Davidson Brothers Planning to Build New Brewery

Glens Falls, New York, March 14, 2013 ‐ Brothers Rick & John Davidson, founders and owners of Glens Falls‐based Davidson Brothers Brewing Company, are announcing plans to build a 20,000‐square foot craft brewery in Queensbury, New York. The tentative location of the planned brewery is at 1043 U.S. Route 9, formerly a multi‐screen movie theater and currently home to The Sports Zone and Replay Sports retail stores. Pending approvals, property acquisition could take place as soon as May with initial production commencing by March 2014. The approximately $3.5 million project will include a 50‐barrel brew house with packaging and kegging lines, as well as a visitor tour experience, tasting room and company store, and will initially employ six to twelve people. Accommodation of tour buses is planned. "We are very excited Davidson Brothers has chosen Queensbury as home for their new brewery and company store," says Queensbury Town Supervisor, Ron Montesi. "Their brand is wellknown and their brewery will be a welcome addition to visitor attractions located within the town." Initial production capacity will be approximately 10,000 barrels or 138,000 cases per year.

Davidson Brothers Brewing Company is an independent, family‐owned business which has operated a brewpub in nearby Glens Falls since 1996 and which began distribution of Davidson Brothers beers that same year. "We delivered our first keg to The Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing just two months after we opened," says co‐founder Rick Davidson. "And each year for the past sixteen we've had to brew a lot more beer than the year before." Davidson Brothers initially brewed all their beer on the 7‐ barrel brew system in their Glen Street brewpub, but quickly ran out of capacity. Since 2001, Davidson Brothers beers have also been brewed at Shipyard Brewery in Portland, Maine. Construction of the new Queensbury brewery will enable Davidson Brothers to brew all their beer in Warren County. “Today’s announcement is truly fantastic news for the economic engine of Warren County and the region” said EDC Chairman, Charles R. Barton. “Not only are the Davidson’s bringing current out‐ofstate production into Warren County, but they are adding another exciting dynamic to their business. The positive impact to our tourism product will be heralded.” The brothers and their family will continue to operate their popular restaurant and brewery in Glens Falls.

Davidson Brothers Brewpub is home to the first and only authentic Peter Austin Brick Kettle British brew system installed in any brewpub in New York. John Davidson says, "We chose this rare brew system with its traditional open‐top fermentation because with it we can handcraft truly world‐class beers. We chose Shipyard as our contract partner because they brew on a Peter Austin as well. Our new Queensbury brewery will house the second‐largest Peter Austin system in the United States, the largest being Shipyard's." Design, custom fabrication, installation and commissioning of the Queensbury brewery's system will be overseen by internationally acclaimed Master Brewer, Alan Pugsley, originally of England's famous Ringwood Brewery and co‐founder of Shipyard Brewing. With Peter Austin & Partners and his own Pugsley's Brewing Projects, Pugsley has overseen the design and installation of over 70 Peter Austin brew systems worldwide.

Fort Edward natives Rick & John Davidson conceived the idea of opening a brewpub during a visit to Baltimore, Maryland's Wharf Rat brewpub in 1993. At the time, there were less than 500 breweries in the U.S. Since then, microbreweries have experienced explosive growth. Today there are well over 2,200 breweries operating in the country with more than 1,000 planned. According to the Brewers Association, craft beer volume rose 13% in 2011 and another 12% in the first half of 2012. Davidson Brothers Brewing has experienced double‐digit volume growth each of the past three years with sales volume more than doubling in the past twenty‐four months. Davidson Brothers beers are distributed throughout seventeen counties of upstate New York as well as throughout New York City. The largest distributor of Davidson Brothers beers is Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service of Saratoga Springs covering an area from the Capital District north to Massena.