Guinness is a legendary beer brand. Launched in Ireland back in 1759, Guinness, noted for its famed dry Irish stout, is among the most recognized names in beer, with a fan base that circles the globe and crosses most every time zone. Last year, Guinness decided the time was right to expand its brewing operations in the United States and the Guinness Open Gate Brewery was born. Located in Halethorpe, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore, Open Gate Brewery is ready to celebrate a year in business with a weekend of fun and flavor, starting July 31 and running through August 3, 2019.
In its first year in business as an American brewery, Guinness Open Gate Brewery has enjoyed tremendous success. The brewery has brewed more than 80 unique beers, including classics and experimental brews. Probably most impressive of all, Guinness Open Gate Brewery has welcomed over 400,000 visitors in just one year of operations. Do the math and you will see that this averages out to about 1,100 guests every day! It’s clear that America loves Guinness and can’t get enough of this state of the art brewery and the creative beers that it brews.
Nuno Teles, President of parent company Diageo, says the new brewery’s success is the result of several factors, one of which is the supportive business climate.
“When we started working towards opening the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, we knew we were building something significant that would mean so much to millions of people around the world,” said Teles. “What we couldn’t fully predict is what being a part of the Maryland brewing scene would feel like. It’s widely accepted that the U.S. overall is the most dynamic beer market in the world, but the breweries in Baltimore, and Maryland as a whole, have created such a supportive and inclusive environment. Each day we’re more and more grateful to be here.”
To celebrate an impressive year in business, Guinness Open Gate Brewery is kicking things off with a special beer dinner on July 31. There will be a cornhole tournament on August 2 and Saturday, August 3, which happens to be the official one year anniversary of the brewery, will feature a full day of fun and celebration. Among the scheduled events is a concert by country superstar Frankie Ballard and to make sure no one goes hungry, guests will be treated to Guinness cake and thousands of cupcakes, courtesy of Charm City Cake.
As for the beer, Guinness Open Gate Brewery is marking its first year of brewing with a special release: First Anniversary Barrel-Aged Grand Cru. This special beer will be available exclusively at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery on tap and in 12oz. cans so that you can purchase beer to take home. The beer, weighing in at 10.5% alcohol by volume, is a blend of an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels and a Belgian-style Golden Ale aged in rum barrels. Head brewer Hollie Stephenson says the decision to go with this style came down to its historic significance.
“Historically, the Grand Cru was often brewed and blended to mark special occasions, so it felt like an appropriate style for our anniversary,” said Stephenson. “We’ve felt so much support from the community in this first year, and we’re so appreciative that they’ve allowed us to experiment with unexpected beer styles and expand what Guinness means to beer drinkers in Maryland and across the country. We carefully blended this Grand Cru using bourbon barrel aged stout and a rum barrel aged Belgian-style golden ale to embody that experimentation, and as a thank you to our supporters and community.”
Guinness is a highly recognizable name in beer and it’s not surprising at all that the Guinness Open Gate Brewery has enjoyed such incredible success. If you live around the Baltimore area, pay them a visit this weekend and help celebrate the first of many great years of Guinness beer and brewing in the United States. For more information on the brewery and/or the anniversary festivities, visit online at www.GuinnessBreweryBaltimore.com.
Too bad we don’t live closer, my husband would have been all over the anniversary dinner! Congrats to them on a successful year
I recommend a visit here if you ever get the chance!
I love me a Guinness, between the luxurious and smooth taste and the lower alcohol content, it is all me! I would love to check out this brewery in Maryland, maybe next time we head up that way! I am so far behind in my brewery tour, but so enjoy joining you virtually.
Definitely worth the trip! Most people are unaware that Guinness even has a brewery in the United States, but they are working on changing that.
Sounds like they’ve had an amazing first year and plan to celebrate their successes! What a fun weekend for those living in the area. I got to tour a whisky distillery in Scotland last week and learned so much about the whisky making process there, including how important the holding barrels are. It was a great experience that ended with whisky tasting.
Always a fun time when visiting a brewery or Distillery