CT beer maker pours $650K into new brewhouse, eyes further expansion amid wholesale growth

Nod Hill Brewery just spent about $650,000 upgrading its Ridgefield brewing operation, but the investment won’t significantly increase how much beer it can produce — at least not yet. Instead, the nearly nine-year-old brewery is betting that improving its beer, rather than simply making more of it, will help drive its next phase of growth. At the center of the investment is a new brewhouse — equipment used for key stages of making beer before fermentation — manufactured by German brewing-equipment company BrauKon. The project also includes water, electrical and other infrastructure upgrades needed to support the new system. Co-founder and General Manager David Kaye said the new equipment gives Nod Hill’s brewing team greater precision and control over the brewing process. Annual production capacity, however, will remain unchanged at about 2,100 barrels. “Increasing production wasn’t the primary reason for making this investment,” Kaye said. “Right now, we’re hyper-focused on beer quality, dialing in the new system and continuing to refine our recipes and processes.” The investment comes as Nod Hill reports its Connecticut wholesale sales are up more than 35% year to date compared with the same period in 2025. The brewery, which employs 28 people, self-distributes its beer throughout the state. Kaye attributed the wholesale gains to a combination of new retail accounts and stronger sales through existing retailers. He said the company’s self-distribution model has also allowed the brewery to expand its sales efforts into new parts of Connecticut and establish more direct relationships with retailers. Nod Hill’s growth contrasts with broader trends in the craft beer industry. U.S. craft beer production declined 4% in 2025, when the number of operating craft breweries also fell, according to the Brewers Association. Craft beer production declined another 4% during the first half of 2026. Connecticut has also experienced several brewery closures in recent years amid a more mature and competitive market, shifting consumer preferences and weaker packaged beer sales. Kaye said Nod Hill sees the difficult industry environment as a reason to invest rather than pull back. “The breweries that will succeed are the ones that refuse to become complacent,” Kaye said. “Drinkers have a lot of choices, and we believe breweries that stay focused on quality and continue giving people a reason to seek out their beer will succeed.” Production overhaul The new brewhouse is part of a broader production overhaul led by Head of Brewing Operations Rob Bollard, who joined Nod Hill in early 2025 after nearly 15 years in Connecticut’s craft beer industry, according to the company. Bollard began his brewing career with a mentorship at Willimantic Brewing Co. and later worked at Black Hog Brewing Co. in Oxford and Kent Falls Brewing Co., where he was among the brewery’s first three employees and eventually became head brewer. Since joining Nod Hill, Bollard said he has helped rebuild its production team, revamp recipes, source new ingredients and redesign parts of the brewery’s production setup, including tank configurations and a custom water system. The first beers made with the new brewhouse are expected to be released this month, starting with a double-decocted Märzen followed by an IPA. Nod Hill said it plans to use the system to produce its flagship hop-forward beers, traditional European styles and experimental releases. The $650,000 project, financed by the brewery’s existing investors, represents the first phase of a longer-term investment plan, Kaye said. Nod Hill is targeting 2028 for a second phase that would add fermentation capacity and upgrade its packaging line. Kaye said those improvements would position the brewery to increase annual production capacity from 2,100 barrels to about 5,000 barrels. Kaye said Nod Hill expects to add employees as the business grows, although he did not provide a hiring target. Nod Hill was founded in 2017 by Kaye, his father, Robert Kaye, and Kaye’s wife, Sarah Zitnay. Its Ridgefield operation includes a taproom, seasonal Biergarten and event space with food, live music and other programming. The brewery has been powered entirely by solar energy since 2019 through a 287-kilowatt rooftop solar array, according to the company. Its property also includes a 1-acre native pollinator meadow.