Baltimore Beer - The Beer Thrillers

DuClaw Brewing Adding Sweet Baby PB and J

B. Kline — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 12:34:17 +0000

Move Over Sweet Baby Jesus… There’s Sweet Baby PB and J Coming Through

DuClaw Brewing – already well known for their Sweet Baby Jesus is now adding Sweet Baby PB and J to their lineup. One of the stand outs in the Eastern Coast region for Peanut Butter beers – Sweet Baby Jesus has been a beer go – to for many craft beer enthusiasts for years.

Now, DuClaw Brewing is adding an exciting comparable variant to that Sweet Baby Jesus: Sweet Baby PB and J.

Sweet Baby PB and J is a chocolate peanut butter raspberry porter. It will be hitting in at 6.2% ABV and will be sold in 12 oz cans and likely 12 oz bottles. They took their base of Sweet Baby Jesus and added the raspberry to make the Sweet Baby PB and J. Sweet Baby Jesus comes in at 6.2% ABV as well, and is also available in 12 oz cans and bottles throughout the DuClaw / River Horse distribution footprint.

River Horse Acquiring DuClaw Brewing

Just recently – June 1st 2023 – River Horse Brewing Acquired DuClaw Brewing. Hot on the heels of F.X. Matt / Saranac Brewing Acquiring Flying Dog Brewery – River Horse Brewing out of Ewing New Jersey announced they acquired the Baltimore brewery DuClaw Brewing. The acquisition by River Horse Brewing allows them to distribute more, and have multiple facilities to brew out of. DuClaw Brewing still brews out of Baltimore MD, and are distributed with the Ewing, NJ’s breweries distribution ability.

From our article:

What All Does This Entail

For the moment, it looks like not a whole lot for the consumer. It would appear that both River Horse Brewing Company and DuClaw Brewing Company beers will be appearing on shelves (with possibly greater distribution); on the production side of things, it looks like the two breweries will be using each other’s production facilities and brewhouses.

This should likely increase both brands distribution footprint. But no word on that, or guarantee of that yet. No word on the specifics of the deal yet either.
River Horse Brewing Company Acquires DuClaw Brewing Company

For More Information about DuClaw Brewing Company

The following comes from Untappd. DuClaw Brewing Company is a regional brewery from Baltimore, Maryland. They have 91 unique beers with over 1.2 Million ratings. They have a global average rating of 3.69 (as of 10.16.23). Their Untappd description reads: “Maryland Brewery established in 1996. Brewing and drinking what we like. Trying not to take ourselves too seriously. Craft be cherished, rules be damned.”

You can find them on the following social media platforms:

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Heavy Seas Brewing is Releasing Altimore Ale Brewed with Monocacy Hops

B. Kline — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:17:49 +0000

Altimore Ale

Heavy Seas Brewing Company is releasing Altimore Ale – an Altbier that will be using the Maryland own varietal hop – Monocacy. This is a unique varietal hop that is Maryland own and was discovered in the 1960s by Dr. Ray Edgar.

From Heavy Seas press release:

A Genetically Unique Hop: Discovered in the late 1960s by Dr. Ray Edigar, the Monocacy hop remained a hidden gem until recently. Unaware of its rarity and Maryland origin, Dr. Edigar grew the hop in his garden for years. He recently partnered with researchers at the University of Maryland Extension to test the plant’s DNA-sequence, and when the results came back, they learned that the hop was completely genetically unique and native to Maryland. The Monocacy hop is distinguished by its distinct chemical profile & adaptability to Maryland’s hot, humid climate.
Heavy Seas Brewing Company

The target date for the beer’s release will be October 20th (2023) at the Heavy Seas Taproom. It will be available on draft, and to go in the form of crowlers and growlers. Heavy Seas Brewing Company is hoping to release more Monocacy hop beers in 2024.

Monocacy Hops

(See our article here on Monocacy Hops.)

Monocacy Hops Growing on the Vine

The Monocacy Hop varietal has been growing in the Maryland and DC Area since the 1960s; originally on a farm by a retired veterinarian – who claimed he liked to grow them for the shade they provided.

The hop varietal is genetically distinct from wild hops – neomexicanus and other wild hop variants. It is also the only native and organic to Maryland grown hop that has achieved unique genetic distinction.

Typically most American grown hops come from the Yakima Valley area of Washington State; despite there being numerous other hop farms across the country – this is the most widely distributed and the ‘best growing’ region of the country.

