Good beer is hard to find sometimes; luckily the Charlottesville area is blessed with plenty of good beer. Starr Hill in Crozet, Devil’s Backbone in Nellysford, Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton (which is a mere 12 minutes from my house) … today brings the announcement from Blue Mountain Brewery that they are growing. Exponentially, one might say. Their new events center looks to be nearing completion and today brings news that they are going to be launching a new “production brewery”.

One would assume that their distribution capacity will be ramping up as well, so those of you not lucky enough to live near enough to get their beer will finally have your chance.

From the press release:

“(Afton, Nelson County, Virginia)  Blue Mountain Brewery has selected the Colleen Business Park in Nelson County as the home for its two new production brewery projects. During the year-long site selection process, the Colleen location emerged as the best fit for the projects, allowing Blue Mountain to expand its brewery operations in Nelson County. Blue Mountain originally located in Nelson after water studies and drilling test wells. Brewer Taylor Smack notes, “The water in this region is an integral part of the success of our brewery process. I had talked with Central Virginia Electric Cooperative [the Colleen Business Park land owner] about locating a brewery here as far back as 2004. The site never left my mind as very ideal, and we’re thrilled to finally be making a production brewery in Colleen a reality.”
 
Blue Mountain Barrel House and Organic Brewery is a 10,000 square foot production-only facility for the 10 lines of Blue Mountain beer that will be kegged or bottled in 750ml corked bottles and undergo 100% natural refermentation. These beers will be USDA certified organic and will tend toward the more “specialty” end of Blue Mountain’s beer production spectrum. Beers brewed will include the popular Dark Hollow Bourbon-Barrel Aged Stout and Mandolin, but will also introduce new styles such as an imperial pilsner and a barrel-aged Belgian-inspired ale. Production is slated to begin by January 2012, with a start capacity of 2,500 barrels per year, growing to a capacity of 5,000 barrels per year.
 
The second project, a large production brewery of 40-60,000 square feet will focus on the production of the current bottled beer lines, including Full Nelson and Classic Lager. This brewery will help service the large amount of unfulfilled orders from the current beer wholesaler, as well as begin expansion to out-of-state markets. The eventual capacity for this brewery will be 50,000 barrels annually.
 
County Administrator, Stephen Carter, noted, “The County worked diligently with Blue Mountain Brewery to assist in the expansion at the current location as well as locate the two new production facilities in Nelson County. The decision to locate in the Colleen Business Park is an exciting one for the company and for the County. The advantages of the Colleen Business Park, water quality, as well as the opportunity to expand in the same locality are the reasons that Blue Mountain chose Nelson County for the site of its production facilities. In addition to creating approximately 50 new jobs for the County, Blue Mountain Brewery will further enhance the already strong beverage business cluster with the addition of these operations.”
 
Both brewery facilities will share an effluent pre-treatment facility that will use aerobic treatment and anaerobic digestion to reduce the level of brewery effluent strength to meet the operating standards of the Nelson County Service Authority wastewater treatment plant. Although the two breweries will be production-oriented and not include a restaurant area such as the Blue Mountain Brewery pub in Afton, there will be a tasting area at both facilities, as well as a beer garden patio shared by both breweries for public tours and tastings. Customers will be able to fill their growlers or buy six-packs for off site consumption, while enjoying the magnificent view of the Blue Ridge and Nelson County from the hilltop site in the Colleen Business Park.
 
Gary Wood, President and CEO of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative (CVEC), expressed congratulations to Blue Mountain Brewery and welcomed the new neighbors. “The CVEC Board of Directors was enthusiastic in authorizing the sale of land to Blue Mountain Brewery because these two production and bottling operations fulfill the purpose of developing the Colleen Business Park in partnership with Nelson County and the Service Authority.”
 
“Blue Mountain Brewery raises the already high visibility of Nelson County as a great place to live and do business, with a particularly strong combination of agricultural products and tourism. In addition, Blue Mountain Brewery will create jobs for our local citizens, support other local businesses and contribute to the County tax base.””