With Guinness Open Gate closing, here’s where else Marylanders can enjoy a good beer

Despite news that Baltimore’s Guinness Open Gate Brewery will shutter, the options for Marylanders who enjoy local craft beer are plentiful.

When Earl Holman opened Crooked Crab Brewing Co. in Odenton in 2018, there were around 90 breweries in the state. As of last year, there were more than 130, according to data from the Brewers Association. Even amid rapid growth, the brewing industry has faced a slew of challenges in recent years.

“It’s a harder time now to be a brewery than it ever has,” Holman said.

With multiple breweries within reach for residents across the state, the pressure to offer an experience and not just a good pint has ticked up, Holman explained. Many local breweries now serve food and have made efforts to appeal to not just beer lovers but also their families.

Following the trend, Crooked Crab started as a brewery and taproom but expanded to offer wine, cider and seltzers. In 2022, Holman and his team moved to a larger space and opened a kitchen where they sell pizza and wings.

In addition to Guinness Open Gate’s pending closure, several Maryland breweries have shuttered in recent years. Columbia’s Black Flag Brewing Co. warned it might close at the end of November, and popular Baltimore brewpub and restaurant The Brewer’s Art shut down earlier this year.

Despite the competitive environment, Maryland’s brewers are a tight-knit community, Holman said.

“It’s a rising tide that lifts all boats,” Holman said. “If more people are drinking Maryland craft beer, even if it’s not my craft beer, that’s still better than them drinking Bud Light or Miller Lite.”

Based on recommendations from the Banner staff’s most dedicated beer connoisseurs, here are 10 Maryland breweries to check out.

Union Craft Brewing

1700 W. 41st St. #420, Baltimore

Tucked in Baltimore’s Medfield neighborhood, Union Craft Brewing has been a staple for local beer lovers since 2011. It features India pale ales dedicated to local sports legends Ed Reed and Eddie Murray, and hosts weekly events, including watch parties for every Ravens game.

Heavy Seas Beer

4615 Hollins Ferry Road #A, Halethorpe

Heavy Seas, one of the largest breweries in the state, is right around the corner from Guinness Open Gate and a good pivot for anyone looking for a replacement. The taproom has seven local IPAs available year-round, as well as rotating seasonal options like its new ale available until December: Winter Storm.

Sapwood Cellars Brewery

8980 MD-108 Suite MNO, Columbia

Columbia’s Sapwood Cellars is a popular option in Central Maryland focused on “barrel-aged mixed-fermented beers and hoppy ales.” Its menu features an extensive beer list, house cocktails and a Mexican-themed kitchen with a range of taco options.

Ministry of Brewing

1900 E. Lombard St., Baltimore

This Baltimore brewery might offer the most distinctive location in which to enjoy a beer in Maryland. Built into the former St. Michael’s Church, the brewery allows customers to drink beneath massive ceilings and 19th-century archways and columns. Ministry of Brewing offers more than 20 beers on draft, from porters to pilsners.

Silver Branch Brewing Co.

8401 Colesville Road #150, Silver Spring, and 7301 Calhoun Place #600, Derwood

Silver Branch is one of Montgomery County’s most popular breweries, with two locations: one in downtown Silver Spring, just a few feet away from the Metro, and another in Rockville near Shady Grove. Both locations offer plenty of indoor and outdoor seating to try beers like the signature Glass Castle pilsner and enjoy events like the upcoming Halloween-themed paint-and-sips. The brewery has a third location in Fauquier County, Virginia.

Streetcar 82 Brewing Co.

4824 Rhode Island Ave., Hyattsville

This taproom is a great option for Prince George’s County beer lovers. The brewery is in downtown Hyattsville and offers a large outdoor seating area with on-site food trucks. Streetcar 82 is deaf-owned and has an all-deaf staff proficient in American Sign Language.

Farmacy Brewing

3100 Black Rock Road, Reisterstown

In a rural stretch of Baltimore County, Farmacy Brewing is on a working family farm. Farmacy provides a family-friendly environment where kids can enjoy the farm while parents sample a range of beers, including some brewed in bourbon barrels.

Diamondback Brewing Co.

1215 E. Fort Ave., Baltimore, and 9490 Deereco Road, Timonium

Diamondback has branches in Locust Point and Timonium, with rotating taps and pizza kitchens at each location. The Timonium taproom also features an espresso bar from its local partner Aveley Farms Coffee.

Elder Pine Brewing & Blending Co.

4200 Sundown Road, Gaithersburg

Another brewery on a local farm, Elder Pine is located by Rachel Carson Conservation Park, 650 acres of preserved forest in Montgomery County. The brewery specializes in house-made blends that combine different beers to create a “harmonious array of flavors” and has weekly new releases until the end of October.

M8 Beer

1399 S. Sharp St., Baltimore

M8 Beer, founded by Australian Jeff Osborne, is Baltimore’s brewery from the land down under. The taproom, which features beers made with Australian hops, has weekly events like “cues and brews” on Tuesdays with $20 beer pitchers and free pool tables.