Brooklyn Brewery Expanding!

Thanks, Government! Last week the state gave Brooklyn Brewery a grant for $800,000 to help their $6.5MM expansion through Williamsburg. They money will go towards converting 13,500 square feet of vacant distribution space into a fermentation facility, and upping their production from 8,000 to 50,000 barrels a year. Brooklyn Brewery Founder Steve Hindy tells the Post “Support like this is vital to growing manufacturing jobs in New York City. These funds will enable us to complete a six-fold capacity expansion, adding 15 full-time jobs with benefits, and further expanding the Brewery’s green initiatives.”

Among their initiatives, the brewery will install solar panels on the roof to preheat the water and develop a new grain handling system. The money for this grant was allotted from $7.8MM in Downstate Revitalization Fund awards, parts of which also went to the Brooklyn Navy Yard and the Apollo Theater. And while solar panels and wider distribution are all fine and dandy, we're hoping some of the money is being invested in a bacon beer initiative.

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By Jaya Saxena in News on October 27, 2009 12:21 PM

Comments [rss]

fixilator

Great -- maybe they can put that money towards figuring out how to make a decent pilsner.

buttface

So we're going to cheer on for grants of taxpayer money to private, for-profit companies? Fine.

Sweet! They're going to make so much fucking money thanks to that free shot in the arm!!

evbo

Yes! More Oktoberfest!

buttface

Why does the government give grants? Why not long term, interest-free loans?

I love BB, but come on. That's my money. So now I'm technically paying a little more every time I drink one.

TheKlaus

By little, you mean $.000000000000000000000000000000000000000001?

Bottomless Chips

It doesn't matter, TheKlaus. Let's just give cars and expensive health procedures to everyone in the country, too, since it's only like a couple of bucks here and there.

When you nickel and dime everyone and then use the money for a pet project of revitalizing an area, that's wrong.

If a private investor wants to come in. Great.

But the irony of the state expanding a brewery when the city is paying thousands for anti-low calorie drink ads is amusing.

Guest

Agreed. I guess I missed the part where it was a government grant. As much as I love beer, I hate government handouts.

JenChungsBaby

The state of NY gave them $800,000 -- which it will surely recoup if it really helps create 15 new jobs. Boo hoo.

Guest

Awesome news, but difficult to fathom that an expansion of that magnitude only creates 15 new jobs.

hotstepper

most of the beer is brewed at Matt Brewing Company in Utica, producer of the most delicious beers on the planet. the Brooklyn location is just to resolve brand dissonance and will never employ a legion of brewers.