KANSAS CITY, MO – The Kansas City Bier Company, the brewer of traditional German-style ales and lagers, announced an expansion of their brewery today, just 18 months after opening in 2014. The brewery, which sells draught beer in over 375 bars and restaurants throughout the Kansas City area, will double the size of its fermentation cellar in anticipation of releasing bottled Bier in the spring of 2016.
Steve Holle, founder of the brewery, said, “Sales have been climbing steadily, and we are nearing our production capacity for draught beer. Stores are asking to add packaged beer to their retail shelves. It just seems like the right time to grow”. When complete, KC Bier Co. will increase its production capacity from the current level of 6,000 barrels per year to over 12,000 barrels annually.
The expansion, which will cost just under $1.5 million, will include a semi-automated keg line and an 18 head high-speed rotary bottle filler. The packaging operations will be located in an adjacent building that will almost the double the size of the brewery’s footprint to 16,500 square feet.
KC Bier Co. plans to bottle their three year-round beers: Dunkel, a brown Munich-style lager; Helles, a golden Munich-style lager; and Hefeweizen, a golden Bavarian-style wheat ale. Karlton Graham, KC Bier Co.’s German-trained brewer, commented, “We import all of our hops and malt from Germany and use traditional brewing methods to achieve authentic flavors. What is also unique is our decision to package naturally carbonated, unfiltered beer to avoid stripping out flavor.”
Missouri Bank is providing debt financing. According to Senior Vice-President Julie Meers, “MoBank is very excited to be working with Kansas City Bier Company on their expansion. Their growth has been exceptional, which is no surprise. Steve Holle is guiding the company with a steady hand. And the beer – well the beer is just incredibly good!”
KC Bier Co. is one of the few microbreweries specializing in German-style beer, particularly cold-fermented lagers. “Our goal is to produce authentic German flavors, and because we are local, deliver our beer at the peak of freshness so citizens of Kansas City can enjoy the same level of freshness as residents in Munich.”, according to Holle.
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