Tapping Into Success

The first barrel of beer has been brewed at Keg Creek Brewing’s new production facility south of Glenwood.
    Panhead is a dark, 19th Century English-style porter that’s expected to be available to patrons of Glenwood’s hometown brewery in early 2017.
    “This is what we’ve been working toward,” said Randy Romens, one of four partners with ownership in the brewery that marked its fifth anniversary in 2016 by expanding its brewing operations to the former Kirsch Trucking building at 22381 221st St.
    

The new facility gives Keg Creek Brewing about five times the production capacity it has at its original tap room location at 111 Sharp St.
    “Annually, we’re making about 350 barrels,” Romens said. “Here in this building, we figure we’ll be able to brew 1,500 barrels and we might be able to get it up to 1,800.”
    Keg Creek Brewing’s expanded production facility was necessitated by a growing demand for its beers, Romens said. The popularity of craft beers is growing  regionally and nationally and Keg Creek Brewing will now be able to expand its marketing and distribution in eastern Nebraska, particularly the Omaha and Lincoln markets.
    The additional equipment at Keg Creek, being utilized by head brewer Eric Sorensen and assistant brewer Jake Wilson, includes five fermenters, three brite tanks, a mash / lauter tun / boil kettle / whirlpool and a step-up brew deck. The process is also being enhanced by an automated bottling system that will speed up bottling and capping of the beers. The facility has ample storage and refrigeration space for kegs and bottles of Keg Creek Brewing products.
    Keg Creek currently brews 20 different beers with 12 available at any one time in the tap room. The brewery’s flagship beers are its Wabash Wheat, Sharp Street Stout, Keg Creek IPA, Brick Red Ale, Breakdown Brown Ale and Waseya Crème Ale. Romens said all the beers are popular, but the Brick Red Ale is the favorite.
    Some of the other beers served by Keg Creek Brewing include a Russian Imperial Stout, Belgian Saison and an Apricot Wheat.
    “We talk about trying new stuff all the time,” Romens said.
    Romens noted he and fellow owners John Bueltel, Art Renze and Matt Kirsch have no intentions of relocating the brewery’s tap room to the new production facility anytime soon.
    “The tap room is staying at the present location for now,” Romens said. “Our long-term goal – way down the line – is to consolidate, but I can’t say when that would happen.”
    In conjunction with its expansion, Keg Creek Brewing has unveiled a new logo. The “Hop Off The Mainstream” sign in front of the tap room will not be replaced, Romens said.