New Belgium Considers East Coast Site

By now everyone is aware that we can get (some) New Belgium Brewing beers in Virginia and other Eastern Coast states. Now comes the news that the Colorado brewery is looking at expanding their brewing operations to the east as well. The Asheville, NC Mountain Express is reporting:

Asheville has seen rumors swirl for weeks that New Belgium is considering the city for a new brewery and looking for economic development incentives. Today, Sept. 22, Council member Jan Davis publicly confirmed the rumors at a Council of Independent Business Owners forum. He tells Xpress that while he welcomes the company, he's skeptical about the need for incentives.

In response to a question on how to improve the business environment at the CIBO forum for Asheville City Council candidates, Davis revealed that the city is communicating with New Belgium over a possible move, and that economic incentives for the company are a possibility.

"We have an opportunity with the New Belgium brewery," Davis said. "We're going to have to make a decision on that, whether to help the brewery with incentives or encourage them to be here because of the quality of life."

An East Coast brewery location would undoubtedly increase the availability of New Belgium beers in the surrounding states. It's been previously reported here that Sierra Nevada Brewing is also considering an East Coast expansion. A site in Virginia is on the list of places being considered by the California brewery. Is this a trend? It's just been a few years since Denver-based Flying Dog Brewery relocated to Maryland.

Exciting times indeed!

See: It's official: New Belgium looking at Asheville expansion