In the fifth century, St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. In the 21st century, you can drive out to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore County. Opened in August of last year, the Halethorpe establishment marks the first American brewery for the iconic Irish brand. And to celebrate the first St. Patrick’s Day since the brewery’s opening, the most Irish of beers is hosting a month-long bonanza of beer in the lead-up to the most Irish of days.

“In Baltimore,” said Ryan Wagner, the brewery’s brand ambassador, “we’re writing a new chapter in a book that’s 260 years long already, but we don’t want to turn our back on our heritage and a big part of that is St. Patrick’s Day.”

While the preamble to the preamble to St. Paddy’s began on February 17, the event truly kicks into gear on March 7. Namely, the brewery will be dressed to the nines (cóirithe do na nithe for the Gaelic-speaking set). Beyond the themed decorations, there will also be live music performed by a variety of both local artists and traditional Irish acts. Plus, the merchandise area will be filled with St Patrick’s Day-themed hats, shirts, magnets, and glassware. Still, the true piece de resistance is what Guinness staffers describe as an “immersive green Irish phone booth with surprise interactions that bring the Guinness tradition to life.” To translate, it’ll be solid content for the ‘gram.

While the event is eminently photogenic and sure to provide clout for you and yours, the focus will ultimately be the beer. Beyond the array of Guinness varietals, other prominent Irish beers—Smithwick’s, Harp, and Kilkenny, to name a few—will be on tap, as well as several Baltimore brews. Lest you unwisely drink on an empty stomach, food options will be available to accompany the seemingly bottomless fount of beer. A Guinness-branded food truck will make its debut, and the brewery’s on-site restaurant 1817 is unveiling a special menu of Irish recipes on March 17—including the famous Guinness & Beef Stew that is served at the flagship Dublin location.

More than anything, though, the most essentially Irish element of the whole shebang is the warmth and kinship that, even amongst strangers, can only be engendered over Guinness pint glasses.

“Pubs in Ireland are centers for their community,” said Wagner. “Everyone is family when you’re at the pub.”

Despite its status as a major capital-B Brand, the Guinness Brewery still evinces an ethos that feels true to Baltimore and makes the whole enterprise feel natural in our East Coast, blue collar town.

“Similar to Dublin, there’s this incredible brewing community in Baltimore with places like Union or our good friends at Diamondback,” Wagner said. “When you visit a taproom in Baltimore, there’s the expectation that you’re going to feel welcome. We want to work with our fellow brewers to further build this special culture.”

Moreover, the Guinness Brewery is using its considerable resources to support the local area. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to the Maryland Food Bank, the Oyster Recovery Partnership, and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts.

The celebrations will come to a head on St Patrick’s Day weekend (March 16 and 17). Admittance is free for the bulk of the celebration, but tickets for St. Patrick’s Day weekend are $15 for a five-hour drinking session (the first from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., for the brave souls who want to get an early start; the second from 5-10 p.m., aka more conventional drinking hours) and can be bought on the brewery’s website. Make sure to buy your tickets before the jig, perhaps literally, is up.

As you pull off the highway, bright, white letters spelling out Guinness appear just over the tree line. When you drive closer, a giant gold harp painted on the side of a building comes into view. Soon, signs of pint glasses of stout beckon you to make a right. This place might have all of the familiar trappings of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. But we realize we are home when we see the signature colors of the Maryland flag billowing above the entrance.

After nearly two years of community meetings, architectural plans, trans-Atlantic research, and some major construction, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House is set to open this Friday outside of Halethorpe. As the first Guinness brewery in the U.S. in more than 60 years, the space takes up a massive 62 acres of land on, fittingly, a former beverage manufacturing site.

“The Storehouse in Dublin is amazing and tells the story of Guinness better than anywhere in the world,” says Oliver Gray, marketing manager for the Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House. “But you never get to see the beer getting made. This experience will be much more functional since you’ll be able to tour the brewhouse. This feels just like a brewpub—on steroids.”

The campus has an outdoor seating and lawn area with a capacity for nearly 4,500 people, an 82-barrel brewhouse, a visitor’s center, taproom and bar, 10-barrel experimental brewhouse, and a third-floor restaurant that will debut in a few weeks.

The brewery includes historical touches wherever it can, including an 1830s-era kettle imported from Dublin that greets visitors as soon as they walk in. Historic barrels—both from Ireland and from when the site was the Maryland Distilling Company—line the walls. Guests can either participate in a tour with a guide or roam around the three-story building themselves.

“This whole place is about self-discovery,” Gray says, pointing out museum-like exhibits that chronicle Guinness’s history. “But, of course, the taproom experience is key and our goal is to change the narrative that Guinness is about more than just draft stout.”

