Dust Bowl Brewing’s expansion nears approval

The proposed expansion of Dust Bowl Brewing Co. will go before the city Planning Commission on Thursday.

The craft beer company plans a 30,000-square-foot building that would include brewing, bottling, a tasting room and other operations on Dianne Drive at Fulkerth Road. It now operates out of a 2,100-square-foot building on Spengler Way, also on Turlock’s west side, and has a downtown tap room and restaurant.

Founder Brett Tate told The Modesto Bee in August that the expansion “will set us up to be a regional brewery.” Dust Bowl, founded in 2009, would go from about 4,000 barrels a year now to about 17,000 at the new site.

Tate said the brewery’s workforce of eight to 10 people could double. The tap room and restaurant would continue to employ 25 to 30 people.

The Planning Commission decision would be the final step unless it is appealed to the City Council. The city staff recommends approval.

“The success and popularity of the brewery and tap room, and subsequent restaurant, has led to the proposed expansion of the brewery at Fulkerth Road and Dianne Drive,” a staff report said.

This story was originally published November 5, 2014 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Dust Bowl Brewing’s expansion nears approval."