The Monocacy hop offers spicy, herbaceous, floral aromatics. For our inaugural brew, we chose to craft an Altbier, a traditional German beer style, using whole-flower Monocacy hops for bittering and finishing, which should provide a really nice aroma to this beer.
Chris Leonard – Heavy Seas Brewmaster and Director of Operations

Last winter the first commercial batches of beer, about forty pounds of pelletized dried Monocacy hops harvested in the fall of 2022 from a rebuilt UMD hop yard, made their way to Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm where that same brewer, Tom Barse, owner of Milkhouse, made three beers with Monocacy: a light lager, a Vienna-style lager, and a pale ale. These were released in the on-site taproom as part of the annual “FeBREWary – Maryland Craft Beer Lovers Month” that is perhaps best known in DC for the Love Thy Beer festival in Silver Spring.
Monocacy, Maryland’s Hop At Heavy Seas Brewing

Brewing with Monocacy Hops

On September 21st 2023, Heavy Seas Beer visited the Western Maryland Research & Education Center, where the Maryland-native hop is currently growing, to witness the harvesting of the Monocacy hop. They then hand collected and hand-picked wet hops directly from the vine. Immediately after the harvest, the Heavy Seas Brewing team returned to Halethorpe to brew a batch of beer using this hop. This is referred to as “Fresh Hop Brewing” or “Wet Hopping” for brewing IPAs.

Release

Heavy Seas Brewing

The following information comes from Untappd. Heavy Seas Brewing or Heavy Seas Beer is a regional brewery from Baltimore / Halethorpe, MD. They have 883 unique beers and over 1 Million ratings, with a global average rating of 3.66 (as of 10.10.23). Their Untappd description reads: Heavy Seas Beer began in 1995 and has grown to become one of the most respected and award winning craft breweries on the east coast. Captaining the helm is our founder Hugh Sisson with decades of experience in developing, producing and marketing fine beers. As the first pub brewer in Maryland, Hugh was responsible for the legislation that made brewpubs legal in the state. Fearless. Bold. Independent.

You can find them on the following social media:

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Guinness Baltimore Blonde Beer Production Moving to New York

B. Kline — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 12:39:26 +0000

Guinness Baltimore Open Gate Brewery

Guinness Baltimore is Closing and Moving the Baltimore Blonde Production to New York

Its been no secret now that the Guinness Brewery in Baltimore (Guinness Baltimore Open Gate Brewery) is closing down. There was talks of trying to keep the Baltimore Blonde beer production still in Baltimore, but looks like that won’t be happening. The Baltimore Blonde will now be produced in New York.

Diageo, the beverage company that owns Guinness, one of the beer market’s most recognizable names and one of the top twenty producers world wide, announced in April that it would shut down its beer production plant in Relay this month . The plant, which closed Friday (June 9th), is on the site of Guinness Open Gate Brewery, where a taproom, a 270 – seat restaurant and a smaller innovation brewery — all of which employ about 100 people — will remain open.

F.X. Matt Brewing Company (Saranac Brewing) which recently acquired Flying Dog Brewery will be producing Baltimore Blonde in New York.

This will add to their already increased production level. The acquisition of Flying Dog Brewery will most likely see them be put into the top ten of beer production for next year, and adding Baltimore Blonde will only mean more of an increased in beer production.

F.X. Matt Brewing Lands Baltimore Blonde

Baltimore Blonde (beer can as of time of production at the Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore)

Diageo, which also owns such liquor brands as Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Baileys and Smirnoff, said Wednesday that it selected FX Matt Brewing Co. in New York as its new supplier of Baltimore Blonde, with production to start in October. Diageo invited four brewers to submit proposals, including one in Maryland that the company did not identify. Only one brewer, FX Matt, submitted a bid and that proposal met Diageo’s needs.

Diageo invited four brewers to submit their proposals, including one in Maryland. Only one brewer submitted a bid: FX Matt Brewing Company, whose response aligned with the company’s business needs.
Guinness Baltimore Blonde beer production leaving Maryland for New York (PennLive)

F.X. Matt Brewing Company, known for its Saranac beer line and its Utica Club lager, which it claims was the first beer sold after Prohibition ended in 1933, said last month that it is acquiring Flying Dog Brewery (Flying Dog Brewery is based out of Frederick Maryland), and taking over Flying Dog beer production by August.

The Flying Dog Brewery announcement came amid continuing consolidation in the industry. This was also after the Cape May Brewing Company and Flying Fish Brewery merger – which has since been cancelled. Just over a week ago, Baltimore-based DuClaw Brewing Co. was acquired by River Horse Brewing Co . (based out of Ewing, New Jersey), becoming the latest Maryland craft brewery to be acquired by an out – of – state brewery.

There is certainly been a trend of consolidation, acquisitions, mergers, and closings. The craft beer “bubble” might not be bursting, but its certainly contracting.

After conducting a due diligence process, which also considered options to keep production of Baltimore Blonde in the state, the supplier that best met the business case and production timeline was FX Matt Brewing Company in New York.
A spokesperson for Diageo Beer

Diageo already has the market and distribution taken care of, as well as the production facility in Baltimore. They have stated that distribution should hold until the new production begins in New York and that the supply chain won’t break down and distributors won’t be lacking. They are also preparing for the closing of the production plant, announcing that up towards 97 employees will be laid off as their jobs become unneeded.

