A Bargersville brewery is set to grow again, with the goal of adding more space to produce its increasingly popular beers.
Taxman Brewing Co., located in downtown Bargersville, wants to invest $3 million in a project to grow its current 4,800-square-foot production area and add 19,500 square feet.
That would allow the brewer to more than triple its annual production, making it produce more beer than other central Indiana brewers, including Flat 12 in Indianapolis, said Colin McCloy, vice president of brewing operations.
The expansion would also allow the company to bottle and brew its own beers, which is currently done by another company, and have an area for tasting and retail sales so customers would not need to go into the restaurant just to buy beer, McCloy said.
Their goal is to kick off the project late next year or early in 2018, have the exterior of the expansion done in 2018 and phase in all new tanks by the end of 2019, president Nathan Huelsebusch said. The company wants to add six new tanks and replace all its tanks with larger ones that produce more beer.
And the brewer has asked for help for the project from the town, including in tax breaks and possibly some tax dollars for part of the work.
Company officials want the town to consider tax breaks on both the addition to the building and on the expected $1.2 million in equipment, Huelsebusch said.
They also would like officials to consider helping with the project through money in tax-increment financing, or TIF, districts, which set aside tax dollars from certain businesses to help fund development and infrastructure work.
That money could be used to help with sidewalks and utilities, such as new water lines, Huelsebusch said.
The brewery has not yet applied for the tax breaks or made an official request for TIF dollars but came to the town council this week to discuss their plans.
Huelsebusch said this is likely not the last expansion for Taxman. The brewery previously expanded into a former fire station nearby. Taxman Brewing opened in 2015 after a year of construction to remodel the former Tri-State Bolt building in downtown Bargersville.
Town council member Bruce Morris called the brewery an asset to the community and said he was excited to see the project move forward.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="By the numbers" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Here is a look at the proposed expansion for Taxman Brewing Co. in Bargersville:
4,800: current square footage of production area
19,500: proposed added square footage
3,500: barrels per year currently produced
15,000: target barrels per year after expansion
12: current tanks, which produce 20 to 40 barrels
18: future tanks, which produce 60 barrels
[sc:pullout-text-end]
