Mon 29th Jun 2015 - BrewDog to launch $30m US brewery in 2016 BrewDog to launch $30m US brewery in 2016: Scottish craft brewery BrewDog has announced it plans to open its $30m North American headquarters and first production facility outside the UK in Canal Winchester, located in the Columbus Region of Ohio in 2016 – with the eventual aim of producing 852,000 barrels a year. The brewery reports it was inundated with enquiries after it revealed preliminary plans for its USA expansion earlier this month, with the BrewDog Facebook page noting unprecedented shares of the story, reaching more than 150,000 people. BrewDog’s investment in the brewing facility in Columbus will total $30.4million, including the construction of a 100,000 square foot facility in Canal Winchester, to be completed by August 2016. The site will be the main brewing site for all BrewDog USA’s beer production, as well as boasting a restaurant, taproom and visitor centre. The launch of BrewDog USA will generate 125 jobs at the Canal Winchester site, and the brewery has announced that it is recruiting for some senior positions immediately. Applications for the role of chief executive, brewmaster, VP of Sales and chief financial officer are invited by emailing usajobs@brewdog.com, and prospective brewers, Packaging operators and laboratory and quality managers are invited to get in contact via the same email address. The site in Ohio will initially serve the US market with potential to export to other countries. It will produce more than 85,200 barrels in its first year of production, increasing capacity in Years Two and Three until it reaches 852,000 barrels. Economic development partners in the project include JobsOhio, Columbus 2020 and the City of Canal Winchester. Columbus based, Triad Architects has been appointed to develop the design for the brewery and headquarters. Hiring for the brewery’s USA site will begin in 2016 and will include positions in production, sales and management. BrewDog has announced that it will be funding the American expansion in part using finance raised via a US crowdfunding round; Equity for Punks USA. Last month it launched a landing page for more information about the scheme, which it hopes to open later this year. Interested potential investors can sign BrewDog co-founder James Watt said: “The people of Ohio have absolutely bowled us over with their enthusiasm, passion for beer and warm welcome! Their reaction has been incredible, it’s awesome to know we’ve made the right choice with where to lay the foundations for our American home, and we’ll be throwing one helluva party to thank the locals for their support. Our international expansion plans have always been ambitious, but our intentions stateside are probably up there with some of the most ambitious, bombastic, exciting ventures we’ve ever embarked upon. America has one of the world’s most eclectic, energetic beer scenes imaginable, and we’re psyched to be pledging allegiance to the craft beer revolution in the USA. Planet BrewDog just gained a continent.”