Deschutes headed to Roanoke, Virginia

Deschutes Brewery announced that after a long search it has chosen Roanoke, Virginia, as the location for its East Coast brewery. The new facility will begin shipping beer in about five years.

The company is calling the future brewery “Brew 4.” The original brewpub in downtown Bend, Oregon, is Brew 1, the production facility in Bend Brew 2, and a brewpub in Portland Brew 3. Construction on Brew 4 will begin in 2019, and its initial capacity will be about 150,000 barrels.

“We started Deschutes Brewery when craft beer wasn’t burgeoning and led with a beer style that wasn’t popular at the time – Black Butte Porter,” said fouder and CEO Gary Fish. “This pioneering approach was a key driver behind our decision to go with Roanoke, as that same spirit exists in this community and its fast-growing beer culture.”

Deschutes opened in 1988. The brewery produced 345,000 barrels in 2015.