The brewing operation is located ten miles from downtown Baltimore.
Diageo has opened its first new Guinness brewing operation in the US in more than 60 years, following an investment of over $90 million at the Maryland facility.
Located ten miles from downtown Baltimore, the Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House is home to two custom-built brewhouses: a ten-barrel brewhouse and a 100-hectoliter brewhouse, both of which are set up to brew and ferment different styles.
The ten-barrel system is the small-batch experimental brewery, while the 100-hectolitre system will initially brew Guinness Blonde for distribution in the US.
Plans for the site were revealed last year and it features a brewery, barrel house, visitor centre, restaurant, and packaging and warehousing operations.
Led by brewmaster Peter Wiens and head brewer Hollie Stephenson, the Maryland brewing team has already begun producing beers for the on-site taproom. While the majority of beers will be available exclusively in the taproom, a few brews will make their way to the greater DC, Maryland and Virginia areas, with some rolling out nationally.
The site features a brewery, barrel house, visitor centre and restaurant.
While many Guinness classic stouts, including Guinness Draught, Extra Stout, and Foreign Extra Stout, will continue to be brewed at St. James’s Gate in Dublin, guests can enjoy them alongside the new American innovation beers in the brewery’s taproom. The exact number of beers on tap will vary, but there will typically be more than 15 beers available at one time.
Diageo global chief sales officer Tom Day said: “This brewery has long been a dream for Guinness, and an incredible amount of hard work has gone into getting these doors open.
“I can’t wait to see people enjoying the fantastic beer our brewers have made in this historic and beautiful building. I’m proud that we have created something special and quintessentially Guinness here in Maryland.”
Upon opening to the public, the brewery will offer free self-guided tours, and later this summer will also begin to feature guided tours with beer tastings.
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