Milkhouse Brewery

Allow me to set the scene… Fall evening, beautiful sunset, cold beer, local bluegrass band, and… PUPPIES! Ok, ok… while loads of puppies might not be the reg at Milkhouse Brewery, on this night, I got my fix. There was a “disc dog” competition happening in the grassy field behind the tasting room. Not knowing the rules of the competition, it took a while until I figured out that each dog gets 3 chances at catching the frisbee. My dog was a little confused as to why he wasn’t allowed to play. Maybe next time, bud. Even though this competition is probably not a usual occurrence at Milkhouse, we were happy to learn that they are dog friendly, so feel free to bring your furry friend on your visit!

Milkhouse Brewery sits on a 47-acre farm in Mount Airy, MD, and is considered Maryland’s first farm brewery. Stillpoint Farm, where the brewery is located, reminds me of a winery moreso than your typical brewery. The wood paneled tasting room is on the smaller side, but surprisingly holds a decent amount of seating. If the weather is nice, there are numerous picnic tables outside, including a cluster under the pavilion near the stage for live music. Events are listed on their website, but from what I can see, there is a band scheduled every Saturday night. What makes Milkhouse unique (and a true “farm brewery”) is that the ingredients are grown on the property. A lot went into getting this status, most importantly, a huge effort from the owners to help get Maryland’s Farm Brewery Law passed in 2012, which involved working with local farmers, brewers, and elected officials. They have paved the way for other Maryland farmers hoping to get into the craft beer business.

The farm has a one acre hopyard, made up mostly of Cascade and Chinook hops. When possible, other ingredients in the beer are locally sourced, including grains, fruits, herbs, and honey. They have five regular beers that are available year-round, as well as a number of one-offs that are rotated in. I opted for a flight of eight. I was surprised to find that a smaller-sized brewery sported such a variety of beers. There was everything from a hefe to a dry stout cask. Stairway IPA showcased the homegrown hops with a lingering citrus, bitter kick that was more bold than typical hops that are imported. My favorite was the Coppermine Creek Dry Stout, with smooth notes of coffee. It was a pretty traditional beer, nothing unusual. Goes to show, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Overall, the beers didn’t particularly stand out – they were good, but not out of this world. But there is a huge variety to choose from, so everyone in your party will have something to drink. And should you decide you would like a growler to take home, they specifically state that they fill growlers, even those from other breweries (unlike our experience at Monocacy… read about it here if you missed it). Milkhouse Brewery is a great place to spend a laid-back Saturday evening listening to music and drinking beer. It’s even a good brewery for kids, but I recommend bringing a soccer ball or frisbee so they can take advantage of the outdoor space while you get your drink on. Sounds to me like a win/win.

Date of Original Visit: October 29, 2016