The always crowded Brauhaus Schmitz is expanding. Owner Doug Hager sat down with us to show off his plans for the Brauers Bund (Brewers Federation) room. The plans call for a hole to be knocked through the westward facing wall of the current space and into the expansion area that is currently a furniture store.  The new area will feature a new 11-person bar and seating for another 85 diners. A warming stove will serve as a centerpiece of the new room that will also feature a barrel motif.

The new area will allow Brauhaus to host private events and to expand their German beer offerings. Hager aims to do for German beers in Philadelphia what Monk’s Tom Peters has done for Belgian beers. He is working with local distributers to get rare German beers into the country and to the Philadelphia beer drinker.

The expansion will also allow some changes in the main room. The pew seating across from the original bar will be scaled back to fit two to four per table, down from six and will increase the standing room at the bar. The balcony will also become the third option for seating.

The expansion will only take up half of the furniture store space, the front of which will become an expansion of the Wine and Spirits Shop on South Street.

Hager presents his plans to the Bella Vista neighbors association tomorrow Tuesday, January 10th at 7:30 at Palumbo Recreation Center.

If all goes according to plan the new space could be ready in June, just in time for Beer Week and the Euro 2012 soccer tournament.