A length of yellow chain cordons off the giant silver brewing tanks from the rest of the warehouse, where visitors sit at picnic tables and kids play cornhole.
Under a banner that reads First Magnitude Brewing Company, a small section of concrete floor has been cleared in preparation for a new milestone in the company’s growth.
First Magnitude Brewing Company, 1220 SE Veitch St., plans to start canning its beers for sale at local retailers. The beer will be canned in-house, adjacent to where it is brewed.
Meg The Losen, one of the owners, said the business has always planned to can their beers.
Canning would place First Magnitude’s beer in retailers around Gainesville. The Losen said they have begun talks with Ward’s Supermarket, Lucky’s Market and ABC, as well as smaller, independent stores. Eventually, The Losen said, she hopes customers will be able to find First Magnitude beer on the shelves at Publix.
John Denny, one of First Magnitude’s two brewers, called canning a very necessary step.
“Draft-only is wonderful but limiting at the same time,” he said.
First Magnitude’s products will join Swamp Head’s — another local brewery — on retail shelves. Swamp Head has been canning its beer for approximately eight months, said Brandon Nappy, the tactical marketing manager for Swamp Head. He called craft beer a collaborative industry and expressed his congratulations to First Magnitude for taking an important step toward expansion.
“The more the merrier, as far as craft beer goes,” Nappy said. “I’m super stoked and pumped for them continuing to expand.”
