Griffin Claw Brewing Co. of Birmingham plans to can all of the 29 beers it releases in 2018 as it expands to a second location in Rochester Hills, the brewery announced Wednesday.

The new, 33,000-square-foot location at Crooks Road and M-59 is to begin shipping beer in February. It will house brewing operations and, eventually, a tasting room, sales director Kyle VanDeventer said in an email.

The brewery is one of many across Michigan and the United States to shift to canning, a method that better protects freshness, is somewhat more sustainable (lighter weight means smaller carbon footprint for shipping) and is more travel-friendly than glass bottles, according to the Brewers Association, a craft-brewery trade group. Everything from Griffin Claw's flagship brews to limited-release, bourbon-barrel-aged stouts is to be released in 16- or 12-ounce cans starting in 2018. It will also continue to offer its beers on draft.

More on Freep.com:

Michigan’s 15% alcohol coconut beer is like a liquid Mounds bar

Big beers: They offer lots of oomph and plenty of flavor for wintertime socializing

The brewery opened in 2013, and its best-selling beer is Norm's Raggedy Ass IPA (7.2% alcohol by volume). Its Birmingham location will continue to offer a taproom and restaurant. Brewing operations will grow from a 17- to 50-barrel brewing system, part of an expansion allowing for triple the production capability, to 60,000 barrels (a beer barrel is 31 gallons).

Griffin Claw in 2017 will have made about 13,000 barrels, and it's planning for up to 20,000 barrels in 2018. That would rank it among the larger brewers in the state, such as Dark Horse Brewing Co. of Marshall (about 20,000 barrels) but far from the top two, Founders Brewing Co. of Grand Rapids or Bell's Brewery near Kalamazoo, both of which planned to make closer to 450,000 barrels in 2017.

But unlike those other breweries, Griffin Claw exclusively distributes in Michigan. VanDeventer said that could change soon.

The brewery on Wednesday also released its 2018 availability calendar, with plans to start packaging its Copyright Cream Ale (4.5% ABV), Perry White (5% ABV) Belgian pale ale, Lemon Session (4.5% ABV) Belgian tripel made with lemon zest and juice among others.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate to have four great years to open with, out the gate. Now we’re looking forward to putting the (pedal) to the metal and really excelling in this great craft beer scene," VanDeventer said in a news release.

Spirits of Detroit columnist Robert Allen covers craft alcohol for the Free Press. Contact him: rallen@freepress.com or on Untappd, raDetroit; Twitter @rallenMI, and Facebook robertallen.news.