Despite a local brewery’s inability to distribute beer, it has started bottling beers for to-go sales.

Grand Rapids Brewing Co. began selling 22-ounce bottles of its beers earlier this month. The bottles are $5 each and include mainstays Silver Foam, Rosalynn Bliss Mango Blonde and John Ball Brown.

Also included in the first wave was Violet MacMillan’s American Pale Wheat, but will be replaced by a variety of beers rotated through the slot.

Despite the pub-only sales, GRBC head brewer Jake Brenner said the bottles should help brand awareness.

“As a brewpub, it’s hard to get your brand out there,” he said. “Granted, people have to come here to get bottles. I think we’ll get some more exposure from them.”

Bottles hold up better than growlers, which can stay fresh for maybe a week, Brenner said, and should help people travel and share the brewery’s beer better.

Brenner said the designs of the bottles might warrant a bigger buzz than the beer inside because of their beauty. The bottles were printed at Beer City Glass.

A week into sales and Brenner said he was already bottling a second round. He said he was shocked by the quick sales, even though prior special bottle releases from the all-organic brewery have been well received.

Joining the three bottled mainstays, Fishladder IPA will be the next beer to appear in bottles, Brenner said.