Scottish brewing group BrewDog has unveiled plans to build a new brewery, under a customer equity scheme, in 2012, and also open five new craft beer bars in the UK.

The Fraserburgh-based brewer had already submitted planning permission for a new ?6.5m ($10.22m) low carbon brewery, following a customer-funding of over ?1.5m ($2.36m) through Equity for Punks.

The brewery, which will be located at Balmacassie, on the outskirts of Aberdeen, is expected to be operational by October 2012.

The company has also bought a field adjacent to the location, with plans to expand the facility further to meet the demand for its beers in future.

The 3000sqmt Balmacassi brewery will house energy efficient craft brewing equipment and will create 25 new jobs immediately, rising to over 75 over the coming five years.

The brewery will have an initial capacity of 100,000hl per annum, which is expandable to 500,000 per annum, a 4-vessel 100hl Brewhouse with a heat recovery system, 27 existing fermentation tanks, ten new 400HL FV tanks and a new bottling line.

The brewery will give the company ten times the brewing capacity, according to BrewDog co-founder James Watt.

The company still owns the Pottorton land and will use it to grow its own malt and some soft fruits for a special ‘BrewDog Estate’ beer slated to be released once a year.

BrewDog also has plans to invest ?1m ($1.57m) to grow its bar business in 2012. The BrewDog Newcastle bar will be at 16 Dean Street. The company recently concluded a deal for the premises and expects to begin work soon.

Work is about to begin on BrewDog Camden. The bar is anticipated to be open by the 10 December. The bars mark BrewDog’s fourth and fifth venues, with first three being BrewDog Aberdeen, BrewDog Edinburgh and BrewDog Glasgow.