Rejoice craft beer fans! Griffin Claw Brewery in Birmingham is expanding. The posh biergarten broke ground on a five month expansion for their 4600 sq. ft. Cellar House barrel-aging room, critical to their long-term plan of distributing at a second Michigan supermarket. They already distribute at Kroger.
This is impressive growth considering they are not even two-years-old as a business. What is the key to their success?
“Demand,” said Scott LePage. “In order to scale, you have to commit. We knew that in order to be a more efficient brewery, if we built the Cellar House, it would save money on labor, make more beer and be more efficient.”
When they first opened, their goal was to produce 13,000 barrels annually with $3.5 million in revenue. They will produce 22,000 barrels this year with $7 million in revenue. The Cellar House will help them produce 30,000 barrels annually, which is when they will start looking for a second brewery.
Their products include the light and citrus Lemon Triple Session, a Pilsen Malt softened with sugar and lemon juice. Their flagship beer, Norm’s Raggedy Ass IPA, won the 2010/2011 World Beer Cup Gold Medal. I would recommend this IPA for people who drink medium coffee, love the bitterness that comes from hops, and whose favorite holiday is the Fourth of July.
Griffin Claw plans to satisfy the Michigan market before looking at distributing to other states. Their attack plan is strong and it is off to a promising start.
Griffin Claw Brewery is located 575 S Eton St, Birmingham, MI 48009.
