SLIPPERY ROCK — The North Country Brewery with its distinctive western-style facade could nearly triple its beer production if a land development application is approved.

A presentation at Tuesday's borough council meeting outlined a proposed 55-foot by 70-foot addition to the brewery that would house a larger brewing operation, a retail shop and storage space.

The new structure would also enable the brewery to can beer for sale on site.

The business simply cannot keep up with demand for its beer— particularly the top-selling Fire House Red — that has drawn beer lovers from as far as Michigan to the borough, said Frank "Chip" Uhl, project coordinator.

"We just have to grow in this direction, no time like the present," said owner Bob McCafferty, referring to the growing popularity of the brewery.

"Its all good problems I have."

Uhl of Uhl Construction Management in Butler is seeing that all necessary permits and approvals are granted for the project.

The land application calls for a lot revision that would consolidate three lots on South Main Street for the brewery, Jesse Hines, borough code enforcement officer, said Tuesday.

The two bordering lots are occupied by single-family homes that were converted to house apartments. McCafferty has an agreement with those owners to assume control of the lots, pending council approval for the project.

Those buildings would be razed.

The addition also requires a state highway occupancy permit for some utility lines that would run beneath Main Street.

Council can grant land development approval contingent on the issuing of the highway occupancy permit later, Hines said.

Plans are still in their infancy for the addition, and McCafferty said Wednesday he had only seen the design two weeks ago.

Council members seemed to favor the project, but emphasized it could take time to be implemented.

"We're only a handful of days into a 90-day review process," Hines said Tuesday.

A chief concern is whether the addition, which might enable the brewery to sell its beer at other locations, could cause the business to overstep its bounds.

The business is designated as retail, but the increased production facility might reclassify it as a light manufacturing unit, a use not permitted for the property.

The borough might need its solicitor to determine the legality of the larger operation, potentially causing delays.

Uhl said the addition will only scale up the existing operation.

"I firmly believe that we will be receiving approval by borough council," he said.

Designs for the addition were by Dale Roth, a retired architect formerly with the Roth-Marz Partnership in Erie.

The addition retains the architectural theme of the restaurant and would incorporate large glass windows for the public to view the brewing process, Uhl said.

"When we're looking at construction of the brewery, Dale Roth and Bob (McCafferty) hope to continue with the architectural aesthetic with what the Main Street district is wanting to look like now and in the future," Uhl said.

A parking lot behind the addition could have space for up to 10 cars, Uhl said.

With the addition, the brewing system would be increased from a 7Z\x-barrel system to a 20-barrel system, allowing the brewer to make 40 half-kegs of beer about every three weeks, McCafferty said.

The current system makes 14 half-kegs in that span.

McCafferty bought the 11,000-square-foot building that houses the restaurant and brewery in 1998, when Slippery Rock was still an alcohol-free community. The business opened in 2005.