To do that, they hired brewers Peter Wiens from Stone Brewing and Hollie Stephenson who came from Highland Brewing. The two have spent the past year creating outside-of-the-box beer styles that patrons have been able to try out in the test taproom.

The results can be seen in the brand new taproom that seats about 200, which will always have the “core” beers on tap including the imported stout and four beers made in Baltimore: Guinness Blonde, IPA, Milk Stout, and White Ale. On the other side of the draft list is where things can funky and will be rotated frequently. For the debut, some experimental beers include the Barrel-Aged Stock Ale, Belgian-Style Blonde, and an Apricot Pale Ale.

“We have a Class-D brewery license, so we can only serve the stuff we make,” Gray says. “But, keeping that in mind, we’ve got beers for people who are more into cider or like strong spirits. We want to change people’s minds about what a Guinness can be.”

Small snacks like pretzel bites and sandwiches will be available in the taproom and an adjacent barrel room will be available for private parties and VIP tours for up to 50 people. Just downstairs, tour groups will be able to step inside the 10-barrel brewhouse where a lot of the experimentation happens, a unique experience of a Guinness tour.

The third floor of the site will house new American restaurant 1817, named for the first year Guinness was brewed, which will serve a mix of Irish and Maryland classics as guests overlook the lawn that’s been landscaped in the shape of a pint glass.

Guinness will be offering tours and tastings starting this Friday at 3 p.m. The facility will be open seven days a week, Monday-Friday from 3-9 p.m. and on the weekends from noon-9 p.m. with an eventual goal of staying open until 10.

While staffers are eager just to get the doors open, future plans include more local brewery collaborations, work with nonprofits like the Maryland Food Bank and Oyster Recovery Partnership, and plenty of food and music festivals to come.

“We know that Guinness loyalists and fans will be excited about this place,” says Gray. “But we want to make sure that we’re keeping the people happy in our own backyard.”

As with all things related to the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, they have some unconventional rules to live by.

“We have our official charter that incorporates us as a nonprofit,” says BROS executive director Aran Keating. “And then we have this unofficial charter that we made up and article one is ‘There will be beer.’”

So it almost seems like destiny that the local theater group would one day have its very own beer, brewed and packaged especially for them. The Chuggernaut, which is a collaboration with The Brewer’s Art and canned locally at Oliver Brewing, is a 4.5-percent ABV Kolsch-style ale that will be available after April 7.

“This aligned with our vision for how we want BROS to be perceived,” Keating says. “It’s not just a theater company—it’s a community, a feeling, a whole brand. Plus, beer is a big part of what it means to enjoy the hell out of a live rock show.”

The Brewer’s Art was a fitting collaborator since the bar was the setting for BROS’ very first fundraiser and has brewed one-off releases for the company’s past shows. But this is the first time they were able to can something exclusive and sell it retail.

“With changes in the packaging landscape, now you can do short runs and make 200 cases of beer,” says Brewer’s Art co-owner Tom Creegan. “The BROS’ desire matched up with the technology and it’s been great working with Oliver to make this happen.”

Chuggernaut, a name Creegan was surprised got approved by the Tax and Trade Bureau, is dry-hopped with traditional noble hops and features labels by local artists John DeCampos and Shannon Hadley.

“I wanted to do something that was imminently crushable,” Creegan says. “It just tastes like beer. It’s not fruity, not overly hoppy. We kind of went old-school with it.”

The beer will first be available at BROS’ upcoming fundraiser gala Swanktacular, on April 7 at Mt. Zion Church, and then patrons can get it at The Brewer’s Art, Remington Wine Company, and The Wine Source.

The theater company’s latest show, “Incredibly Dead,” premieres at the church on May 12, as the BROS get ready to announce its permanent home. Keating says he and his team are currently working on a space in Station North.

“The BROS and Aran have been steady patrons for a long time,” says Creegan. “We just fell in love with the energy and creativity they bring to the city. They are so Baltimore.”

Anyone who has driven on 83 these past several months has seen a giant black-and-white sign sprawled across the former Sears Roebuck warehouse that reads “Future Home of Union Craft Brewing and the Union Collective.” Now that future is looking much more present.
 

With beer tanks in, climbing walls erected, and nearly all eight vendors confirmed, the 138,000-square-foot makerspace and brewery home of Union Craft is becoming a reality.  

“It’s been amazing to see the level of hard work, passion, and creativity it has taken from all involved to get to this point,” says Union co-owner Adam Benesch. “We are excited to see the impact the project is going to make on our community and businesses that make up the collective.”

The collective is made up of Union Craft Brewing and eight other local vendors, some using the space as their main headquarters, others as a manufacturing location, and almost all as a storefront. There are still two open slots left and owners are excited to complete the roster. 

