The Free Press
June 30, 2010
Chris Lavender
Staff Writer

Mother Earth Brewing adds to its brewing capacity.

Mother Earth Brewing LLC will soon have the capacity to brew three times the amount of beer it currently brews at its N. Herritage Street site.

Co-owner Trent Mooring said nine fermentor machines will be delivered this week from a manufacturer in China. Mooring said Mother Earth Brewing’s capital expansion is well ahead of schedule. “We have been able to accomplish in seven months what we planned to do in three years,” Mooring said about Mother Earth’s capital upgrades.

Demand for Mother Earth beer remains strong across the state, Mooring said. Four fermentor machines were delivered to Mother Earth Tuesday. Each barrel has the capacity to hold up to 40 barrels of beer. Another five fermentor machines will be delivered this week. Several of them will have a 60 barrel capacity. “We will produce 11,000 to 12,000 barrels of beer annually,” Mooring said.

Mooring and co-owner Stephen Hill helped celebrate Mother Earth’s grand opening on October 24. Since then a tap room was added to the site. Mother Earth employee Pete Frey said business has been brisk since beer first flowed from the tap room. Frey’s job includes making sure the correct raw goods are shipped to Mother Earth and monitoring the beer’s fermentation process from start to finish. He also helps make sure the beer’s packaging fits with Mother Earth’s image. From start to finish, Frey said it takes about two weeks to complete the brew process.

Mooring said this week’s capital upgrades are worth $160,000. Josh Brewer continues to serve as Mother Earth’s head brew master.

The tap room is open from 4 – 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 1 – 6 p.m. Saturday. Tours of the facility are available on Saturday as well.

For more information on Mother Earth Brewing, visit motherearthbrewing.com.