AleSmith: Expanding

At the Rip Current one-year anniversary party on Saturday, AleSmith Brewing Company owner Peter Zien told West Coaster that big expansion plans are underway…

By January 1, 2015, Zien and the team plan to be producing beers at a new 105,000 sq ft facility less than a mile from the current digs. AleSmith’s working relationship with the city has been so great that they are renaming the road — Empire Street — to AleSmith Court.

Inside the building, the new 80-BBL German-made Krones brewhouse, along with a slew of fermentors, will eventually have a capacity of 150,000 barrels/year. The location will also include San Diego’s first creamery since the 1930s because Zien is a master of making his own cheeses.

As for the current AleSmith location, Zien hopes to sell the brewery and tasting room turnkey and possibly stay on as an equity partner.