Sierra Nevada is full of eastern promise

Sierra Nevada, one of the biggest American craft breweries based in Chico, California, plans to build a new site on the East Coast in North Carolina to boost production, currently running at close to one million barrels a year.

The new facility, due to open in 2014, will be managed by Brian Grossman, son of founder Ken Grossman. It will be based in the Henderson County town of Mills River, along the French Broad River, 12 miles south of Asheville. It will give Sierra Nevada a much-needed additional starting capacity of 300,000 barrels, with room to grow. There are plans to add a restaurant and gift shop. The new brewery will enable Sierra Nevada to widen production of seasonal draught beers and bottled speciality beers.

The brewery’s brands are imported into Britain by Steve Holt’s Vertical Drinks. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is now the fastest-selling American pale ale in the country. Vertical Drinks has won a listing with Tesco for Sierra Nevada Torpedo (7.2%), a strong and intensely hoppy IPA (Beer of the Month, January), and will also import limited amounts of Summerfest on draught and in bottle.

See: sierranevada.com; info@verticaldrinks.com.