HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- In May, Blue Plants Brewery went from cramped, 400-square-foot digs to a 10,000-square-foot space that looks like it could house a brontosaurus or a commercial aircraft. It's comparable to a band going from recording four-track demos in a garage to purchasing Abbey Road Studios and making an album there whenever they want.

There are benefits beyond more breathing room, says brewmaster Michael Spratley.

"We have a lot more ability to do things that might require storage over time," he says. "The (22-ounce) bombers, the glass itself takes up a lot of room because you usually buy it by the truckload."

More space also facilitates creative techniques, such as Blue Pants aging their Pinstripe Stout in bourbon barrels. The Madison-based brewery will also utilize bourbon barrel aging for the first release in its new high-gravity line of beers, Big & Tall: Bourbon Wee Heavy Ale, a 13 percent ABV (alcohol by volume) concoction. "It's a strong Scotch ale," Spratley, 28, says. "Big and malty with some notes of dry fruit and a sweet smoky taste."

Blue Pants plans to release 22-ounce bombers of Wee Heavy Ale in early January. This follows the brewery's preview bottling of Knickerbocker Red Ale, Pinstripe Stout, Corduroy Rye India Pale Ale and other styles.

1,200

About 1,200-square-feet of the new Blue Pants facility is dedicated to an in-house taproom, where a variety of beers, such as the Tuxedo Black IPA, are poured. (Hours: Wednesday 3-8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 3-10 p.m., Sunday 3-8 p.m.) And if you get the munchies, fear not: The food truck On On Tacos (yes, there are two "on's" in the name), pulls up to the taproom.

115

Over the course of 2012, Blue Pants saw its number of draft accounts swell from 35 to about 115.

15

Blue Pants launched in 2010 with a barrel-and-a-half system. They've since upgraded to a 15-barrel operation. The larger batches facilitate consistency, but there's also risk, Spratley says. "It's not a big deal to ruin a barrel and a half, but if you ruin 15 barrels it kind of costs you a lot of money."

7

Blues Pants is a family affair co-owned by Spratley and wife Allison Spratley, four of their relatives and a close friend. In 2012, they were able to bring on seven employees, who assist with the brewing, bottling, sales and taproom.

10

On Nov. 10, Spratley's birthday, Blue Pants held its inaugural Pinstripe Fest. The brewery created 10 different versions of its popular Pinstripe Stout, including pepper, cherry, Fireball candy and even bacon varieties.

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