The Guinness Open Gate Brewery will remain open and will continue to brew a variety of experimental beers on their 10 – barrel innovation brewery on the ground floor of the visitor center.

The facility’s innovation brewing and hospitality operations are not changing in any capacity — we are open and continue to welcome visitors to our taproom.
A Diageo Spokesperson

The Relay plant had been Guinness’ first brewing operation in the United States since the 1950s. The facility on site of a former Seagram’s bottling plant was hailed as a key economic engine for the area.

Diageo opened Guinness Open Gate in August 2018, a $90 million project on a 62-acre property it had acquired in 2001 as part of its purchase of Seagram. Until 2015, Diageo had used the longtime manufacturing plant for bottling and aging Captain Morgan rum products.

The property previously had been home to Maryland Distilling Co. after Prohibition, then was used to produce several brands over the decades, including Lord Calvert Whisky.
Guinness Baltimore Blonde beer production leaving Maryland for New York (PennLive) [Lorraine Mirabella of the baltimoresun.com wrote this story. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.]

Guinness Brewing is Shutting Down Halethorpe Maryland’s Production Facility

(The following comes from our previous article here – Guinness Brewing is Shutting Down Halethorpe Maryland’s Production Facility).

Guinness owner Diageo will be closing the Guinness production facility in Halethorpe, Maryland. They opened the facility just three years ago in 2020.

The closure will not impact the Guinness Open Gate Brewery tap room and restaurant, also in Halethorpe. It will continue brewing beers to serve at the tap room in its. They are maintaining their 10-barrel innovation brewery on the ground floor of the visitor center that they use for ‘experimental ales’.

This all coming after announcements of Guinness Brewing opening a Chicago facility and brewery. (Read more here: Guinness Brewing Planning on Opening a Chicago Brewery.)

The closing of the facility in Baltimore will result in around 100 employee lay – offs. Diageo stated the reasoning for the closure is that the Halethorpe / Baltimore facility is “underutilized and unnecessary”.

……

For many in Baltimore this comes as… not so shocking news. Stating the tap room’s decline in quality, issues with staffing, slow wait times, and differences in ordering and receiving drinks due to COVID – 19 protocols.
Guinness Brewing is Closing Their Maryland Production Facility (The Beer Thrillers)

Acquisitions, Consolidations, Closings, Mergers and More

In recent months (weeks really) there has been considerable news in the craft beer industry about how its consolidating and constricting. No one is quite willing to say the bubble is bursting yet, but that it is definitely contracting in on itself.

In recent weeks, here along the East Coast, there’s been quite the shake up in mergers and acquisitions and such. First with Cape May Acquiring Flying Fish Brewery – which they then later cancelled.

Then, in a very big announcement F.X. Matt Brewing (Saranac Brewing) announced that they had acquired Flying Dog Brewery. This combined the 14th (F.X. Matt Brewing) and the 34th (Flying Dog Brewery) craft breweries of 2022 into one organization. (See: Top 50 Craft Breweries.) Flying Dog Brewery is based out of Frederick, Maryland.

Next up was River Horse Brewing acquiring DuClaw Brewing Company. River Horse Brewing is out of Ewing New Jersey, and DuClaw Brewing is out of the Baltimore / greater Maryland area.

And of course, this is all after the announcement of the Guinness Baltimore Brewery closing.

So its certainly been a time of consolidation and constriction, especially for the Maryland area breweries. But, yet, still some breweries are expanding. Black Flag is opening a second location in the Frederick area, and Cushwa Brewing is expanding as well – into the Columbia Maryland area.

So there is hope that the craft beer community is still growing, but I do fear it is certainly tightening and that things might be a bit rougher for a while before they get better.

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

-B. Kline

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

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Beer Review: Baltimore Blonde (Guinness Open Gate Brewery)

B. Kline — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 20:04:06 +0000

Baltimore Blonde by Guinness Open Gate Brewery (Baltimore, Maryland) – poured straight from the can

Guinness Brewery

Before we deep dive into the beer review, let’s do a little bit of a look back at Guinness Brewery, especially its involvement in Baltimore. Now, in light of their taking the production of this beer (the Baltimore Blonde) out of Maryland, and moving it up to New York, I think now is a good time to take a look at the beer and the brewery.

(For more information, on Guinness Brewery’s closing of their Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, and moving production, check these two articles out: Guinness Brewing is Closing Their Maryland Production Facility and Guinness Baltimore Blonde Beer Production Moving to New York.)

The History of Guinness Brewery in Baltimore: A Rich Legacy of Craftsmanship

Guinness Brewery Open Gate Baltimore

The Guinness Brewery in Baltimore holds a rich and storied history that spans centuries. From its humble beginnings in Ireland to its expansion across the globe, Guinness has become synonymous with exceptional craftsmanship and quality brewing. In this section, we delve into the captivating journey of the Guinness Brewery in Baltimore and explore the legacy that has made it a revered name in the world of beer.

