Poulsbo’s Sound Brewery is expanding on Viking Avenue, but not into the landmark Courtesy Ford building.

General manager Mark Hood said the brewery was unable to reach terms with Courtesy Ford owners after four months of negotiation. Price was not the issue he said, declining to elaborate.

Instead of growing into the former car dealership, Sound Brewery will install a new, “high-tech” brewhouse in a 5,800-square-foot building across from Bovela Lane. The tasting room will remain at the brewery’s Bovela location, Hood said.

Sound Brewery will migrate production across to the new brewhouse over the next two years, while upgrading the existing tasting room. The company isn’t done searching for a larger location, Hood said.

“We’ll continue looking for other options in the area that will allow us to better serve our local customers, who’ve really made this expansion possible, and necessary,” Hood said.

Sound Brewery opened in 2011, the largest of a bevy of new brewhouses in North Kitsap.

Courtesy Ford closed in 2011.  The 40,000-square-foot building and 4-acre property are listed for $2.35 million. Recently Kitsap Children’s Musical Theatre has used the building for rehearsal space.

(Meegan Reid photos)