Local brewery contributes to booming beer business
Beer industry tops $1.1 billion in Arizona
Reporter: Justin Schecker
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Arizona beer companies brew an economic impact of more than $1.1 billion a year, according to the National Beer Wholesales Association.
As the beer business booms statewide, the Tucson-based Dragoon Brewing Company is expanding its operations.
"We just installed two new fermenters and a second bright tank, which allows us to produce almost twice as much beer as we were when we first opened," Dragoon head brewer Eric Greene told 9 On Your Side.
Greene's father founded this local craft brewery in early 2011. With the new equipment, Greene says Dragoon will pump out nearly 40 kegs of beer a week.
"We're growing while the mass producers are shrinking and finding a harder time to get into new beer drinkers hands," Greene said.
Not only do these craft beers have more flavorful tastes, Greene says people are finding it harder to connect with the larger brands.
"Especially, when there are people like us where you can come into the tap room and watch people produce the beer that you're drinking," he said.
Dragoon distributes its beers to nearly 60 locations in Tucson and Phoenix, but Greene doesn't plan to drag Dragoon's drafts across state lines.
"The more beer we can sell in-state," Greene said, "the happier I'll be."
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