster will be used as part of Peasley’s plans to expand into the coffee space with bourbon barrel-aged coffee and coffee-infused beers and spirits.
For more information about the Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery, visit online at www.grandcanyonbrewery.com.