New brewery set to open in Lawrenceville

Beer Republic Brewing plans retail space, taproom.

A new brewery is set to open in downtown Lawrenceville, the city announced.

Beer Republic Brewing will move into a 56,000-squarefoot space on N. Clayton Street and open a brewery, taproom and retail space, according to a city release. There is no open date set for the brewery yet, but its use of the 394 N. Clayton Street space was approved Monday evening at a meet- ing of Lawrenceville’s plan- ning commission.

Beer Republic is serving as the parent company for two smaller companies: Big Kettle Brewing and Ironshield Beer. Big Kettle Brewing will offer contract brewing ser- vices for other companies, and Ironshield Beer will be Beer Republic’s house brand. Owners Dave Rice and Glen Sprouse plan to produce more than 30 varieties of beer, the release says.

The brewery expects to employ 50 people within the next five years. Positions will include brewers, cellar- men, packaging operators and lab technicians. Beer Republic aims to be among the top five largest breweries in Georgia, the release says.

Rice and Sprouse have more than 50 years’ experience in the brewing and beverage production industry combined. Sprouse is a veteran brewer and engineer, with 10 years experience brewing and 30 years developing manufacturing and process automation systems for food, beverage, brewing and applied chemical prod- ucts. He has designed and built controls and automation solutions for breweries including Anheuser-Busch, Stone Brewing and Ballast Point, according to Beer Republic’s website.

Rice is a veteran in the beverage industry on the business side, with 13 years at Coca-Cola under his belt. He has also been a home brewer for more than five years.

This will be the second brewery in Lawrenceville, and the second on N. Clayton Street. Slow Pour Brew- ing Company opened at 407 N. Clayton Street in September 2017. Loganville’s Foggy Bottom BBQ plans to open a new location nearby, on W. Crogan Street.