(Indianapolis, IN) – Dave Colt and Clay Robinson knew that there was demand in Indianapolis for Fresh•Local•Beer, they just didn’t know how much.

When the brewer/owners of Sun King Brewing Co. took possession of a used 15-barrel JV Northwest brewhouse in winter of 2009, Colt and Robinson believed that it would be five years before they hit full brewing capacity. One year and 5,000-plus barrels of beer later, the five-year business plan was in tatters and the brewery was scrambling to keep up with demand. So the decision was made to tear out the brewhouse and invest in a new 30-barrel system as well as additional fermenters and bright tanks (where beer is stored before sale).

The added brewing capacity will allow Sun King to better service metropolitan Indianapolis and expand its footprint to include the Bloomington area, where Sun King will be available on tap and in cans in April 2011.

“Bloomington has been supporting craft beer for a long time and we knew we couldn’t enter that market half way,” said Robinson. “It took us a year and a half to get to the point where we could distribute in Bloomington without neglecting our existing accounts in Indianapolis.”

Fittingly, the tanks where that Bloomington-bound beer will be fermented and stored were purchased from Bloomington-based Poynter Sheet Metal.

“Our community has supported us and when Poynter approached us about making tanks we thought it would be a great way to help a Hoosier company compete with manufacturers around the world,” said Robinson.

About Sun King Brewing Co.: Founded in 2009 by two award-winning commercial brewers, a mechanical engineer, and a veteran of the food distribution business, Sun King Brewing Co. won Indianapolis’ heart in 2010 with its lineup of stellar house beers (Sun Light Cream Ale, Wee Mac Scottish Ale, Bitter Druid ESB, and Osiris Pale Ale) and artfully crafted seasonal and specialty Lagers, Pilsners, Porters, Stouts, American IPAs, Belgian Wits, American Wheat beers. Less than two years after rolling the first full keg out the door, Sun King has grown into the third-largest beer brewer in the state of Indiana. The company’s commitment to handcrafted seasonal and specialty beers has been rewarded with multiple medals at the Indiana Brewers Cup, Great American Beer Festival®, and World Beer Cup® competitions.