INTRODUCTION
Looking back on 2023, we saw a lot of movement in Maryland breweries: openings, closings, moving, expansions, awards, and the reveal of the Maryland hop.
Major Brewery Events
Flying Dog
Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick MD, Maryland’s largest craft beer brewery, announced on Brewbound on Monday May 22, that it was being sold to New York’s FX Matt Brewing Company. Flying Dog ceased all brewery production in Maryland by August, moving all its production to New York. They stated that they plan to maintain a Maryland presence by building an “innovation brewery” and taproom in Frederick. No further news has announced.
DuClaw
DuClaw Brewing (Baltimore, MD) was the second-largest Maryland brewery at the beginning of 2023. They decided to sell its operations to New Jersey’s River Horse Brewing. This was shortly after Flying Dog, Maryland’s largest brewery, announced it had sold its operations to FX Max.
DuClaw announced the move on June 1 via social media. They stated that each brand will continue to be “managed separately” but will combine facilities and share production capacity, as well as certain distribution partnerships, to create “efficiencies” and “strengthen both entities.”
The post also shared, “Dave Benfield, Founder of DuClaw, will continue to be the driving force behind the strategy, portfolio, product innovation and vibe of DuClaw and will ensure the continuity of the highest quality beer. River Horse will be expanding capacity in its Ewing, NJ facility in order to meet the demands of DuClaw’s national distribution footprint.”
With Flying Dog and DuClaw leaving Maryland, Heavy Seas became the largest brewery in the state.
Guinness
On April 3, Diageo North America, the parent company for Guinness, released a statement that in June, it will be closing its major manufacturing facility at Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Relay, MD. They reported that about 100 workers would be laid off.
Diageo said that the restaurant and taproom will still remain open, as will the brewing of “select experimental beers” in a 10-barrel brewery in the visitor center.
Efforts from local brewers and government officials to keep the brewing of Guinness Baltimore Blonde ale in Baltimore County failed. Diageo decided to move production of that beer to FX Matt in New York state.
Breweries COME, GO, MOVE, GROW
Full Tilt Brewing in Baltimore announced it was shutting down after March 12. Founded in 2018, the brewery was noted for its Berger Cookie Chocolate Stout and the Dan's Jams sour series. Owners Nick Fertig and Dan Baumiller blamed COVID-19 restrictions and inflation for their decision.
Eric Christensen, owner/brewer at Gypsy Brewing Company, closed his brewery on May 1. Eric explained, “As of May 1, 2023, Gypsy Brewing Company has ceased production and distribution. It has been a great six years here in Southern Maryland, but other responsibilities call us back to Oregon.” Personally, I enjoyed Gypsy Brewing beers at festivals around Maryland, particularly their smoked beers.”
Astro Lab Brewing in Silver Spring announced its closing at the end of May. They, too, attributed their closing to business complications suffered during the COVID-19 restrictions. A positive note was Third Hill Brewing would quickly occupy its space at the 8216 Georgia Ave location.
“Our good friends at Astro Lab Brewing are closing their doors at the end May. We are honored and grateful that Matt and Emma chose to work with us, and we are privileged to move in after them. They have been so supportive throughout this whole process to get where are now, we can’t thank them enough!”
Checkerspot Brewing opened their new location at 1421 Ridgely St. Baltimore. The grand opening party was in September with Maryland comptroller Brooke Lierman assisting with the official ribbon cutting.
Checkerspot and the three others— Pickett Brewing, Suspended Brewing, and Wico Street Beer Co.— have joined forces to create the South Baltimore Brewery District (SoBo). Their inaugural event was a day-long celebration on October 28. Event-goers enjoyed new craft beer releases and live music as they walked between the four breweries, all of which are within a mile of one another.
As Checkerspot left their old location at 1399 S. Sharp St., a new brewery, M8 Beer Co., re-opened those doors on September 3. Such operations are called “hermit crab breweries” because they occupy the shells of defunct or departed businesses. M8 is pronounced “mate,” like the Aussie slang for “friend,” and will have a focus on beer styles popular in Australia.
Rockwell Brewing owners Paul Tinney and Matt Thrasher expanded in the spring from their current North East Street location to the Riverside Tech Park at 8415 Progress Drive. The new space will allow Rockwell to increase beer production tenfold; add 15-20 new employees; open a new taproom and outdoor patio; and broaden their distribution statewide.
Patuxent Brewing announced on September 11 that they would be closing. But there’s a note of hope: “We greatly appreciate y'all, but remember, it's not goodbye, it's see ya later, so be on the lookout for more info in the near future.”
After 10 years, Denizens Brewing announced they would close its original location in Silver Spring as of October 22. With the lease on the property coming to an end, the owners decided to focus their energy on their larger production brewery in Riverdale Park.
The Other One Brewing held its grand opening on March 3 as Ocean City’s newest brewery or, as founder/brewer Nathan Todd proclaims, “the only brewery on the island.”
In December, RAK Brewing had its grand opening at 400 Sagner Ave, Frederick, MD, along Carroll Creek in downtown Frederick, MD. RAK moved into the spot that formerly housed Smoketown Creekside, which opened its brewery extension in 2019 and closed this past summer. The original Smoketown Brewing Station opened in Brunswick, MD, in 2015 and is still open. This is the third brewery to be at this location, with House Cat Brewing vacating that spot in April 2019.
