Many area craft beer fans are getting excited about Arcadia Brewing Company's soon to be completed Kalamazoo location.
The facility, located on the East Bank of the Kalamazoo River, adjacent to Mayor's Riverfront Park will offer local residents more opportunities to sip such Arcadia brands as Sky High Rye, Coco Loco, and Hopmouth.
The new location, which is slated to open in December, will also provide upwards of 40 people the opportunity to work for one of Michigan's fastest growing brewery operations.
"The new facility is going to be a massive upgrade as far as automation of our process goes," says Dave Sipple, Director of Brewing Operations for
Arcadia Ales. "Historically what we've done is incredibly hands on. There is virtually no automation in our process. We're making the jump from being a small microbrewery into a little bit more of a production environment."
It is Sippel's job to make sure that the $6.2 million building is staffed with hardworking, proficient employees who will help make the 30,000-square-foot facility run as smoothly and efficiently as Arcadia's current operation in downtown Battle Creek.
"It's very important to me and to us as a company that our (employees) understand our process and how that has developed and understand our traditions before they get thrown into the new facility and into all of the updates and upgrades," Sippel says.
Some of the upgrades the Kalamazoo facility will incorporate include immediately upping production volume from 10,000 barrels to nearly 30,000, and automating the packaging line so the expanded output can be boxed and shipped more quickly.
"Right now our packaging area is very, very hands on. When we move and we upgrade our packaging capabilities and automate that a little bit it's going to be a whole new ballgame for those of us that work in beer packaging. We have to make the jump from simple, mundane work into people who are skilled operators who will have to have some mechanical aptitude and an ability to troubleshoot," Sippel says.
Arcadia Ales would like to find candidates for its brew house that have prior mechanical and brewery experience, and Sippel is hoping to be able to find all of his future employees right here in Southwest Michigan.
"We can easily train people in the specifics of what we do, however I think it's very important to bring people in who have a solid foundation in good brewing practices," Sippel says.
Sipple, who joined the Arcadia team in 2012 after previously working at Victory Brewing in Downingtown, Penn., has currently hired one new employee and will be looking to fill 15 to 20 brew house positions within the next five years.
All initial training will take place at the current Battle Creek location so that new employees will have hands on experience crafting the more than 20 brands that constitute the Arcadia Ale's line.
"In the short term we'll be bringing on two or three more people to begin working in Battle Creek who will ultimately work in Kalamazoo.
We're going to start in Battle Creek. I need that to run as fluently and efficiently as possible before I start moving people and commissioning equipment for the site in Kalamazoo," Sippel says.
Arcadia broke ground on the Kalamazoo site in July of 2012 during a ceremony that showcased many of the facilities new features.
Besides the brewery, bottling line and packaging facility, the building will also contain 1,500 square feet of office space and a 4,500-square-foot brewpub and restaurant that features an outdoor seating area and kayak dock that will extend into the Kalamazoo River.
Though he's only in charge of staffing the production facility, Sippel anticipates the restaurant hiring 20 to 25 positions, the majority of which will be full-time.
As far as production is concerned Sipple is currently seeking two or three brewers and quality assurance positions that will work at the Battle Creek site while the Kalamazoo facility is being constructed.
"They will be a hybrid between a production brewery position and a lab position," Sippel says.
Sippel not only anticipates a smooth transition into Kalamazoo but also expansion into other areas of craft brewing, such as canning.
"That's a big thing that we're looking at, how to expand that element of our portfolio. We're fighting the big common perception that cans are for cheap beer. Slowly but surely people are coming around to the idea that you can put a quality product into a can without compromising the integrity of the beer," Sippel says.
Another thing Sippel is excited about is the opportunity to work in a facility specifically designed for brewing beer.
"This is an absolutely awesome opportunity for us--to be able to make a building from the ground up that is designed to be a brewery is an incredible opportunity. We only have one shot to get it right," Sippel says.
Part of "getting it right" will be how well and how quickly Sippel is able to staff the new facility.
"Were going to be making substantial investments and upgrades to our equipment and it's going to take everyone on our team, whether you're working in the brew house or the bottling line," Sippel says. "It's imperative to us that we find people who have a passion for what they are doing and truly care about the beer."
If you are seeking a position with Arcadia Ales please send an updated cover letter and resume
here.
Jeremy Martin is a freelance writer. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he lives in Portage with his wife. Follow him @secondwavebeer on Twitter.
Photos by Jeremy Martin.