We think that all this activity speaks for itself…With 2013 barely two weeks old, there are so many announcements of breweries expanding their operations that we thought we should catch everybody up on everything…so here goes.

Russian River Mulls Expansion (Santa Rosa, CA) -Many in the craft beer community are surprised that Russian River Brewing has been so late in thinking about expansion – Vinnie Cilurzo has always been about scale. But it now appears that he and his wife, Natalie, may decide on an expansion plan this year according to the Press Democrat. Russian River beers are extremely popular and their products are very much in demand. They currently produce 14,000 barrels a year, and that is clearly not enough to keep up with demand. So 2013 appears to be decision time for the couple as they consider the possibility of a multi-million dollar expansion.

Highland Gains More Ground (Asheville, NC) – Highland Brewing is signaling that they may need more room going forward. They just purchased the remainder of the old Blue Ridge Motion Picture lot according to the Citizen Times. This 2.5 million dollar purchase expands Highland’s turf by 30 more acres and allows them control as they grow.

Hangar 24 Eyes Nevada and Arizona (Orange, CA) – As soon as they finish locking up all of the “Golden State,” Hangar 24 Craft Brewery is looking to expand into Nevada and Arizona according to CNBC. To keep up with demand, they are now in the process of expanding their facility and plan to increase its annual brewing capacity from their current 35,000 barrels to 100,000 barrels by 2015. Future plans include the brewery redesigning its tasting room to make it “a destination for locals and tourists alike.”

Foothills Increases its Footprint (Winston- Salem, NC) – Barely a year after relocating the bulk of its brewing operations, Foothills Brewing is once again expanding, signing wholesale distributor agreements that will dramatically increase their reach and availability. Foothills began brewing beer in 2005 and have gained a loyal following in central North Carolina. They’ve also racked up numerous awards for their products, including seven Great American Beer Festival medals and three World Cup Beer medals, more than any other North Carolina brewery. That success prompted Foothills to expand their brewery a year ago, relocating the majority of their brewing operation from the company’s popular downtown Winston-Salem brewpub to a 50,000 square-foot facility. The coming months will see even more expansion for Winston-Salem’s hometown brewery. To keep up with demand, two 200 BBL fermenting tanks will be delivered and installed at the end of March, followed by two more at the end of the summer.

Coronado Opens New Tasting Room (San Diego, CA) – Coronado Brewing Company is celebrating the launch of a new 750 square-foot, 25-tap tasting room located within its recently completed 20,000 square-foot production facility in the City of San Diego. The tasting room’s soft opening period began over this past Saturday, January 12^th. The “official” grand opening is scheduled for early February.

Deschutes to South Dakota (Bend, OR) – The world domination tour at Deschutes continues. This time they’re moving into the Black Hills. They have announced expanded distribution into western South Dakota and will be working with Eagle Sales of Black Hills. The first beers will be available in six-pack bottles and on draft. Deschutes Brewery, which recently added five new 1,300 barrel fermentation tanks to increase capacity at its Oregon brewing headquarters, is also expanding to the state of Illinois early this month.