The First U.S. Guinness Brewery In Over 60 Years Is Coming To This State

The famed Guinness company, most known for its black Irish stout, is coming to Maryland with its first brewery in the United States since the 1950s.

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House will open on August 3, 2018, just 10 miles away from downtown Baltimore.

Borrowing from American and Maryland brewing traditions, experimental flavors such as “Guava Wit” and “Cherry Stout” will be on tap for opening day, alongside India Pale Ale, wheat beers, and lagers. Open Gate Brewery will also be taking over production of the Guinness® Blonde American Lager from City Brewing in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Irish stouts the company is known for, however, will still be made in Ireland and exported to the Maryland brewery.

A rendering of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House opening near Baltimore, MD.

The first Guinness brewery in the U.S. opened in Long Island City, New York, in 1949, but closed in 1954. Now, the iconic company is taking the opportunity to experiment with new brews targeting the U.S. market.

According to Guinness, “The USA is probably the most dynamic and exciting beer market in the world right now[…] Having a brewery in the USA will help us understand and respond to trends more quickly, as well as brew smaller batches and get them to market faster.”

Brewers Jonathan Rodriguez and Todd Perkins overlook the new Guinness Open Gate Brewery.

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery aims to capture some of Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse experience as well, with guided and self-guided tours of the 10-barrel brewery that will include over 100 artifacts from the historic original brewery. Also on-site will be a taproom and a 270-seat restaurant with outdoor seating, opening about two weeks later, adding up to 92 taps of Guinness products in total. Local leaders are anticipating an estimated 160 new jobs and 300,000 visitors in the first year, with high hopes for the future.

“In my opinion, the word ‘milestone’ doesn’t do justice to this moment in Guinness history,” said Tom Day, the U.S. chairman and global sales officer of Guinness’s parent company, Diageo, in a press release.

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House opens August 3, 2018 in Halethorpe, MD.

About the author

Kate Elizabeth Orgera

A Long Island native with a love of stories, Kate lived in Baltimore for four years while studying at Johns Hopkins University, where she graduated with a BA from the Writing Seminars program and studied voice at the Peabody Institute. After two years in publishing, she ventured back into writing to help companies and communities tell their stories. She has since worked as a copywriter and content marketer for various New York startups, including American Express's Plenti program. A literature, culture, and theater lover, Kate enjoys writing fiction, exploring, and drinking tea in her spare time.