RAK stands for Random Acts of Kindness. RAK's website describes themselves, "It all started with a random act of kindness. Inspired by the philanthropic spirit of owner Joe Gatewood, RAK cultivates generosity and is proud to take its name from a commitment to encourage Random Acts of Kindness." The redesigned 2,500-square-foot space can seat up to 120 people and is open seven days a week. RAK currently serves 12 beers on tap, plus a hard seltzer. Taproom options, food trucks, and live music schedules can be found on their website at rakbrewing.com
RAK is a short walk to three other breweries, Idiom Brewing, Steinhardt Brewing, and Attaboy Beer which comprises the Carrol Creek Brewery Trek.
Saints Row Brewing moved to a new location in Gaithersburg. They also added a new on-site coffee roasting operation at the location, Hallowed Grounds Coffee Company. The move and expansion launched their Montgomery County-wide distribution network. A soft-opening phase that began in November.
Market Street Brewery at the Tidewater Marina, 203 Market St. in Havre de Grace, held its grand opening in January. The 5,500-sq-ft space is Harford County's first waterfront brewery. The building features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Susquehanna River and a 16-ft ceiling with exposed beams.
Cushwa Brewing in Williamsport opened Cushwa and Rad Pies Taproom, a 44-tap satellite outpost in late summer at the former Frisco Tap House (now rebranded as Reckless Shepherd Brewing) in Columbia, MD.
On Saturday, December 23, 2023, Mad Science Brewing (Adamstown, MD) poured its final glass, marking the end of owner Brian Roberts' experiment in brewing as he deals with an ongoing fight against cancer. The pain from the cancer has made it difficult for him to do the work required for brewing. Brian brewed his last batch in August, as he worked through the carcinoma treatments. But the cancer had spread, and Roberts decided he wanted to focus his time with his wife and their three children. Roberts started Mad Science Brewing in 2015, after his wife told him to get a hobby. He noticed a home-brewing display at the Great Frederick Fair and that led to his opening the brewery at the Thanksgiving Farm site.
True Respite Brewing Co. in Rockville closed on September 2. On their social media on September 2, they wrote, "Today is our very last day in operation. Starting from our very first, it was clear there was one unmistakable thing that would make this place extra special: you. The love and emotional support we've received since announcing we'd reached the end has been overwhelming and humbling. Thank you... for all of it."
They listed debt and business complications from the pandemic for the main reasons for the closing. They added a plea to craft beer enthusiasts, "We hope this brings to light the struggles your local businesses are still facing. The only remedy is to constantly choose to spend [support] at your local favorites. No vote but the one you make with your wallet counts." True Respite owners Brendan and Bailey O'Leary opened True Respite in 2018.
The Maryland Hop: Monocacy
Tom Barse, at Milkhouse Brewing at Still Point Farm in Frederick county made Maryland beer news regarding a new (perhaps old) hop discovery. It is believed to be a remnant from the days when farmers would brew their beer from ingredients they grew themselves. Tom shared his story with me about how he was pointed to a feral hop on a local farm. How he took that hop discovery and shared it with Brian Butler, principal behind the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension’s hops program. Milkhouse brewed three beers showcasing the new hop for the media event held at the brewery. Later, Heavy Seas Beer used the hop for a larger scale brew “Altimore”, a German-style altbier, which was available on tap at the taproom. Research on the hop’s charaterists and commercial use is expected to continue.
Maryland Beer Awards
Ten Eyck Brewing in Queenstown, MD, claimed a bronze award in the 2023 World Beer Cup held in Nashville, TN. This was a global beer competition that evaluates beers from around the world and recognizes the most outstanding brewers and their beers. Ten Eyck was awarded a bronze award in the International Dark Lager category for its Tmavé Pivo, a Czech-style Dark Lager. World Beer Cup winners were selected by an international panel of 272 beer judges from 26 countries. Widely regarded as the “Olympics of Beer,” the 2023 World Beer Cup featured 10,213 entries from 2,376 breweries in 51 countries.
At this year's Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery in Bethesda took a gold medal in the Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer category for their Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Atom Smasher. They also scored some bling at this year's Maryland Craft Beer Competition. Their Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Atom Smasher won the gold medal in the Smoked or Wood Aged niche, and was runner-up for Best of Show. Rock Bottom snagged two other awards: Raccoon Red (an ESB) garnered a bronze in the Amber Ales and Brown Ales category, and Liquid Sun took gold in the Wheat Beers slot.
Liquidity Ale Works in Mt. Airy, which took the Best of Show gold medal for its Three Minutes Later Cream Ale. The brewery received the Maryland Craft Beer Competition Cup at the Baltimore Craft Beer Festival in November. The bronze medal for Best of Show went to Silver Branch Brewing in Silver Spring for its classic saison Beyond the Gnome World.
Brewers Association CHANGES
Kevin Atticks, who served as executive director of the Brewers Association of Maryland (BAM), was named Maryland Secretary of Agriculture by new Governor Wes Moore. As a result, Kelly Dudeck, who had been the chief strategy officer for Grow & Fortify, assumed BAM’s executive director duties.
In a press release dated January 16, 2024, the new consulting firm of Cultivate and Craft announced that they’ve been hired to handle management of the Brewers Association of Maryland (BAM). They take over from Grow & Fortify, which closed its doors in December 2023 after operating for nine years.
Looking Forward
What will 2024 bring to the Maryland brewing industry and beer? If the early days of 2024 are an indication it may be dynamic. Already there have been numerous brewery closings, but the industry is also growing. New remote taprooms are being opened by established breweries such as Cushwa, RAR, and others. Where one brewery leaves, a new one is moving in right behind it. Breweries are building out to increase production to meet a growing demand. One thing is for sure, there is a lot of great beer being made in our state.