A Heritage of Brewing Excellence

The roots of the Guinness Brewery can be traced back to 1759 when Arthur Guinness established the original St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. With a vision to create exceptional brews, Arthur Guinness laid the foundation for a legacy that would transcend borders and captivate beer enthusiasts worldwide.

In 2018, Guinness ventured beyond its Irish homeland and set its sights on Baltimore, a city known for its thriving craft beer scene and vibrant culture. The decision to establish a brewery in Baltimore was driven by a deep appreciation for the city’s rich brewing heritage and the desire to contribute to its dynamic craft beer community.

A Celebration of Baltimore’s Spirit

A can of Baltimore Blonde produced at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, Maryland

The Guinness Brewery in Baltimore is more than just a place of production; it is a celebration of the city’s spirit and character. Nestled in the heart of the historic neighborhood of Relay, the brewery pays homage to Baltimore’s industrial roots while embracing the spirit of innovation and creativity that defines the city.

By incorporating local influences and engaging with the Baltimore community, Guinness Brewery has seamlessly integrated itself into the fabric of the city. The brewery acts as a gathering place, inviting locals and visitors alike to immerse themselves in the world of craft beer, experience the artistry of brewing firsthand, and forge lasting connections.

Reviving a Legacy of Collaboration

One of the defining aspects of Guinness Brewery in Baltimore is its commitment to collaboration. The brewery works hand in hand with local businesses, artisans, and community organizations to create unique and memorable experiences for beer enthusiasts. Whether it’s hosting beer festivals, partnering with local chefs for food pairings, or collaborating with artists to showcase their talent, Guinness Brewery embraces the spirit of collaboration and embraces the diversity of Baltimore’s creative scene.

Through this collaborative approach, Guinness Brewery in Baltimore continues to write a new chapter in the brewery’s long and illustrious history. It remains dedicated to upholding the values of quality, craftsmanship, and community that have been integral to Guinness since its inception.

The Guinness Brewery in Baltimore stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of a brand that has shaped the beer industry for centuries. With its deep-rooted heritage, commitment to quality, and celebration of Baltimore’s spirit, the brewery offers a unique and immersive experience for beer lovers. Raise a glass and toast to the history, craftsmanship, and innovation that the Guinness Brewery in Baltimore represents. Cheers to the next chapter in the extraordinary journey of Guinness beer.

Guinness Baltimore Blonde: A Refreshing and Flavorful Craft Beer Experience

Welcome to the ultimate beer review, where we delve into the extraordinary world of Guinness Baltimore Blonde. In this comprehensive blog article, we will explore every facet of this craft beer masterpiece, from its captivating appearance to its perfectly balanced flavors. Prepare to embark on a sensory journey as we uncover the secrets behind this refreshing and flavorful brew. Whether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or simply curious about trying something new, Guinness Baltimore Blonde is sure to captivate your taste buds and leave you craving more.

Brewed by the renowned Guinness Brewery, a name synonymous with exceptional quality and rich brewing heritage, Guinness Baltimore Blonde pays homage to the vibrant city that inspired its creation. Born amidst the thriving craft beer scene of Baltimore, this brew captures the spirit and energy of the city in each sip. It is a testament to the dedication and innovation of the master brewers who sought to create a beer that would not only stand out in flavor but also celebrate the local community.

Crafted with precision and passion, Guinness Baltimore Blonde represents a harmonious fusion of traditional brewing techniques and modern creativity. The meticulous attention to detail is evident in every aspect of this beer, from the carefully selected ingredients to the precise brewing process. The result is a beer that not only satisfies the palate but also tells a story—a story of craftsmanship, community, and the pursuit of excellence.

So sit back, grab a pint of Guinness Baltimore Blonde, and join us on this remarkable beer adventure as we explore the nuances of its appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and pairing possibilities. Get ready to unlock a new level of appreciation for craft beer and discover why Guinness Baltimore Blonde has become a favorite among beer lovers and connoisseurs alike. Let us raise our glasses and toast to the artistry and flavor that Guinness Baltimore Blonde brings to the world of craft beer. Cheers!

Beer Review: Baltimore Blonde

Baltimore Blonde by Guinness Open Gate Brewery

Beer: Baltimore Blonde
Brewery: Guinness Open Gate Brewery
ABV: 5%
IBU: 19
Untappd Description: A light, crisp blonde ale brewed using Citra and Mosaic hops. This beer recipe was updated by the brewers at the Open Gate Brewery and Barrel House in Baltimore, MD, creating a drier, more drinkable beer.

Hope your ready, maybe even having a beer, possibly a Baltimore Blonde yourself, and ready to read about the beer. Lets go!

Appearance

As you pour Guinness Baltimore Blonde into your favorite glass, you’re greeted with a mesmerizing golden hue that immediately catches the eye. Its radiant and crystal-clear body resembles a picturesque summer sunset, evoking a sense of warmth and relaxation. Topping off the beer is a frothy, creamy white head that enhances its visual appeal. As the head settles, delicate lacing clings to the glass, adding an elegant touch to this already captivating beer.

