MONROE - Minhas Craft Brewery is poised for another big year after moving up in a list of top 50 breweries in 2008.
As evidence of this, Tyler Peters, Minhas brewer development manager, cites a 60 percent increase in production from January to April compared to the same time last year.
"I think you are going to see some big things from Monroe," he said.
Minhas moved up the Colorado-based Brewers Association recently published list of top 50 producing breweries. Minhas was ranked 14th, which is one slot higher than it's 15th-place finish in 2007.
Minhas isn't alone in increasing the state's beer production.
Nearby New Glarus Brewing Company also rose, to No. 32 up from 36th.
Anheuser-Busch InBev, St. Louis, took the top spot, while MillerCoors Brewing Company, based in Chicago, finished second.
The report did not list the yearly production totals for the New Glarus and Minhas breweries.
Minhas, owned by Ravinder Minhas of Calgary, Alberta, is looking to move into the top 10 in production for 2009, Peters said.
The company focuses most of its distribution on six states, mainly in the Midwest, but the brewery also branches out to Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Peters attributed past success to developing a strong base of distributors across the country, rather than large distributors. The initial success of 2009, however, is due in part to the slumping economy, Peters said, referencing strong demand for the company's economy lines of beer.
"(We are) happy, but at the same time you might see a lot bigger move this year," he said.
As evidence of this, Tyler Peters, Minhas brewer development manager, cites a 60 percent increase in production from January to April compared to the same time last year.
"I think you are going to see some big things from Monroe," he said.
Minhas moved up the Colorado-based Brewers Association recently published list of top 50 producing breweries. Minhas was ranked 14th, which is one slot higher than it's 15th-place finish in 2007.
Minhas isn't alone in increasing the state's beer production.
Nearby New Glarus Brewing Company also rose, to No. 32 up from 36th.
Anheuser-Busch InBev, St. Louis, took the top spot, while MillerCoors Brewing Company, based in Chicago, finished second.
The report did not list the yearly production totals for the New Glarus and Minhas breweries.
Minhas, owned by Ravinder Minhas of Calgary, Alberta, is looking to move into the top 10 in production for 2009, Peters said.
The company focuses most of its distribution on six states, mainly in the Midwest, but the brewery also branches out to Pennsylvania and Georgia.
Peters attributed past success to developing a strong base of distributors across the country, rather than large distributors. The initial success of 2009, however, is due in part to the slumping economy, Peters said, referencing strong demand for the company's economy lines of beer.
"(We are) happy, but at the same time you might see a lot bigger move this year," he said.