Mark Neumann and a business partner opened Upstate Brewing Co. in 2012 to tap into what they saw as a booming market.

That prognostication turned out to be true, as the business at 3028 Lake Road in Horseheads expanded twice over the next four years to keep up with demand.

Now, even as the craft beer industry shows signs of simmering down in the Southern Tier, Upstate Brewing Co. continues to flourish and grow.

Neumann recently installed a new custom-made brew house manufactured by Nebraska-based American Beer Equipment.

The new brew house offers more exact control of the brewing process, along with an opportunity to expand capacity by about 35 percent, Neumann said.

The brew house is a reflection of how strong business has been, which is especially significant considering some other local craft breweries have closed within the last year, he said.

"It's just to meet demand. Business has been good enough to allow us to afford it," Neumann said. "We paid for it all in cash. I don't have to worry about payments. It's nice to be growing. Birdland Brewing went out of business. Horseheads Brewing Co. went out of business and we're growing, so that's nice."

Related:New craft brewery bubbles up in Town of Chemung

Neumann and his team designed the brew house and submitted plans to American Beer Equipment in February, and the new equipment was delivered in July, he said.

Neumann, who had two people working for him at the time of his 2016 expansion, now has two full-time and three part-time employees who help him keep the beer flowing and thirsts quenched.

He said his business continues to thrive because it offers a great customer experience and also never stops innovating.

"We have 60 different beers this year. Last week alone we brought three new beers out," he said. "By keeping it new and different, it keeps people's interest up. We try to brew seasonally too.

"We want to be a family-friendly place," Neumann said. "We allow kids. We allow dogs. People love that. Plus, we have good beer."

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