Coppertail Brewing Co. is gearing up to celebrate three years. But ahead of Saturday's Florida Weisse-driven birthday festivities (VIP tickets are gone, but the party is open to the public), the Ybor City brewery has expanded the reach of its signature beers to restaurants, bars and stores halfway across the Panhandle.
In partnership with Florida beverage distributor Cone Distributing, Inc., the reworked core four — Unholy Trippel, Night Swim Porter, Free Dive IPA and Independent Pilsner — is available in Alachua, Leon and Marion counties, which include Gainesville, Tallahassee and Ocala, starting this week. Seasonal brews are also part of the distribution agreement.
The addition of a new production facility building is another example of Coppertail's growth. By the end of the first quarter of 2018, the brewery will go from 13,000 barrels per yer to 30,000.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the Coppertail production facility's new building won't open in time for the Aug. 26 anniversary celebration as originally planned.
This article appears in Aug 17-24, 2017.