Good People Brewing Company, one of the cornerstones of the beer scene that’s become a key part of Birmingham culture, is expanding their business. A $600,000 investment in fermentation tanks and a new canning line will allow the state’s largest microbrewery to triple its annual output from around 5,000 barrels to 15,000.
“By tripling our production capacity, we’re going to be able to solidify our presence across the state,” said Michael Sellers, who co-founded the brewery with his friend Jason Malone in 2007. “It’s also an early step toward becoming a truly regional brewery.”
Good People was one of the most important players in the nascent rumblings of the city’s craft beer movement, back in the bad old days before Free the Hops (among others) secured the passage of the Gourmet Beer Bill allowing for the sale and production of high-gravity beers. Another critical success was the passage of a law legalizing the sale of beer on brewery premises, enabling Good People to use its taproom–now one of the signature aspects of its low-key, old-fashioned identity–as a bar and viable concert venue.
After struggling through those early days, this expansion is perhaps the best evidence yet that Good People has begun to thrive. Their example–showing how a commitment to local relationships, good taste, and a genuine love of your product can succeed–has paved the way for other breweries such as the Avondale and Cahaba Brewing Companies.
So this isn’t just good news for Good People. It’s good news for Birmingham business.