BARS & BEERS

Old Firehouse Brewery plans expansion, canning

Shauna Steigerwald
ssteigerwald@enquirer.com

Old Firehouse Brewery in Williamsburg is getting ready to grow.

Owners Adam Cowan and Lori Ward closed on a property neighboring their space at 237 W. Main St. in the Clermont County village late last week. That will allow them to add another 5,000 to 6,000 square feet, Cowan said, and to start canning their beers by spring. First up in cans will likely be Flash Point IPA, but Cowan said he'd also like to can Code 3 red ale and Pin Up Girl blonde ale soon.

The property purchase at 209-225 W. Main St. includes two buildings. One was an antique store, which moved a block up the street; the other, a florist, moved across the street, Cowan said.

They'll use the new space for canning and kegging. The buildings are only about five feet apart, so Cowan said they'll run hoses to pump beer into the next building. Additional seating out front will let customers see the canning line through the window.

The additional space will also allow the brewery to add four more fermenters and double capacity, though Cowan doesn't expect that to happen for a while. He said the brewery made about 1,800 barrels during 2015, its first full year, and expects to make at least 2,200 this year, more if the cans take off.

It's all about planning for future growth for the brewery, which began distributing statewide back in September through Cavalier Distributing. "I want to stay one step ahead," Cowan said.

But he wants to keep that growth slow so he can control it.

"Our goal is to do it right the first time, every time," he said. "It's all about the beer."

A beer from Old Firehouse Brewery in Williamsburg.