HenHouse, Petaluma Hills to share facility

Petaluma's HenHouse Brewing could increase production as much as 26-fold under a deal with the newly opened Petaluma Hills Brewing Co.

HenHouse founder Collin McDonnell said this week that the 2-year-old brewery has just received federal approval for an "alternating proprietorship" with Petaluma Hills, which opened last month, allowing him access to that brewery's new 10-barrel brewing system on days when it is not in use.

That will allow production to jump from around 80 barrels per year to as many as 2,000.

Financial details were not released, but McDonnell said it was a win for both companies. Petaluma Hills owner JJ Jay will get extra income to defray the cost of his new brewhouse on North McDowell Boulevard, and HenHouse gets an affordable way to ramp up production and save money to build its own brewhouse.

McDonnell said HenHouse hopes to move into its own facility in about two years, though the two breweries have the option to extend the joint operation beyond that time if necessary.