Over the past half-decade, a number of large craft brewing interests have opened additional manufacturing facilities far removed from their home bases in an effort to reduce shipping costs while increasing beer freshness and, of course, overall production capabilities. Logically, most of these moves involved West Coast operations such as Sierra Nevada Brewing, Stone Brewing and Ballast Point Brewing selecting sites on the East Coast. The latter two now operate full-scale breweries in Virginia, as does Mira Mesa-based Green Flash Brewing, which went live with its 58,000-square-foot facility in Virginia Beach last year. With that milestone surpassed, owners Mike and Lisa Hinkley are en route to the next marker on the expansion highway, and it’s hammered on the side of Interstate 80 in the capital city of Nebraska.

Today, Green Flash announced its recent purchase of a 10,000-square-foot brewing facility at 1630 P Street in Lincoln, Nebraska. The brewery, which was previously owned and operated by Ploughshare Brewing Company, was acquired intact, and includes both tasting room and restaurant components. Laying down stakes in the Cornhusker State will allow for faster delivery and better regional pricing to key Midwest metropolises, including Denver, Kansas City and Minneapolis, as well as surrounding states such as Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming and the Dakotas. This is part of an ongoing effort by the company to establish regional footholds in key cities across the country. According to Hinkley, there is no target number in mind, but the Lincoln facility will not be the last for Green Flash.

When asked what made Lincoln attractive, Hinkley says, “I have long-time friends in neighboring Omaha at Nebraska Brewing Company. I went to visit them and look at the facility that became available and it was an easy decision. It’s a great college town with great spirit.”

Currently, there are no breweries in Nebraska brewing more than the 10,000 barrels per year that Green Flash aims to produce, so they will come in as both the newest and biggest kid on the block. Lincoln’s brewing interests register in the teens, of which Zipline Brewing is the largest. Green Flash should be able to compete for customers early thanks in part to its inherited restaurant, which is 2,000 square feet in size with seating for 100, including a 30-seat mezzanine area.

Between 20 and 30 taps will dispense beers from Green Flash and sister-brand Alpine Beer Company, while the menu will include burgers, sandwiches, an array of appetizers and sauces made using ingredients from local purveyors. Understanding the importance of football in a college town (and being within walking distance of the University of Nebraska), a state-of-the-art A/V system will facilitate spectating of Cornhusker games. This is the first of Green Flash’s facilities to include a restaurant.

Green Flash expects to employ more than 20 people in Lincoln. The 15-barrel brewery will be operated under the direction of brewmaster Erik Jensen, who will remain based in San Diego. Both Green Flash and Alpine beers will be produced in Nebraska. If all goes as scheduled, that facility will be up, running and welcoming guests in as few as 90 days.

Green Flash, which is currently the 41st largest craft brewing company in the U.S. and will celebrate its 15th year in business this fall, is following in the footsteps of other large brewing interests who operate or are in the process of constructing breweries in the Midwest. A local member of that contingent is the aforementioned Ballast Point, which is building a 12,000-square-foot brewpub in Chicago’s West Loop/Fulton Market area that is scheduled to open next year.