Aroma

Before taking your first sip, take a moment to savor the enticing aroma of Guinness Baltimore Blonde. The beer presents a harmonious blend of floral hops, subtle citrus notes, and a gentle malt sweetness. Close your eyes and let your senses transport you to sprawling hop gardens and vibrant citrus orchards. The aroma sets the stage for the tantalizing flavor experience that awaits.

Taste

With your taste buds primed, it’s time to savor the flavors of Guinness Baltimore Blonde. The beer showcases remarkable balance, offering a crisp and zesty combination of citrusy hops and a delicate biscuity malt backbone. As you take your first sip, the hops deliver a pleasant bitterness that intertwines with the underlying malt sweetness, creating a symphony of flavors that dance across your palate. Each subsequent sip reveals new layers of complexity, inviting you to explore the beer’s intricacies further.

Mouthfeel

The mouthfeel of Guinness Baltimore Blonde is a testament to its craftsmanship. The beer’s medium body glides effortlessly across your tongue, providing a velvety smoothness that enhances the overall drinking experience. The carbonation, lively yet gentle, imparts a refreshing effervescence that uplifts the flavors and invigorates your senses. As you reach the end of each sip, a clean and dry finish leaves you yearning for the next indulgence.

Pairing

Guinness Baltimore Blonde is a versatile beer that complements a wide range of culinary delights. Its refreshing nature makes it an ideal pairing for seafood dishes, such as grilled shrimp or fish tacos, as it harmonizes with their delicate flavors. For a contrasting experience, try pairing this brew with spicy barbecue chicken wings, allowing the zesty hops to tame the heat and elevate the flavors to new heights. The possibilities are endless, and each pairing unlocks a new dimension of taste.

Final Thoughts

Guinness Baltimore Blonde stands as a true masterpiece in the world of craft beer. Its captivating appearance, enticing aroma, perfectly balanced flavors, and velvety mouthfeel make it a must-try for beer enthusiasts and novices alike. Whether you’re enjoying it on a sunny day, sipping it alongside a delicious meal, or sharing it with friends, this brew leaves an indelible mark on your taste buds. Raise your glass and immerse yourself in the brilliance of Guinness Baltimore Blonde. Cheers to exceptional craft beer!

My Untappd Rating: ***.75 / ****
Global Untappd Rating: 3.56 (as of 6.4.23)

Summary

In summary, Guinness Baltimore Blonde is a beer that effortlessly combines visual appeal, enticing aromas, harmonious flavors, and a luxurious mouthfeel. Its versatility in pairing with various culinary delights further enhances its appeal. This craft beer gem deserves a spot on every beer enthusiast’s list. So, go ahead and experience the refreshing and flavorful journey that Guinness Baltimore Blonde has to offer. Embrace the craft, embrace the flavor, and savor every sip. Cheers!

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

-B. Kline

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

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If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Brewery Review: Ministry of Brewing

BKline — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 22:00:48 +0000

Ministry of Brewing’s logo. (Courtesy of their Facebook page.)

The Ministry of Brewing was a definite ‘need to check out’ brewery for me. I’ve watched and read about their opening and the cathedral that they took over on their Facebook page as well as other places. So I knew this was a definite must see, must check out brewery. Only problem (for me) – is it’s in Baltimore. Meaning its not just a simple drive to visit place, especially with everything going on in my life as it is. That’s roughly an hour and a half drive just to check out the brewery, and then a hour and a half back, so I knew if I was going to get to check out the brewery, it’d be a part of a destination day that included being in the Baltimore area.

So, as luck would have it, on Friday the 14th (of August, 2020) the day before my oldest would turn 13, I asked her where she wanted to go, what adventure she wanted to have to celebrate her birthday. Just me and her. Daddy / Daughter day. She chose the Baltimore Aquarium. I said certainly. (She could have said the Amazon rainforests and I would have said yes…. albeit with some trepidation maybe.)

So I picked her up, around 11:30AM, we stopped at the Kondu restaurant in Harrisburg, one of her favorite places, got our food to go, and we were on the road heading to Baltimore and Inner Harbor.

The Baltimore Aquarium – August 14th, 2020

We arrived in Inner Harbor, parked at one of the parking garages pretty close to Pratt Street and Inner Harbor, and walked to the Aquarium. Purchased our tickets (39.99$ for adults, and adults are 11 and up), and sat down and ate our Kondu that we had picked up.

My daughter has always been an animal, fish, insect, whatever person. She absolutely lives for and loves nature and all of the animals therein. Outside of spiders, I don’t think she’s met an animal, mammal, bird, insect, slug, or what have you that she doesn’t love in some capacity. (When she was little, she would collect slugs, and even kiss them. If she ever reads this, she will be completely pissed that I included this little factoid in it.)

