ST. GEORGE — While Utahns have been able to taste the beers of Silver Reef Brewing Co. in certain restaurants, they’ll soon be able to get it in a can at their local supermarket or convenience store.

“We’re just getting ready to take our beers throughout the state through cans,” brewery owner David Moody said with a big smile Friday as the sounds of empty aluminum cans with the company’s name on them ran through the machines.

A small crew of workers watched over the process, making sure the cans stacked on a pallet at one end made it through undamaged, were filled with beer, then collected them into six-packs and stacked them on a nearby pallet.

Wrapping around the top of each can is the line: “Brewed with pride in the heart of St. George, Ut.”

Thursday and Friday marked the inaugural canning run of the Silver Reef Brewing Co., and as of Friday afternoon, an estimated 25,000 cans had been filled and packed onto pallets set in a massive refrigerated storage room, waiting for when they would be shipped out.

“Right now we’re pouring in about 65 restaurants in Utah,” Moody said. “Now we’re going throughout the grocery stores and convenience stores … so everybody can enjoy Silver Reef.”

The microbrewery’s selection of beers – the Aqua del Diablo lager, Color Country Red ale and Fresh and Juicy IPA – will be shipped out starting next week. Moody said he anticipates people will be able to see Silver Reef’s beers in stores by Aug. 1.

“I just tried that IPA, the Fresh and Juicy, it was really good,” Pam Palermo, the president and CEO of the St. George Area of Chamber of Commerce, said while giving the beer two thumbs up.

Moody led a small group of area entrepreneurs and city officials through the brewery who had been invited to celebrate the company’s first canning run. Among them was Palermo and St. George Mayor Jon Pike.

“It’s really cool to see this operation up and running,” Pike said.

For the non-beer drinkers in their midst, they were able to enjoy Silver Reef Root Beer, which Pike said is the best root beer he’s ever had.

Named for the mining ghost town about 15 miles north of St. George, the Silver Reef Brewing Co. microbrewery facility opened in January. Set on Enterprise Drive in the Ft. Pierce Industrial Park, it is also the first microbrewery in St. George.

Read more: First microbrewery in St. George to start selling craft beer, with plans for much more

There are future plans of expansion as well, which includes the building of a restaurant and beer garden Moody said he hopes are up and running by the end of the year.

The microbrewery also plans to introduce new beers in the coming year, as well as expand production with a winery and distillery label. The wine will come from a vineyard located on the south side of Pine Valley Mountain.

Silver Reef beers will be pouring at the Washington County Fair, marking the first time beer has ever been served at the event. This was made possible through a county ordinance change made by the Washington County Commission earlier this month.

“We’re going the be at the county fair,” Moody said, smiling the entire time he showed others around the microbrewery facility and spoke to St. George News. “That’ll be fantastic.”

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Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

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