Peak Drift Brewing Company, a new beverage company headquartered in Columbia, has launched its inaugural line of craft beers and seltzers in select Midlands-area bars, restaurants and stores.
Throughout the month of December, Peak Drift will be hosting a series of grand opening events. For a full list of events, visit www.peakdriftbrewing.com/events.
Peak Drift Brewing Company was founded in 2021 by siblings Sara Middleton Styles and Greg Middleton. They wanted to create an innovative, environmentally conscious beverage company that promotes life’s peak moments.
“Peak Drift is committed to celebrating everything that makes the Southeast special — the mountains, the oceans, the rivers, and most of all, the people,” said Styles. “Through our innovative production facility, award-winning products and new brewery coming to the North Main area, we are dedicated to industry collaboration and strengthening our local communities.”
Peak Drift’s team has decades of combined industry experience and has worked with experts from across the world. Peak Drift’s Ashley Kinart-Short, one of the only female certified master brewers in the southeastern region, oversees the brand’s flavors, recipes and overall brewing process. Originally from Wisconsin, Kinart-Short brings a wealth of knowledge and experience — coupled with a degree in biology and a commitment to innovation — to the region.
“Launching Peak Drift from the ground up has been an experience of a lifetime,” says Kinart-Short. “Between the support and collaboration from others in the industry, as well as the cutting-edge technology, this has truly been a special project. We can’t wait for the public to enjoy the great products we’ve been brewing.”
Beverages Now Available
The following craft beers can now be found at select bars, restaurants and stores throughout the Midlands: NEIPA, Golden Ale, a rotating series of Red IPAs, Berry Crumble Fruited Sour Ale, and a rotating series of Fire Pit Dark Ales.
Peak Drift will also have the following hard seltzers on draft at bars and restaurants throughout the Midlands: Mixed Berry, Peach/Citrus, and Soda City Hard Seltzer (cucumber and mint).
Peak Drift products are also available at several events in and around Columbia, and at its microbrewery located inside Smoked on Columbia’s Main Street.
State-of-the-Art Production Facility
Large-scale production is now up and running at Peak Drift’s new production facility in the North Main area of Columbia. Peak Drift’s 20-hectoliter brewhouse production facility is 25,000 square feet and has the capacity to produce up to 25,000 barrels per year, which equates to 50,000 kegs, 350,000 cases, or 8.4 million cans.
From production to packaging, Peak Drift is committed to using approaches to ensure sustainability and quality, including:
• In-house fruit processing equipment for better sours and hard ciders.
• Surface Tension Technology that will allow the brewery to produce alkaline water and natural cleaning solution to cut down on chemical use.
• An onsite, state-of-the-art lab for testing all products to ensure optimal quality.
• A state-of-the-art packaging system.
• A membrane filtration system to produce hard seltzers and non-alcoholic craft beer.
• A high-volume digital printer to print can graphics in-house and keep cans 100 percent recyclable.
“Our vision is to become a leader in sustainable, innovative brewing that elevates the industry,” says Middleton. “Additionally, we hope this project will be a catalyst for revitalization in an important downtown corridor and will become a destination for our region.”
Public Brewery and Complex Under Construction
While Peak Drift products are hitting the shelves, construction is underway at the future 64,849-square-foot brewery and entertainment complex located in the heart of the North Main area in Columba. Set to open to the public in 2023, the former Stone Manufacturing Company facility — which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places — will be transformed into a complex with indoor and outdoor dining, lounge areas, a full bar, games, entertainment and more.
Peak Drift is committed to supporting its communities by partnering with nonprofits and local businesses that champion environmental health and sustainability. Additionally, the company’s beverages are crafted using locally sourced ingredients.
