(San Diego, CA) – Breaking news within the past hour…Craft Business Daily reports that Green Flash Brewing plans to build a new brewery on the East Coast.

The company told CBD that it plans to spend around $12 million on the facility, one that will have a capacity of 100,000 barrels and be in operation by 2015 (H/T @Brewbound). No final determination on location has been made.

Green Flash is among the top five fastest-growing regional craft breweries in the U.S., according to Brewers Association data. Production ended at 23,360 barrels last year, an increase of 70% from 2010, and could reach 45,000 barrels in 2012.

Green Flash has been busy on the East Coast within the past several months, opening distribution in southeastern states like Tennessee, Georgia and Louisiana. Beers were already available in other parts of the East Coast as part of its 34-state footprint. The company also sends beer to Canada and Japan.

The expanded distribution comes after Green Flash moved operations from Vista to Mira Mesa last year. Green Flash built a new brewery there that will eventually have working capacity of 100,000 barrels. For now, the company is already maxed out at capacity. Owner, Mike Hinkley predicts that Green Flash will reach 100,000 barrels of annual production by late 2013.

Green Flash is just the latest Western U.S.-based regional craft brewery to announce intent to expand operations to the Eastern part of the U.S..

Sierra Nevada, New Belgium and Oskar Blues announced plans to build in the greater Asheville, North Carolina, area earlier this year. Lagunitas Brewing announced plans to build a brewery in Chicago.