Sapporo is gearing up to produce Sapporo beers for the US market at both Stone Brewing Co. breweries by making a significant investment in new equipment and expanded capacity. Although the recent closure of Anchor Brewing in San Francisco seems to have signaled a failed experiment, the two Stone breweries offer a more modern facility to make Sapporo beers.
The Richmond, Virginia Stone brewery will make Sapporo beer for the East Coast and Midwest while the San Diego Stone brewery will provide the West Coast market. The first batches of Sapporo Premium were reportedly available on draft at the brewery tap listed as “experimental lager” on the beer menu.
Japan’s Sapporo bought Stone Brewing last August for $165 million and announced earlier this year their intention to make Sapporo at the Stone breweries.
Sapporo will be upgrading the canning, bottling and keg lines as well as adding additional fermentation capacity.
Earlier this month, Sapporo announced the closure of the historic Anchor Brewing Co. in San Francisco, which it acquired six years ago. Despite the closure of Anchor, Sapporo is reportedly investing up to $20 million in the Stone San Diego brewery and around $40 million in the Richmond plant.
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