CROWN POINT | Crown Brewing will soon be able to increase its capacity by 50 percent, one of the microwbrewery's owners said.

The Crown Point business last week installed two new tanks, which it bought from a California company.

"It's a big step to get those in," said Chris Stanek, sales manager and co-owner of Crown Brewing. "By Thanksgiving, there will be beer ready to flow out of them."

The tanks will allow Crown to increase its output to close to 1,000 barrels in 2012, Stanek said. The brewery at 211 S. East St. currently produces about 600 barrels.

Besides additional capacity, the new tanks allow Crown Brewing to try new beers. Before the new equipment came in this week, the business had to use all of its tanks for its existing demand, Stanek said. Crown will offer a double IPA soon and a barley wine this winter, both using new recipes.

Crown Brewing opened in 2008 in a restored historic building in downtown Crown Point.

Dave Bryan and Tim Walsh round out the ownership team. In 2009, award-winning brewmaster Steve Mazylewski took over the reins as head brewmaster for Crown.

Crown's most popular beers are its Special Forces IPA and Crown Brown, which the business distributes statewide. It also distributes 22-ounce bottles to Northwest Indiana liquor stores, and Stanek said Crown will soon offer its Industrial Porter and Winter Warlock in 22-ounce bottles.

Stanek said Crown Brewing aims to have a bottling line running next year, and the owners hope to open a second location in the near future.

"We don't want to leave our current location. We have a great thing here," Stanek said. "We just don't have any room to expand. We've used all of our space."

Crown Brewing is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit www.crownbrewing.com or call (219) 663-4545.