Craft Brewing And Distilling News for July 9, 2012

•Serrallés USA and Death’s Door Spirits have unveiled a new 25,000-square-foot craft distillery in Middleton, Wisconsin. Featuring a 2,000-liter still and six 3,100-gallon fermentation tanks, the state-of-the-art facility will bring Death’s Door’s capacity to 200,000 six-bottle cases. Founded in 2005 on Wisconsin’s Washington Island, Death’s Door inked a long-term, national U.S. distribution and marketing agreement with Serrallés USA—the U.S. unit of Puerto Rico’s Destilería Serrallés—last year. The craft distiller’s portfolio includes its flagship Death’s Door gin, as well as a vodka and white whiskey, all priced between $29.99-$34.99 a bottle. According to Serrallés USA, Death’s Door sold a total of around 16,300 six-bottle cases last year.

•Craft distiller Louisiana Spirits expects to have its new rum distillery up and running by this fall, with rum expected to be available by year-end, according to local press reports. Construction on the company’s $5 million distillery, located in Lacassine in southern Louisiana, began last fall. The site will also include a 12,000-square-foot warehouse and 6,000-square-foot tasting room and visitors center. Initially, Louisiana Spirits will use local sugar and molasses to produce about 200 gallons a day of light and spiced rums, with more products to follow. Company president Trey Litel formerly worked in sales and marketing at Bacardi USA.

•Hood River, Oregon-based Full Sail Brewing is set to roll out Clinton’s Wertzbier, the most recent addition to its Brewer’s Share series. Created by brewer Clinton Wertzbaugher, Clinton’s Wertzbier is a German Rauchbier made with smoked barley malt. The 5.6%-abv beer will only be available at the Full Sail Tasting Room and Pub in Hood River and the Full Sail at Riverplace in Portland. The Brewer’s Share series is a lineup of small-batch beers created by the Full Sail brewers crafting their own single batch recipe and donating proceeds to the local charity or organization of their choice.