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KALAMAZOO, MI – Excavation is under way at the future Arcadia Brewing Co. site, and beers should be flowing at the new $6.2 million brewery by December 2013, said founder Tim Suprise.

"We were delayed, but now that we have that strategy identified, we're excited about getting our game sharpened and ready for a real terrific 2013," Suprise said, adding that he suspects the brewery will lead to about 30 to 40 new jobs in the area.

Plans to open the Arcadia Brewing Co. expansion project by May 2013 were pushed back several months after tests revealed soil on the East Michigan Avenue site could not support the 30,000-square-foot facility.

Excavation began on Monday, said Suprise, who doesn't anticipate any more delays.

The Battle Creek brewery broke ground on a 30,000-square-foot facility site at 701 E. Michigan Ave. in July 2012. The new site will include a 4,500-square-foot brewpub, a 1,500-square-foot office area, a 24,000-square-foot beer production area and a parking lot with 75 or more spaces.

In November, the Kalamazoo Brownfield Redevelopment Authority agreed to spend $16,750 to test the layer of clay/silt found seven to 10 feet below the surface on the site. The board agreed to pay up front $250,000 to clean up what could be up to 18,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil at the site in January.

The site used to house a Consumers Energy building. In 2001, the city paid Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering Inc. to demolish the foundation and remove debris from the Consumers Energy building.

The new facility will give Arcadia the initial production capacity to make around 30,000 barrels a year, with the potential to produce 60,000 barrels annually. Arcadia made more than 10,000 barrels at its current facility in 2011, but demand for the product has outgrown the Battle Creek site.

Surprise said he is not sure who will be relocating from the Battle Creek facility to the new brewery and expects hiring to begin "in the fourth quarter."

Contact Ursula Zerilliat uzerilli@mlive.com or 269-254-5295. Follow her on twitter.