So needless to say, we had an absolute blast in the Aquarium. We had been there a few times before (at least two that I can remember) as a family (me, her, her sisters, and her mom). But that didn’t change it, everything still felt ‘new’ and ‘interesting’ and we still loved it. Plus, spending the time with her, and just listening to her talk and tell me all the factoids she was reading, completely made the day.

Baltimore Inner Harbor, August 14th, 2020, with the soon-to-be 13 year old.

After the Aquarium, we walked the Inner Harbor, looking at the boats, the Trade Building, and stopping at the Barnes and Noble, where as part of her birthday ‘celebration’, she got to pick out some books. She picked out Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as a few others that I’m currently blanking on.

But now it was time for dinner… …..or so we thought.

Ministry of Brewing (exterior shot) (Courtesy of their Facebook page)

She agreed that checking out the Ministry of Brewing sounded interesting and beautiful, so we decided on going there. Not knowing enough, and not seeing anything, that they didn’t do food. We arrive, and park on a side street and walk about a half-block to get there. We get there and are asked if we have reservations…. uh oh… we didn’t, but luckily they still had seating and we were allowed in, after a long spiel about the do’s and don’ts during the pandemic at their brewery, as well as a temperature check. Which Olivia-Grace impressed the bartender who did it by timing her ‘death shot’ acting with his temperature check perfectly. I foresee a career in theater.

Ministry of Brewing (interior shot) (Courtesy their Facebook page)

Now, I want to start this off – this isn’t a negative brewery review. It may sound it, and it may sound like I’m upset, but ultimately I’m not, and I enjoyed the time I spent with my daughter there. This is kind of a review of a ‘lack of good service’ or at least, being attentive in their service.

Due to walking there, I had my walking app on and it kept on while we were inside the place. That’s primarily how I know the amount of times for things. We were seated at the 10 minute mark on the app. We were quickly given a portable sign for a few seconds placed in front of our table, that we could read the beer list on, and I picked Esmeralda – a tart berliner; that could have syrups added to it – but I chose it plain, and Olivia-Grace got a birch beer. They also gave us waters, and then they took the sign away.

While in there, we chatted, and talked about the Aquarium, the upcoming school year, Baltimore, etc, etc, etc. (We did have a bit of excitement at the harbor, where apparently there was a shooting at some point in the day, and there was even a Ballistics Forensics police unit on the scene.) I finished my drink around the 35 minute mark on my phone’s app. I told Olivia-Grace since they didn’t have food we would go somewhere else in the city to get something to eat. Because we were running out of time to get home at a relatively decent time to do birthday cake and presents with my parents. I said to her I was going to get one more on draft, and get a growler (buy a growler of their’s and have it filled) with another beer. I was looking at the one IPA (an Oats IPA) to have in house, and to fill the growler with a chocolate stout.

Part of their COVID-19 pandemic rules was no leaving the table, unless you followed the direct path to the bathrooms and exit. This meant you couldn’t go near the bar, where all the employees were congregated. The employees did come out from behind the bar area and went to various tables to check on them.

They, never, once, came back, to our, table. Not once. In the entirety of the time we were there, after ordering our initial drinks. We were also in a table somewhat near their bar area, so I tried my best to flag them down, by either gesturing that I was putting my mask up (one of their rules was nobody was allowed to come to your table unless you had your mask up), staring at them, and even waving to them. All of this was ignored.

We reached the fifty minute mark, a full fifteen minutes after I finished my drink (Olivia-Grace was nursing her birch beer and it was half full yet). Still nobody approached us, checked on us, talked to us, anything. And despite a good fifteen minutes of me trying to get their attention.

At this point, I called off the idea of getting a second pint and a growler to go, mainly because til I would drink that, it would be far later getting back to my parents (since we had an hour and a half drive from their brewery to home). So sadly, I only got the one pint, and no growler, or anything, and was unable to give them more business like I wanted, and to get a better review here for the blog.

I wanted to give this a good full review, with at least two beers tried in house, a growler to try at home, etc. But they didn’t do flights, they didn’t have in-house food, so there’s obviously some parts of a typical brewery review that I just couldn’t do. Which is fine, and not fully their fault given everything going on. I understand this fully. My annoyance is more the lack of service, and how that then further impeded me on getting to try more of their beers, and to even give them a better review.

Like I said earlier, I don’t want this to come off as a negative review, or that I didn’t like them. I loved the atmosphere of the brewery. Its beautiful. Gorgeous, and a great usage of the building. The Esmeralda beer was absolutely fantastic and I loved it. (I’ll do a small mini-review here in this review, as well as a full beer review of it to be posted soon on Let Us Drink Beer’s blog, and then copied here on my own blog as well.) But, I do feel compelled to call out their service, especially in these difficult times. Because with the rules of not being able to approach their bar, we as guests were even more reliant on their service, and its even more apparent and responsible on their end to provide that service. So to have us go for 35 minutes without even checking on us while we had the first… and then another 15 minutes after that drink was finished and still no one to approach us, thats 50 minutes in total, with no one even checking on us, saying ‘hi’, or anything.

