East Coasters might never have hiked Black Butte, but now they can drink like they have.

Deschutes Brewery is opening its fourth facility in Roanoke, Virginia, to expand distribution. The family-owned company announced the decision Tuesday. It is one of few of West Coast breweries that have the reach to require a production plant on the eastern seaboard.

The brewery is spending $85 million for the new facility -- dubbed "Brew 4," after the three locations in Bend and Portland -- and is expected to employ 108 people, according to a statement from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe's office.

Construction on the new facility will start in 2019 and Deschutes officials plan to ramp up production from a starting point of 150,000 barrels when it opens.

Virginia lobbied hard to nab the beloved Oregon brewery, beating out North Carolina and South Carolina. The state even started its own Twitter hashtag: #Deschutes2Rke.

The state is matching enthusiasm with dollars, ponying up a $3 million grant and more than $250,000 worth of funds from several agencies available that Deschutes could tap into.

"Virginia's competitive bid for Deschutes Brewery's coveted East Coast location was tireless and aggressive, and we are gratified that the company has chosen the city of Roanoke for this major operation," McAuliffe said.

Virginia is trying to pitch itself as a leader in craft beer. The state is 15th in the country for amount of craft breweries, with 78, according to the national Craft Brewers Association. The 195,957 barrels of beer produced per year generates more than $1 billion in revenue.

Oregon has the fourth-most craft breweries in the country, with 216. Deschutes is a major driver in the more than 1 million barrels produced, becoming a household name for much of the West Coast.

"We started Deschutes Brewery when craft beer wasn't burgeoning and led with a beer style that wasn't popular at the time - Black Butte Porter," said Gary Fish, CEO and founder of Deschutes. "This pioneering approach was a key driver behind our decision to go with Roanoke, as that same spirit exists in this community and its fast-growing beer culture."

Deschutes opened in Bend in 1988, becoming one of Oregon's flagship breweries over time. It is already distributed in 28 states and Washington, D.C.

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com

503-294-5923

@MollyHarbarger