One of the country's largest craft breweries plans to open a location in downtown Lincoln.
San Diego-based Green Flash Brewing Co. on Wednesday said it has purchased the former Ploughshare Brewing site at 1630 P St.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Green Flash, which is the 41st largest craft brewer in the U.S., said it expects the tasting room, restaurant and brewhouse to be up and running by the end of this year.
“We hope to become a local favorite in our new Nebraska home,†Mike Hinkley, Green Flash co-founder, said in a news release. “And we’re excited to be closer to our fans across the Midwest. We’ll be sending them fresher Green Flash beer, and hope they will visit us in Lincoln.â€
Hinkley, who started the brewery 15 years ago with his wife, couldn't be reached for comment. But he told the West Coaster, a San Diego area magazine, that he was familiar with Lincoln through friends at Nebraska Brewing Company in Omaha.
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"I went to visit them and look at the facility that became available and it was an easy decision," he said. "It’s a great college town with great spirit.â€
The Lincoln location will be the third one for Green Flash, which, in addition to its San Diego headquarters, also has a brewery in Virginia Beach, Virginia, that opened last year.
The Lincoln site will be the first one to have a full-service restaurant, with seating for about 100 people. Green Flash plans a menu of beer-pairing suggestions and "well-executed, simple dishes with fresh and seasonal ingredients."
The company said it expects to have a 10,000-barrel capacity brewing system in place and will brew both its Green Flash and Alpine beers, some of which are already available in bottles and on tap in Lincoln. If it utilizes the full capacity, it would become the largest brewer in Nebraska.
Green Flash, known for its West Coast IPA, said it expects to employ about 20 people.
In the news release, Green Flash said the move was a natural step in the brewery's long-term strategy to grow as a national brand by "establishing regional footholds in key cities across the United States."
Ploughshare, which won national awards for its beers, closed its doors last month after three years in business. Owner Matt Stinchfield said startup costs were greater than expected and sales did not meet expectations.