So, finally, I get up and DO approach the bar, despite the warnings. What else was I supposed to do? Nobody acknowledged us. They didn’t respond to us practically staring at them from a distance of 20 feet or so, they didn’t respond to us waving or gesturing towards them etc. I didn’t want to approach this way, but at this point, its now 55 minutes or so, and its getting late, and we need to get going. I can’t keep wasting time with an hour and a half drive home. So I approach them, get a glare, and an evil stare for ‘breaking protocol’ though nobody outright said anything or called me out on it. I ask for the check, which is a moderate and small check, (one pint, one birch beer).

At about an hour and seven minutes, we have the check finished and tip left and we are leaving. And, really, like I’ve said before, in this, and with other people, I don’t like to be negative. I typically am not with this blog. I typically will promote everything, and will talk up the positives. So please don’t misconstrue this. We had a blast, we enjoyed the atmosphere, we liked the artwork on the walls, and ceiling. The building inside and outside is beautiful. It was just a lack of good service, thats all. And hopefully, if anyone from their brewery reads this, they recognize that, and work to make it better. I really genuinely hope and assume we were an exception. A man and his daughter who was unable to drink, so we were probably relegated and forgotten about, in comparison to other tables that had two or more potential drinkers. I don’t know, maybe we were just a blind spot and forgotten about and they didn’t see my gestures or waving, or us looking. I don’t know. I know I enjoyed the beer, the atmosphere, and the building. Its just a shame that the service was less than adequate (from my perspective and our experience). I don’t think its unreasonable to be at least checked in on, or to assume that in an hour and seven minutes, I’d have more than two interactions – one of which I prompted by approaching them.

I am curious for those ‘in the industry’ what do you think of this? How long do you give a person for a pint? How often should a person be checked in on? Twenty minutes, thirty minutes, for a drink and then check in on them and see if they want a second or a check? I don’t know. I’m sure there’s a lot more knowledgeable or experienced people out there who could give a better answer than what I have, or at least some suggestions.

I want to say this, don’t NOT go to Ministry of Brewing because of this. I know if I am in the area again and will be able to – I will visit them again myself. I will hope for better service, but I do know that the beer was great, so I’m looking forward to at some point getting to try more from them.

As I said earlier, this was a brewery I was really looking forward to checking out. So maybe that factored into things, a bit of over-hyping in my own brain? Who knows. I know I enjoyed my time with my daughter, the atmosphere, and the one beer I did have. I would still recommend checking them out, if you are in the area. Like I said, I’m hoping I was the exception, not the rule on this.

But when doing a review, I’d be amiss not describing my experience, in how it happened, and not talking about it, or sugar-coating things. I haven’t embellished or changed facts, I did enjoy my time, it was a longer service time than it should have been, but the beer was genuinely delicious. So there’s my review in a nutshell. And hopefully others have had a different experience, I genuinely hope so. I want only the best for this brewery (as well as all breweries), especially in these very difficult times right now.

My pictures of the Ministry of Brewing’s building, on the inside, while we sat around.

So, moving on to a small mini-review of the Esmeralda beer:

Beer: Esmeralda
Brewery: Ministry of Brewing
Style: Sour – Berliner Weisse
ABV: 5%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Refreshingly tart wheat ale.

Esmeralda by Ministry of Brewing

They are definitely not lying, this is a refreshing, tart wheat ale. It’s not crazy puckering tart, but there is a nice, clean, crisp, refreshing, tartness to this that provides a nice flavor. Would be interesting to try this with the different syrups to see how much change there is and how much flavor those various syrups add to it.

The base, plain Esmeralda, that I had was delicious. And at only 5% I could easily see this being a day drinking beer. A growler fill of this at a baseball game or while watching a baseball game or a summer picnic sounds perfect. Not enough to get you too drunk, but still full in flavor, with a nice refreshing coolness for a hot summer day, is exactly what you want in a beer at a time like that.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 3.61 (as of 8.20.20)

Be sure to see my full review for the Let Us Drink Beer blog. I will be sure to click back on this and edit it to include the link once that gets posted (hopefully Saturday or Sunday).

For more information on Ministry of Brewing, you can check out their Untappd page: Ministry of Brewing on Untappd. Which says they have 18 unique beers with a global average rating of 3.64. Their Untappd description reads: “Baltimore’s newest craft brewery located in the historic St. Michael’s Church in the Upper Fells Point-area. Opening fall 2019.”

You can also find out more about them on their Facebook page: Ministry of Brewing on Facebook.

Likewise their Twitter page: Ministry of Brewing on Twitter.

Like I’ve said, I definitely recommend them, and would check them out. The beer I had was fantastic, and hopefully everything will be wonderful when you get to visit. If you do get to visit them, or have in the past, please leave a comment. Would love to hear how your experience was!

