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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Big Trouble Malting and Spirits To Open Malting Facility-Distillery In Petersburg, Virginia

03/04/2015
Big Trouble Malting and Spirits will open a new malting facility and craft distillery in Petersburg, Virginia. The company will invest just under a million dollars and create nine new jobs in Petersburg, while sourcing all of its needed feedstock – or more than 40,000 bushels of barley, wheat, rye, and fruit – from Virginia agricultural producers.

The new malting facility and craft distillery, which is located in Petersburg’s historic downtown district, brings a new economic development and agritourism opportunity to an area of recent revitalization in the community. Big Trouble will invest in site improvements, equipment, and new building construction to renovate an underutilized historic building. In addition to producing its own malts and spirits, Big Trouble will sell malts, a much needed ingredient for Virginia’s craft beer industry, to local brewers.

“Petersburg is uniquely situated for this type of business —so close to ideal farmland, and a stone’s-throw from the agricultural resources at Virginia State University,” said Dave McCormack, Co-owner of Big Trouble Malting and Spirits. “I’m thrilled to help develop this business in Petersburg — it’s a great addition to the neighborhood, and a great win for downtown.”

“The demand for malted barley is huge, and the market is vastly underdeveloped,” added Tony Kvasnicka, Co-owner of Big Trouble Malting and Spirits. “Our goal is to support Virginia craft brewers, and create an operation where growers can confidently raise barley and other alternative crops for the craft beer industry.”

The Commonwealth is partnering with Petersburg and Big Trouble on this project through the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with the City of Petersburg to secure this expansion for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $50,000 grant from the AFID Fund to assist the City of Petersburg with the project. Big Trouble Malting and Spirits is also committing to purchase more than 40,000 bushels of grains and fruits from local producers, supporting existing agribusinesses in the region.

Governor Terry McAuliffe said, “Big Trouble brings together multiple aspects of economic development – agriculture, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, tourism, and community revitalization – in one operation and is another excellent example of leveraging some of the Commonwealth’s greatest assets to build a new Virginia economy. In partnership with Petersburg and Big Trouble, we are also highlighting Virginia’s ability to work with big companies and smaller operations, such as our burgeoning craft beverage industry. Virginia’s status as a world-class wine, cider, beer, and spirits producer is rising and we aim to raise it even higher. Today’s announcement is another victory for that effort.”

“Big Trouble’s investment is exciting not only for Petersburg and the Commonwealth’s fast-growing craft beer and distilled spirit industries, but also for Virginia agricultural producers who are capitalizing on new or expanded markets for their harvests,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore. “With more than 260 wineries and cideries, 100 craft breweries, and 20 craft distilleries, Virginia is quickly emerging as a significant craft beverage player on the East Coast. The McAuliffe administration has made growing this sector a key component of our economic development strategic plan. In addition to jobs created, investments made, and tourism generated by craft beverage makers, they are providing new production and revenue streams for local producers.”

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