Diageo will build a new Guinness factory in Maryland – the first time that the brand will have brewed beer on US soil for more than 60 years.
The facility will take a similar set-up to Guinness’ so-called Open Gate concept in Dublin, with a ‘mid-sized’ Guinness brewery, a visitor experience and a microbrewery for experimenting with new types of beer. The installations will be built at Diageo’s existing site in Relay, Maryland – a suburb of Baltimore.
The new facilities will bring the company’s investment in Relay to approximately $50 million, Diageo said.
The site will be used exclusively for making Guinness beers, with the brand’s iconic stout continuing to be produced at St James’ Gate in Dublin, where Diageo yesterday announced plans to invest €25 million in the installation of a whisky distillery. The company will return to the Irish whisky category for the first time in two years, with a new product launching in March.
Diageo Beer Company USA president Tom Day said: “Opening a Guinness brewery and visitor center in the US will enable us to collaborate with fellow brewers and interact with the vibrant community of beer drinkers. Given the success of our Open Gate Brewery in Dublin and the popularity of beer tourism in the US, we are confident that Americans will welcome the opportunity to come experience Guinness brewing in Baltimore County. We appreciate the support we have received so far from state and local officials and look forward to continuing to contribute to the local community.”
London-based Diageo is not the first to realise the potential of an immersive brewery for US drinkers: BrewDog has invested more than $30 million in the construction of a 100,000 square foot facility, which includes a restaurant, taproom and visitor centre.
Visitors to the Guinness factory will be able to tour the working brewery, sample experimental beers brewed on site at its own taproom, and purchase Guinness merchandise at the retail store.
Sketches show what the tasting room at the Relay site will look like.
The company is still working on finalising the plans, but said that the project would represent ‘a significant investment’ in terms of economic contribution, tourism, and jobs.
“Guinness’ plan to build a brewery at its historic facility in Relay is great news for job creation, manufacturing, and tourism in our state,” said Maryland governor Larry Hogan. “Beer tourism attracts millions of visitors to towns and communities across the country every year and I look forward to welcoming Guinness to the roster of excellent breweries we have here in Maryland.”
Diageo hopes to begin construction on the brewery this spring, and open it in the autumn.
It is expected to create around 40 jobs in brewing, warehousing and an agile packaging operation, which could include canning, bottling and kegging.
In addition, the Guinness visitor experience part of the project could create a further 30 jobs.
It is the first time that Guinness will have made beers in the US for 63 years.
Evan Anthanas, president of Chesapeake Beverage, said: “As the largest Diageo beer distributor in the state of Maryland, we are very excited about today’s announcement by Diageo Beer Company USA to resurrect its facility in Relay and build a brewery. Not only will this project help build the Guinness brand in Maryland, the tourism piece and brand experience planned for this project will certainly enhance Maryland’s beer industry and be a benefit to our retail customers.”
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