Shoppers might be surprised next time they browse their local grocery store’s beer selection — cans of Swamp Head Brewery’s “Stump Knocker” are now for sale.
The local brew is now available in select Gainesville stores, including Publix, Ward’s Supermarket, Tipple’s Brews and Gator Beverage. As Swamp Head Brewery expands in the coming months to a new location, other beers, including Wild Night, Cottonmouth, Big Nose IPA and Midnight Oil will be on store shelves.
Construction for the new brewery, located at 3650 SW 42nd Ave., broke ground about two months ago near the old AMF Alley Katz Bowling Center. The new facility will be about 13,000 square feet, increasing its capacity tenfold.
Swamp Head marketing manager Brandon Nappy said he expects the new building to be up and running by the end of December.
“It will allow us the opportunity to grow and work on projects that we have wanted to move forward with for years,” Nappy said.
The brewery’s current location in Southwest Industrial Park will be demolished to make way for a new Interstate 75 overpass, which will serve Celebration Pointe, a new shopping center currently being built north of Butler Plaza.
Swamp Head was founded in 2008 and started selling its beer the year after. The company was brewing 700 barrels of beer by 2010.
By last year, Swamp Head was brewing nearly 6,000 barrels. Nappy said the expansion could bring Swamp Head to the verge of about 50,000 barrels each year.
“The new brewery will allow us to have much more flexibility with production,” he said, “so we can play around with new brands.”
The facility will feature a tasting room, named The Wetlands, which will have an outside porch attached to it. Though the property will border wetlands and protected land, it will not interfere with them, Nappy said.
“The idea of the company was Floridian,” he said. “One of our missions is to protect Florida in any way we can.”
Beyond expanding its current capacity, Swamp Head plans to one day spread to Orlando and Tallahassee. The brewery will continue to post construction updates on Facebook, Twitter and its website throughout fall.
“I think it’s exciting for them and myself,” said 30-year-old Gainesville resident and Swamp Head patron Andrew Curcio. “It’s good to see a local business expanding at such a rapid rate. They have a good product. I enjoy their beer.”
[A version of this story ran on page 9 on 9/24/2014]
