Introduction

I first met Adam Davis in August 2022 while he was Chief of Operations and Head Brewer at Burley Oak Brewing in Berlin, MD. Not long after that, Adam announced he would be planting his own flag in the sand with the Berlin Beer Company (BBC), a 3-minute drive and less than a mile from Burley. I have been following his progress ever since. In June 2024, Adam showed me around the progress at Berlin Beer Co.

Related: Burley Oak Brewing

Berlin Beer Co: Beginnings

Berlin Maryland is a picturesque small town, perhaps best known as the backdrop for the movie Runaway Bride, and not far from the Maryland beaches. If you enjoy good beer and good vibes and have had a vacation to Ocean City or Assateague Island, then you likely have been to Burley Oak Brewing in Berlin. Burley brought beer to Berlin, but now there is so much more in the neighborhood.

According to Adam’s research, the building housing the brewery was built in the 1930’s, serving as a distribution center and loading docks for produce. You can see much of the character of that purpose that has been purposefully carried forward the the taproom. The old wooden sliding door, the wooden post and beams, the iconic tower on the roof used in the logo. The property was purchased in October 2022 and construction began some months later.

Original wooden beams become part of the Berlin Beer personality.

When completed, the bar will include 20 taps on both sides of the bar (that’s 40 taps in all) serving BBC beers but also guest taps serving limited release drafts. They want to have something for every drinking preference, so they have secured a liquor license so they can create signature cocktails. The taproom will include games of all kinds, including a custom made 18’ shuffleboard table. There is a long side room just off the taproom which can be rented for special events.

An original sliding door, kept for Berlin Beer character.

Berlin Beer is checking all of the boxes for a successful craft brewery. Many taprooms have discovered the necessity of offering food for patrons. The Street Kitchen will handle the food with a full kitchen, doing what they do best so Adam and company can handle what they do best.

The Brew House

With the recent trend of brewery closings, Adam has been able to purchase some used brewing equipment for about half the price of new. This will allow him to start with an automated system, which he might have been able to afford for many years. While that may seem like a blessing, it also caused some concern—because breweries have been closing.

The brew house is a new 30’ x 70’ construction. The system will include a 20-barrel system (a barrel equals 31 gallons) with two fermentors. Adam figures they should brew about 800 barrels in their first year.

Again, a key to a successful brewery is getting your beer to the public, and a key part of that equation is canning. BBC will have a canning system so patrons can carry some of their favorites home or back to their vacation spots to enjoy after their visit.

Berlin Beer’s brew house, ready to be assembled.

To help visitors enjoy their stay and drinks, there is a biergarten in the back with a lawn and tables. There are 32 parking places on the property, with many more available in the surrounding neighborhood.

The Berlin Beer Co biergarten, getting ready for the crowds.

My visit was at the end of June 2024, and at that time, Adam was hoping for their opening in about a month.

Current Beer

Until BBC begins brewing in its new brew house and opens its doors to the public, there are opportunities to try some of its beer through the local distribution of kegs and collaborations with other breweries. On Untappd, you can find two beers bearing the BBC name — Green Suede Shoes and Pineapple, Strawberry, Marshmallow Ad Libs. Also, look for That’s The Good One, a collaboration with their good friends at Burnish Beer Company in Salisbury.

Read: BURNISH BEER CO - SHAKING OFF THE RUST