Colorado’s New Belgium Brewery is one of the largest craft breweries in the United States. With more than 700,000 barrels of beer produced each year, New Belgium is not a company one would likely guess if asked to name a brewery about to purchase a small- batch barrel system.
Yet this is exactly what has happened at New Belgium: The company now has a new brewing system designed specifically for small batches of beer. According to New Belgium, the system cost $225, 000 and is now in place, ready to branch out in new craft brewing directions.
Some may rightfully wonder why a beer business the size of New Belgium would need a small- batch brewing system, but there is a valid reason behind the purchase. New Belgium produces very large batches of its current lineup of beer and the existing equipment is fine for that purpose. But like any craft brewer, New Belgium wants to experiment a little from time to time- experiment with more unusual ingredients and more daring concoctions. This isn’t practical with a large brewing system, but it works just right with a small batch system.
Now that New Belgium has this smaller system in place, its brewers can flex their creative muscles and seek out new and interesting products similar to those common at other, smaller craft breweries. It also allows New Belgium to collaborate with nearby restaurants and taverns and create unique products brewed specifically with a certain event or idea in mind.
This smaller system produces just eight barrels at a time and has already been used to brew a plum bock beer. Colorado residents and possibly others can look forward to other small batch products from New Belgium in the coming months.
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