Guinness Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House

When we started this blog, one of our goals was to recognize the small, local craft breweries to encourage people who don’t frequent them to check them out. One of the most rewarding aspects of our “job” is hearing about the grit it takes to establish these businesses, which often is under-appreciated by their patrons. We felt a little like we were going against our motto when we decided to visit one of the big guys – Guinness. We ended up stopping by on a Sunday afternoon, slightly hungover from the night before. In summary, we were really happy we did.

You might be asking, “Isn’t Guinness in Dublin?” Yes it is. And it’s known as The Open Gate Brewery. But very recently, the first section of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House opened near BWI airport in Baltimore County, MD. This is the first time that Guinness has been on U.S. soil since 1954. The section that’s currently open for business is a small taste of what the full production will be by July 2018.  It’s located in a 1930s industrial complex that until recently was home to Calvert Distillery who most notably made Calvert Whiskey. To give you a mini history lesson, it was named for the family that founded Maryland. The plant that housed Calvert Distilling was the first legal distillery in Maryland after Prohibition. In 2000, the British company Diageo, bought Calvert Distilling. Diageo also owns Smirnoff, Tanqueray, Johnnie Walker, Bailey’s, Crown Royal, and many, many more well-known brands…including Guinness. In 2015 the Diageo plant shut down, and today the only liquor remaining on site are barrels of aging Captain Morgan. The plant closure was a sad time for Marylanders, with so many jobs being lost. Hopefully, by resurrecting the campus, those jobs will be available again and boost the community.

At this point, we were starting to think this is just another millionaire (billionaire?) trying to make a dollar while potentially hurting the little guys at the same time. But we figured that we might as well grab a beer and give it a shot. The tasting room was quite large, with concrete floors and a u-shaped stainless steel bar top. There are barrels scattered around the room, serving as additional tables. And the walls are covered in murals of old, familiar Guinness mascots, complete with the toucan, turtle, and stork. The only thing that would have made the art better was if they substituted the crab with a blue crab – that would be one way to win the hearts of Marylanders!

We received a friendly welcome from Delecia, who remembered our names throughout the entire visit. She handed us a drink menu, and the first thing we noticed was the collaboration beer with Heavy Seas Brewery (Baltimore, MD), called Longest Way Round. As we continued reading, we noticed some not-so-Guinness-like options, including 3 IPAs and a pale ale. And obviously they had a selection of stouts, including Guinness Draught (the norm), Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (the ONLY other place in the world you can get this on tap other than Dublin), and the 200th Anniversary Export Stout (in bottles – a beer to celebrate the first time Guinness arrived on the shores of the Land of the Free. #Merica).

During our visit, we tried everything available on draft. We were really surprised; the beer was pretty exceptional. The Hazy IPA #1 (silky smooth and made with lactose) and the Northwest IPA (hello pine trees) were both really unique. The Rye Pale Ale #1 was easy drinking, with a bready, malty flavor and a touch of spice. And the menu’s description of the Longest Way Round, a golden that wasn’t golden, was right on point, suggesting it was the “beer version of a roasted chocolate banana.” The tasting room is known as the “test taproom,” and consequently every non-stout beer we tasted was an experimental batch. Each batch is only 4 kegs, therefore they don’t do growler fills to avoid running out of beer. The beer is the craftsmanship of two brewers – one from Stone Brewing (Escondido, CA) and the other from Highland Brewing (Asheville, NC). We were stoked to hear that they plan to continue to collaborate with other local breweries in future batches.

The campus has big plans for July 2018. That’s when the remainder of Guinness Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House will open, including a restaurant and bar. Tim, another great Guinness host, showed us pictures of their plans. The restaurant and bar look awesome, but we were really excited to see the outside area, including a huge patio, outdoor stage, and plenty of seating. We’re already planning to spend a summer evening taking it all in, and when we do, we will be sure to update this post. After spending the afternoon tasting quality brews, learning about Guinness’s plans for the community, and realizing this isn’t just a money production, we began to warm up on our stance about “the big guys” coming to town. It’s a unique opportunity to get a taste of Guinness’s history right here at home, but with a more modern and local spin. I plan to bring my friends here that “aren’t that into craft beer.” It’s a great opportunity for them to try new styles of beer, while still having the comfort of an old familiar Guinness to fall back on. Maybe I can convert a few people to appreciate local breweries by giving them a tasting of a collab.

We see the potential that Guinness brings and are excited to see what happens next. Not only can it help local breweries gain exposure, but it’s also bringing in job opportunities and a friendly community for friends to congregate. Being that the current beer batches are so small, you’re likely to see different beers on the menu every few weeks. If you have a chance, we recommend checking out the test taproom before the campus becomes huge. It has a small brewery-feel and friendly staff that are willing to talk beer. Sorry, Guinness, for the pre-judgement. We appreciate you changing our minds. Thanks for the great visit and see you in a few months!

Date of Original Visit: December 10, 2017