Asheville brewery to expand with new 50,000 barrel brewing facility
Asheville, N.C. – In conjunction with the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County (EDC), Wicked Weed Brewing announced today expansion plans for a new brewing facility to be located in western Buncombe County. The company’s expansion will add 82 new jobs and will invest $5 million in facilities and equipment over the next three years.
Asheville brewery to expand with new 50,000 barrel brewing facility
Asheville, N.C. – In conjunction with the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe County (EDC), Wicked Weed Brewing announced today expansion plans for a new brewing facility to be located in western Buncombe County. The company’s expansion will add 82 new jobs and will invest $5 million in facilities and equipment over the next three years.
The brewery plans to purchase a county-owned building which will become a state-of the-art 40,000-square-foot production facility. This new brewhouse will position Wicked Weed to grow their capacity up to 50,000 barrels a year. Wicked Weed joins a growing number of Buncombe County Manufacturers located in Enka Commerce Park, off Sand Hill Road, and brewing is expected to be underway by fall 2015.
This announcement comes as Wicked Weed Brewing plans to open next month its second downtown location, a barrel house and tasting room, called The Funkatorium, located at 147 Coxe Avenue. This dedicated sour barrel house will store up to 1,000 barrels used in the process of making Wicked Weed’s signature sour, barrel-aged beers. It is the only facility of its type in the southeast, with only a handful of craft brewers nationally having a dedicated sour house.
Since opening just over 18 months ago, Wicked Weed has produced more than 155 unique beer recipes, won a Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2013 and garnered national attention in the craft brewing industry for their creative, high-quality brews like the Freak of Nature Double IPA.
These expansion plans allow Wicked Weed Brewing to gradually grow their market in North Carolina and eventually other states while staying focused on their passion for producing creative, world-class craft beers and maintaining strict quality standards through self-distribution.
“When opening Wicked Weed, we could have never predicted that after a year and a half we would be opening not only a second location but also a third. While this is very exciting, growth is not the goal for our business; our driving priority is to simply make great and innovative beer in a region of the country we all call home. Brewing world-class beer in Western North Carolina really is a dream come true. We wouldn't be moving forward in our company without the support of Buncombe County and all the craft beer enthusiasts who love what we do and we have to express our deepest gratitude for the opportunity to take our passion to the next level." said Walt Dickinson, Keeper of the Funk and an ownership partner with the brewery.
The success of the company underscores the growing economic value of the craft beverage industry in Western North Carolina. Buncombe County is home to an ever growing number of craft brewers, diverse support services as well as the Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast at AB-Tech Community College.
Chairman of the Buncombe County Commissioners, David Gantt commented, “Wicked Weed is an outstanding example of the entrepreneurial spirit in Buncombe County. Two local families have combined talents and created jobs and lasting economic value for our community. I am so proud of this company and this announcement.”
“Wicked Weed's rapid expansion in high-quality, innovative craft brewing shows its tremendous entrepreneurial talent and energy. It also highlights the dynamic economic contributions of this industry in our community. I expect other entrepreneurial sectors to follow the high-growth example of the craft brewing industry as our great quality of life and creative attributes continue to attract innovators and highly-skilled individuals,” remarked EDC Chairman Paul Szurek.
Wicked Weed Brewing is an Asheville, North Carolina based brewpub that consistently hosts 20-plus house beers on tap, including hop forward, West Coast style ales, open fermented Belgians, and barrel-aged sour beers. Opened in December 2012, Wicked Weed is destined to become the largest producer of barrel-aged beers in the Southeastern U.S. The brewery is best known for its Freak of Nature Double IPA, Coolcumber Ale, Tyrant Double Red Ale, Hopburglar Blood Orange IPA, Dark Age Bourbon Stout and Black Angel Cherry Sour. Wicked Weed Brewing won a Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival for its Serenity Farmhouse Ale in 2013. Wicked Weed recently began small scale statewide distribution of kegs and bottles of barrel-aged sour beers to major metro areas in North Carolina. Visit them online at www.wickedweedbrewing.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/WickedWeedBrewing.
The Economic Development Coalition (EDC) for Asheville-Buncombe County is a public-private partnership committed to: creating and retaining high quality jobs, community leadership, and being a resource for better business decisions. The EDC accomplishes this mission through its four core services: business retention and expansion, small business and entrepreneurship, research, and marketing and recruitment. The EDC is funded by Buncombe County, the City of Asheville, the Town of Weaverville, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and the AVL 5×5 Campaign. Visit www.ashevillechamber.org/economic-development.
The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce is a member organization with over 1,800 member businesses and organizations. Chamber members collaborate with community organizations and coalitions to support the community and each other with the mission of building community through business. The Chamber is home to a 4,000 square foot Visitor Center which welcomes over 195,000 visitors per year. Visit www.ashevillechamber.org.