The Blind Tiger Brewery and Restaurant unveiled plans Wednesday for a series of expansions to its brewing system that will increase its capacity to make beer by about 50 percent.

Jay Ives, owner of Blind Tiger Brewery, said two stainless steel fermenting tanks will be added this summer, which will hold 30 barrels of beer each.

"We are brewing near our capacity," Ives said, "and our three professional brewers are working overtime in order to keep up with the growing demand."

In 2010, the microbrewery, located at S. 37th Street and Kansas Avenue, produced and sold 1,201 barrels. That number equates to about 300,000 glasses of beer. Ives said the two tanks are expected to raise Blind Tiger's production to about 1,800 barrels per year, which will serve about 450,000 glasses of beer.

The restaurant will be open every day during the project, Ives said, and crews will work to ensure its operations won't be adversely affected by construction work.

"It is a little like overhauling your car while driving down the road," Ives said.

Ives said preparatory work is underway and the new tanks should arrive in late July. It could take up to two months to connect, clean and test the tanks, Ives said, before brewing the first batches for them.