Schilling Beer Brewing Up Expansion

Schilling Beer Company executives and employees

Schilling Beer Co., a microbrewery in Littleton, is adding a new brewing facility with a five-vessel 20-barrel brew house, along with additional wood-aging and mixed fermentation capabilities.Besides increasing Schilling’s potential brewing capacity, the plan also calls for a retail center and a tasting room overlooking the Ammonoosuc River, where small pours can be purchased and growlers filled. The brewery now has an eight barrel brewhouse.

“We’re pleased to say that we will be expanding our brewing operations next year on the one-of-a-kind riverside property (immediately to the east of the current operation). Samyn-D’Elia Architects are designing a truly world-class facility..." said Bruce Cozzens, Schilling’s chairman, when he announced the expansion of brewing operations on September 24 at Schilling’s Oktoberfest and third anniversary festivities.

However, the brewery’s leadership is quick to point out that the expansion is less about the volume of beer produced than it is about expanding its wood-aging and mixed fermentation programs and improving brewery efficiency.

Stuart Cozzens, the brewery’s COO, stated that while the expanded brewing operation will “ultimately allow us to produce roughly five times” Schilling’s current output, the company’s expansion “isn’t just about growth in barrels: it’s about letting an unbelievably talented brewing team run wild under (Head Brewer John Lenzini’s) leadership in a facility that maximizes their skills, rather than fighting against them on a daily basis, as our 18th century building does now.”

Despite adding a larger brewing facility, Schilling’s current brewpub will continue to operate as a small test brewery delivering one-off unique beers. The company serves most of its beer at the Littleton site  but does distribute in Vermont through Vermont Beer Shepherd and in Massachusetts via Craft Collective.

Schilling hopes to have the new brewery operational by Spring 2018.