Constellation Brands plans to invest about $48 million to convert an existing building in Virginia into a new brewing facility for San Diego-based Ballast Point Brewing, which the global alcohol beverage supplier acquired late last year for $1 billion.
Ballast Point produced about 275,000 bbls in 2015 at its San Diego brewery. Company officials did not announce specific size or production plans for the Botetourt County brewery, but it is guessed it will be similar in size. The 259,000-square-foot former auto parts manufacturing building is considerably larger than the San Diego plant. The new brewery will also include a distribution warehouse and retail taproom and a restaurant is also being considered.
This is the third west coast brewery to expand into Virginia. In March, Deschutes Brewery announced that it will build its $85 million East Coast production brewery in Roanoke and in Oct. 2014 Stone Brewing announced plans to build a new brewery in Richmond. Stone Brewing has since opened its retail outlet and tasting room and will soon start full-scale production.