Buellton, CA -- Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. has big plans in motion and in sight for the new year. Nearly every major facet of the company is evolving, with growth phases taking place throughout 2018.
Staffing enhancements began in January 2017, when Figueroa brought on CFO Robert Berezansky. Prior to joining the Figueroa family, Berezansky managed the Finance Department at 21st Amendment Brewery for two years in San Leandro, CA. In his first year at Figueroa, Berezansky has focused on streamlining operations and accelerating the build-out of Figueroa’s new brewing facility in Buellton. Berezansky will use his expertise towards operations strategy and managing all company growth objectives moving forward. Prior to working in craft, Robert worked in public accounting as an auditor.
Come 2018, Figueroa is bringing on Cambria Griffith as Director of Marketing. Griffith will be joining the company after nearly five years with Orange County’s The Bruery & Bruery Terreux, where she worked as Marketing Manager and, most recently, spearheaded the Offshoot Beer Co. launch. Prior to The Bruery, Griffith ran marketing for Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, and played a pivotal role in LA’s craft beer growth via projects including LA Beer Week and Dionicess beer pairings. “Having Cambria come aboard is a huge addition and step forward in the right direction for our new goals and focus,” says Figueroa Founder & CEO Jaime Dietenhofer. “She has a great reputation in the craft beer industry and I have been a huge fan of what she has been able to accomplish in her work. We are very lucky to have her on board and excited about what she will be able to create.” Before her craft beer career, Griffith spent five years in new media at Warner Bros., focusing on integrated advertising.
With quality of product also front of mind, Figueroa is bringing on a substantial amount of new equipment. Boosting efficiency and diminishing inconsistencies will be the top goals of the production expansion, taking place at their headquarters in Buellton, CA.
The company’s brewing capacity and physical footprint is about to quadruple at this location, making the Buellton mothership even more of a destination for those seeking in-depth brewery tours along with drinking and dining at the existing brewpub. New equipment includes a 60 bbl BrauKon brewing system, BrauKon HopGun, a centrifuge, a keg washer & filler, and over 1,400 bbls of fermentation & brite tank capacity. Dietenhofer and team have identified an increase in lagering capacity as a 2018 goal, and will be adding even larger tanks in future growth phases.
The Buellton site currently produces Figueroa’s core releases on a 15 bbl Premier Stainless System, and is one of Figueroa’s four 15 bbl systems along California’s central coast. Their Santa Barbara, Arroyo Grande, and Westlake Village locations also supply liquid for recipe formulation, pilot tests, and distributed product, while the Los Olivos location does not brew. Figueroa Mountain currently brews 20,000 bbls annually, and anticipates this number to grow to 110,000 bbls as growth plans come to completion.
“We currently have to brew around the clock - 22 and a half hours every day - to keep up with demand,” explains Dietenhofer. “At peak performance on our new system, we’ll be able to make 60 bbls in about four hours, which is a huge bump in efficiency. That means our smaller systems will be freed up for working on some new ideas and trends that we’ve wanted to play with.”
A boost in production also means packaging enhancements. A new Comac canning line will supply California and Arizona with Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. cans, while bottles and kegs are already available. Popular core releases including Hoppy Poppy IPA, Lizard’s Mouth Imperial IPA, Fig Mtn Mosaic pale ale, and Fig Mtn Lite ale are planned for release in a variety of can packs early next year, with more styles to come in later 2018.
“We are very excited to complete the expansion of our main facility in Buellton,” added Dietenhofer. “It has been a long process but we are starting to see it all come together. Our focus has always been making the best liquid possible and this will only ensure that mission is fully realized.”
ABOUT FIGUEROA MOUNTAIN BREWING CO.
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. is an independent craft brewery founded in 2010 by father and son team Jim and Jaime Dietenhofer. With a passion for craft beer, they set out to pay homage to the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley with handcrafted beer and hand-drawn label art depicting their beloved local landscape. There are currently six tap rooms along the Central Coast of California, supported by a staff of 255 employees. Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. bottles and draft beer can be found in their tap rooms or at select retailers throughout California and Arizona. Learn more at www.figmtnbrew.com and via @FigMtnBrew on social media.
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