Cahaba Brewing Co. will increase its production capacity about eight-fold when it moves into a historic building in Avondale.

Cahaba Brewing will move into the Continental Gin building at 4500 Fifth Ave. S. before the end of the year.

"We wanted somewhere with a lot of character," Cahaba Brewing Partner Andrew Pharo said. "There's a lot of historical aspects and a interesting architectural aspects to the building."

The Birmingham brewery will rent about 51,000 square feet, but will only use about 21,000 square feet for brewing and the tap room. The remaining space it hopes to sublet for complementary businesses, like retail or a restaurant.

Between the renovations and new equipment, the total investment will be around $2 million, Pharo said.

Southpace Properties served as the leasing agent. Rives Construction is the general contractor and Williams Blackstock Architect is the architect.

Last month, Cahaba Brewing launched its first beers in cans.

The new building will have ample parking, which the current building at 2616 3rd Ave S. lacks, as well as a patio. The larger space will allow much larger tanks which will allow the brewery to increase its production capacity. Cahaba subcontracted the canning of its first batch of the American Blonde Ale to a company in Virginia, but after the move will have the capacity to do all its canning in house.

"The growth the brewery has seen over the last few years has been phenomenal," said Eric Meyer, one of the brewery's partners. "That's what's pushing us to go into the new building."

In March, Cahaba will release 22-ounce bottles, called bombers, of Double Barrel Rye Imperial Stout. It'll only sell about 200 bottles of the beer, which has been aged for 11 months in Kentucky bourbon barrels.

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