MIA Brewing Company hosted its groundbreaking party last weekend. The brewery, which is based in Doral, recently received approval from the federal government.
At the celebration, MIA Brewing smashed the walls of its brand new home -- a building that once housed office space for an electrical contractor.
See Also: MIA Brewing Company Ramps Up for Fall Opening
"We're shooting to complete construction by December," says owner Eddie Leon. "We hope to be selling beer in January."
MIA's equipment includes a 20-barrel, three vessel system, which also has three 40-barrel fermenters. For the first year, Leon's total production will reach about 2,000 barrels. He hopes to double this amount every year.
Leon intends to open his taproom by January. However, the brewery still needs a malt beverage manufacturer's permit from Florida. This is the next step for Leon, who also needs to apply for approval of beer labels.
Since signing on with MIA in August, brewmaster Michael Demetrus and his assistant Piero Rodriguez have been experimenting with a litany of styles. Some of their flagship beers include an American wheat pale ale called Freestyle and a Kolsch named Castaway. The brewery debuted their Belgian Tripel at last Saturday's third annual Grovetoberfest.
See Also: Grovetoberfest: Miami Brewers Spotlighted
Most Wanted Beverages, a new beer distribution company co-founded by Leon, will hold the exclusive rights to distribute MIA's brews in Miami-Dade. Leon has plans to use other distributors for the rest of the state.
See Also: MIA Brewing's Eddie Leon's Secret to Beating Florida's System: Start a Distribution Company
Most Wanted's mission is to broaden the market for local breweries in Miami and also throughout all of Florida. Leon said the distribution company is considering expansion to Latin America, as well.
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