Brewery Expansion

When long-time regulars pine for Icarus Brewing’s original location, founder and owner Jason Goldstein reminds them the good old days weren’t always so good.

Brewery-incubator Pilot Project opened its second Chicago location last week, located in the heart of Wrigleyville. The 3,500 sq. ft. space on N. Clark St. is less than a 5-minute walk from Wrigley Park (home of the Cubs), and includes a large patio space, full menu and a downstairs “Devious” cocktail lounge – branded after Pilot Project’s own line of canned cocktails.

Barrel One Collective-owned Harpoon Brewery is expanding to New Hampshire, opening an “experimental brewery, restaurant and taproom” in the Granite State later this month, the Massachusetts-based craft brewery announced today.

Since April 2023, Ohio fans of Hi-Wire Brewing could get a taste of North Carolina by visiting the brewery’s Cincinnati taproom. But as of this week, the location is now in the hands of Kentucky-based Braxton Brewing.

Chicago-based Funkytown Brewery’s mission is to bring more people into craft beer. Now it’s creating a physical space to be the homestead of that mission. Funkytown has made a deal to acquire a building near the United Center that the Black-owned craft brewery plans to transform into a taproom and beer garden.

Clearwater, Florida-based Big Storm Brewing closed its taproom at Orlando’s Kia Center earlier this month, bringing the former multi-taproom operator to one location, according to the Orlando Business Journal.

Sapporo-Stone Brewing Co. unveiled a $60 million expansion plan yesterday that will double the company’s annual capacity to about 700,000 barrels.

Placentia, California-based The Bruery plans to open an outpost later this year in Meridian, Idaho, CEO Barry Holmes shared. The Idaho tasting room is expected to open by fall 2024.

Tree House Brewing is looking beyond the golf course to the race track. The Massachusetts-based craft brewery will open a new facility in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 2024, Tree House announced today on social media.

Non-alcoholic (NA) craft maker RationAle Brewing has added 70,000 barrels of production capacity via a yet-to-be-named new strategic partnership. The San Diego-based brewery also unveiled refreshed branding and packaging.

Big Grove Brewing is about to get a little bigger. The Iowa City, Iowa-based craft brewery announced it has broken ground on an expansion project that will increase its capacity by 50% next year.

Fans of Manhattan-based Torch & Crown Brewing have two new places to drink Almost Famous IPA and Tenement Pilsner, whether they’re spending summer in the city or at the beach. Torch & Crown has kicked off seasonal residences at Union Square Pavilion in Union Square Park and at Dive Bar Pizza on the easternmost point of Long Island.

D.G. Yuengling & Son beer is now rolling out in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma as part of the Pennsylvania brewery’s joint venture with Molson Coors for westward expansion.