Goose Island Beer Company, the Near West Side brewery known for its Honker’s Ale and 312 beers, announced Monday that it had been bought by beer giant Anheuser-Busch.

The company will immediately get $1.3 million in cash from the deal to expand its brewery at 1800 W. Fulton St., buying new tanks to brew its new popular but time-consuming premium line of beers like Matilda and Sofie.

Goose Island’s founder and president, John Hall, will be staying on as the company’s CEO. However, his son Greg Hall, Goose Island’s brewmaster, will be leaving the company. Former head brewer Brett Porter has been promoted to brewmaster in his place.

Anheuser-Busch already owned a stake in Goose Island through a group called the Craft Brewers Alliance. Anheuser-Busch owned roughly a third of the Craft Brewers Alliance, and the Craft Brewers Alliance, in turn, owned a 42 percent stake in Goose Island.

Anheuser-Busch is buying a 58 percent stake of the company from Goose Island for $22.5 million, according to a press release from the companies, and has an agreement to buy the remaining 42 percent for $16.3 million soon from the Craft Brewers Alliance.

The immediate influx of cash will allow Goose Island to brew more beer at its Fulton Street headquarters, buying more tanks to brew its specialty Belgian beers like Matilda and Sofie, according to Porter.

There had already been plans to buy the tanks, but no money to pay for them before the buyout, Porter said.

“We’re getting a bunch of equipment that we desperately need to make more beer,” Porter said. “Now the money’s coming in, so that we can buy the tanks and the other equipment we need to make these beers.”

It’s a sign that Anheuser-Busch is committed to Chicago, Porter said.

“They’re excited about the brands that we make and their wholesalers — all of them — want it. It’s a big deal,” Porter said. “The question is what’s going to change, and the answer is not very much, because we’re going to have a strong partner to grow. It’ll still be run by John Hall here in Chicago.”

Anheuser-Busch’s president, Dave Peacock, implied as much in a statement.

“These critically acclaimed beers are the hometown pride of Chicagoans,” Peacock said. “We are very committed to expanding in the high‑end beer segment, and this deal expands our portfolio of brands with high-quality, regional beers. As we share ideas and bring our different strengths and experiences together, we can accelerate the growth of these brands.”

There will likely be some changes as the company tries to ramp up production with Anheuser-Busch’s help, though.

Already this year, Goose Island was outsourcing all production of its Honker’s and India Pale ales to a New Hampshire brewery owned by the Craft Brewers Alliance, Chicago Journal was first to report in February.

Goose Island had been looking for a way to strengthen its existing business for some time, and Anheuser-Busch’s support will help the company do just that.

In a statement, John Hall said the partnership would preserve Goose Island’s structure with a deal that was good for stakeholders, employees and customers.

“This partnership between our extraordinary artisanal brewing team and one of the best brewers in the world in Anheuser-Busch will bring resources to brew more beer here in Chicago to reach more beer drinkers, while continuing our development of new beer styles,” Hall said. “This agreement helps us achieve our goals with an ideal partner who helped fuel our growth, appreciates our products and supports their success.”

Despite the changes, Porter said he thinks the company is as committed as ever to Chicago.

“The dream that we all have is a big new brewery in Chicago,” Porter said. “The market’s out there ready to buy the beer. Goose Island is a Chicago brewery, and it makes sense to stay right here, in my mind.”