USA, MI: Territorial Brewing Company establishes another brewing facility in Springfield

Territorial Brewing Company is expanding its territory.

To meet increased demands for its lager, the company has established a new brewing facility just a quarter mile away from the original taproom on Helmer Road in Springfield, the Battle Creek Enquirer reported on February 7.

The first batch of beer was brewed at the new production facility in December. Before that, beer was being brewed inside the same space that houses the restaurant kitchen.

“The space was incredibly cramped, and we were constantly getting in the way of the kitchen staff, and vice versa,” Tim Davis, co-owner of Territorial, in a news release. “In fact, it got so bad that we resorted to only brewing beer at night, when the kitchen was closed. This new location will allow us to brew beer on a more consistent schedule and keep up with demand.”

Some small-batch brewing will continue at the restaurant location as well.

The new facility won’t be open to the public, but moving the majority of the brewing out of the original location will allow Territorial to expand the restaurant and taproom a bit.

Davis said the brewery plans to add outdoor seating for the summer and extend the parking lot.

Territorial opened in November 2014 and sold just under 330 barrels of beer the following year. That increased to just under 347 in 2016, according to data from the Liquor Control Commission at the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The total for 2017 hasn’t been released yet.

Territorial’s main brews are lagers, which take longer to ferment than ales, limiting how much beer the company can brew at any given time.

"I think lagers are making a comeback right now and deservedly so," said Rex Halfpenny, who publishes the Michigan Beer Guide.

"Lagers in the craft beer world are still the underdog," he said. "In other words, far more IPA is sold in Michigan, and in the U.S. than all the craft lager combined. We are talking about craft, so not Bud, Miller. Lagers are the biggest selling beers in the world."

But, with more microbreweries are making them, they're experiencing "a new return to prominence," he said, "and I think it helps that they’re easier to drink in volume."

Territorial doesn’t plan to open a second brew pub or restaurant at the moment. The company is “struggling enough with our growing pains where we are to try and take on another location at this time,” Davis said.

“We’re proud to serve as a gathering place for so many customers who live and work nearby and thank them for their loyalty as we worked through our behind-the-scenes growing pains the last three years,” said Charles Grantier, the other owner of Territorial Brewing Company, in the release.

“As Battle Creek’s only brewery, we want to help make Battle Creek and Springfield a fun, vibrant community and a destination for visitors near and far,” Davis said.

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