
How do you know you’ve made it as a brewer? How about when, in conjunction with your latest beer release, the city foots the bill for port-a-johns? Or, when the city also offers to throw you a party, coordinating live music and food trucks for the release, and you’re in the position to politely decline? Such is the case for the good folks down at Russian River Brewing Company, whose Pliny the Younger release in Santa Rosa is akin to a national craft beer holiday. In the past, we’ve detailed the brewery’s decision to pull out of Washington distribution due to the state’s unfavorable laws, and we can’t blame them. Glad to see they’re still enjoying so much deserved success. Look out, Dark Lord Day!
Speaking of Dark Lord, in another tidbit of notable news this past week, we heard that Dark Lord’s papa, Three Floyds Brewing Company in Munster, IN, is undertaking a massive expansion. Craft distilling is in their future, thanks to recent changes to Indiana law. What’s more, the city is in their corner, too, with a sizable property tax abatement in the works. The $7.5 million expansion nearly doubles the facility from 30,000 square feet to 56,000, and includes a new bottling and packaging line, storage areas, tasting room upgrades and, get this, an exercise room for employees (to help work off reminders of Dark Lord Day, no doubt).
It’s encouraging to see cities wrap their arms around their breweries and get behind this booming, job-producing industry. Still, other cities are not as quick to give local brewers the warm and fuzzy embrace. ( See: Brimfield, MA. Say it ain’t so!)