Be sure to check out my other travel blog posts here:

August (2019) Road Trip Series:

Rickett’s Glen (2020) Road Trip Series:

Monocacy Battlefield Road Trip:

Other Brewery Hopping Articles:

My Article for Breweries in PA:

Touring Breweries Around Harrisburg

My Podcast About Breweries in Central PA:

Beers with Strangers – A Beer Thriller in Hershey

Some other brewery tour and road trip articles:

Ministry of Brewing, August 14th, 2020

Also, please welcome me in officially welcoming Olivia-Grace to the world of being a teenager (she turned 13 on August 15th, 2020). She is my oldest, I still have two more daughters to get to teenage years (God help me). But, Happy Birthday Olivia-Grace!

Cheers everyone, please be safe when out traveling, social distance, wash, and wear your masks. Soon, oh so soon hopefully, we can get back to enjoying pints together at our favorite breweries!

-B. Kline

Beer Review: Esmeralda (Ministry of Brewing)

BKline — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 01:32:00 +0000

Esmeralda by Ministry of Brewing

This was originally posted to Let Us Drink Beer, a blog I (B. Kline) guest write for (about once a month). You can view the original article here: Let Us Drink Beer Blog: Beer Review: Esmeralda (Ministry of Brewing). I highly recommend checking out their blog. They are Georgia and Atlanta based and have a lot of great articles, especially if you are visiting that area of the country.

Onto the review:

Hello everyone, its me, B. Kline, from The Beer Thrillers back with another post (my usually monthly post). I took my daughter to the Baltimore Aquarium and we stopped at the Ministry of Brewing in Baltimore. A gorgeous former Cathedral turned brewery, that I had been seeing stuff about on Facebook and really wanted to check out. So I was originally going to do my brewery review for my post… but, felt it would be a bit too negative to do as a guest blog spot, so I’m doing a review of one of their beers instead. I did do a review of the brewery for my blog, which you can check out here: Brewery Review: Ministry of Brewing. Spoiler: I didn’t hate the place or the beer; just the service. But, please check out the review either way, after you’re done checking out the beer review here.

But let’s not dwell on the negatives and instead talk about the positives, like this delicious beer. So that’s why I decided to use this for my monthly guest blog spot on Let Us Drink Beer.

Beer: Esmeralda
Brewery: Ministry of Brewing
Style: Sour – Berliner Weisse
ABV: 5%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Refreshingly tart wheat ale.

They had a few variants of this through the usage of syrups; typical for Berliner Weisse’s. Some breweries will have the plain tap, and then add a cherry, or raspberry, or strawberry syrup to give it a different, more fruity flavor. I had just the original plain.

Appearance is exactly what you expect and what you are looking for in a berliner weisse. Wheat looking, ‘beer looking’ golden hued yellowish beer. A nice white thin lined foam to the head, so you know its well carbonated. Its got a good crisp, clean look that you want in a nice cold refreshing beer.

Aroma is a nice, ‘tart’ ‘funky’ smell. Pretty much once again spot-on or right on target for what berliner weisse’s and other similar style (farmhouse ales, saisons, etc.) should be. It has that distinct ‘sour’ smell, with the notes of wheat, hint of spices, and just a nice smell. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing unpleasant, nothing wrong.

Flavor is refreshing, tart, crisp, relaxed, and not too ‘lethal’ at 5%. They are definitely not lying, this is a refreshing, tart wheat ale. It’s not crazy puckering tart, but there is a nice, clean, crisp, refreshing, tartness to this that provides a nice flavor. Would be interesting to try this with the different syrups to see how much change there is and how much flavor those various syrups add to it. 5% is a great middle-road ABV that lets you enjoy several of these without it becoming overwhelming or too much; that refreshing area where you can have a few and still drive home safely, enjoying them out in the sun at a picnic or baseball game. I believe they had a cherry, strawberry, lime, and blue raspberry for their flavors (though I might be misremembering). I would be interested in trying the lime and blue raspberry (not a huge fan of cherry or strawberry).

I wanted to try several other beers from them, or at least one more, while there, and take another home with a growler, but unfortunately due to them not paying me attention even after being there over an hour, and having strict rules (due to COVID) about getting up, I wasn’t able to get anymore. But… I did really enjoy this beer. Hopefully their other beers are just as good. Maybe some day I’ll get back down to Baltimore and try them out.

As for this, Esmeralda is completely on point, hitting all of its marks. Nothing completely amazing, but does exactly what you want the beer to do, and thats far more than can be said about a lot of beers.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 3.62 (as of 8.20.20)

Please check out my full review of The Ministry of Brewing. And as always everyone, thanks for reading, and you can check out my blog – The Beer Thrillers – where Let Us Drink Beer also guest blogs and posts. So be sure to give us both some reads and shares and likes and follows, etc. We greatly appreciate it!

Cheers!

-The Beer Thrillers
-B. Kline

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