“We continue to search for the best and brightest growing Baltimore-based businesses,” Benesch says. “We look forward to finding the perfect fit for the last of the available space.”
 

Until then, though, these confirmed vendors have plenty in store for tenants as they gradually begin to open throughout the spring and summer.
 

Well-Crafted Pizza: The mobile pizza business, which was started by two couples, is known for its kitchen built on the back of a 1949 Dodge truck. Coinciding with the brewery’s opening this summer, Well Crafted will have a new 920-square-foot kitchen in the taproom itself serving its signature wood-fired pizzas, as well as kabobs, sausages, stuffed potatoes, and soft pretzels.  

Earth Treks: Most likely the first to open in the space, this rock-climbing mecca will be the first of its kind in the city include an exclusive space for bouldering, and also have a yoga studio for patrons.
 

The Charmery: This beloved Hampden corner ice cream spot (with a location in Anneslie on the way) will have its 5,500-square-foot factory headquartered inside Union Collective. The additional room will allow for more production, as well as themed events and famous “guest scoopers.”
 

Baltimore Whiskey Company: On the heels of releasing its 100-proof Epoch rye whiskey, which has been aging in oak barrels for three years, the BWC will be moving into Union Collective this spring. The facility will use a sustainable, geothermal system to cool its pipes using ground water, the first of its kind in the region.  

Huckle’s: Also opening this spring will be a test kitchen and storefront for beloved local hot sauce company Huckle’s. Besides making its signature spicy sauces like Fire-Roasted Habanero and Original Honion, the company will be co-packaging with other small-batch businesses in town.  

Vent Coffee Roasters: With her first brick and mortar location opening at Union Collective in early spring, longtime barista Sarah Walker is eager to have a permanent home. Vent will feature a small-batch roaster and espresso bar with seating for up to 45 people to enjoy espresso drinks, nitro cold brew on tap, coffee mocktails, and options for Aeropress and Chemax. Look out for homemade pastries and other drinks from local Wight Tea Co.  
 

Union Craft Brewing: Of course, the pièce de résistance of the collective will be Union Craft Brewing, which is looking to triple the capacity of its current Woodberry home. There will also be a 7,500-square-foot taproom with a stage for live music, a private event space, and a glass wall that looks through to the brewing equipment. There will also be an outdoor beer garden with a living wall, modular walls to reconfigure the space, and games like bocce.  
 
 
 

The brewery’s 8.5 barrel brewhouse includes 17 barrel fermenters and a pilot system to test out small-batch releases. Diamondback is hoping to produce 2,000 barrels within its first year, starting with their brand new Green Machine IPA and Azacca Blonde Ale.

Heading up the production will be Tim Heath, a former space engineer at Northrup Grumman and brewer at Fairhope Brewing Company in Alabama, who recently moved back to Baltimore.

“Tim was able to make a real name for Fairhope while he was there,” Marshall explained. “He’s not as concerned with all the marketing bells and whistles, he’s really interested in the science and focused on making a damn good beer.”

A big draw for Diamondback is the rustic taproom, filled with reclaimed wood accents from local artisan Nick Modha at Monkey in the Metal custom furniture company. A 15-seat semi circular bar surrounds a giant original smokestack, which features eight beer taps, chalkboard menus, and some brewery merch. The taproom will be open on weekends through November and, after that, the plan is to go seven days a week.

One unique element is that on the same campus as Diamondback, Mindgrub Technologies has been constructing a commissary kitchen, which will be a shared space for building occupants and outside chefs to prep, cook, and host events. Marshall said that the Locust Point location—and all of its surrounding commercial and residential development—is a particularly exciting place to open up.

“We really want this to be a community atmosphere that feels different from a bar,” he said. “Sure, you’re drinking and having a good time, but this isn’t the place to order bombs and get crazy. This will be the place to have good beer and connect with the people who make it.”

Recently, Diamondback underwent a rebranding thanks in part to a logo redesign by local firm Gilah Press. The new graphic ditches the original turtle shell (a nod to University of Maryland) for a more sophisticated badge. But, rest assured, Marshall said they are more committed to the local market than ever.

“Being in South Baltimore really fits our brand,” he says. “We are so grateful that places like Union [Craft Brewing] paved the way for a brewery like this to open up in the city. How cool would it be one day for every neighborhood to have its own go-to brewery?”

The brothers, who actually took out some of the automation from the brew equipment to be even more hands on, say they are excited to go from a contract-brewing situation at Peabody Heights to now being able to have a bit more control.

“Peabody Heights was such a great environment to learn and experiment,” Matt said. “We’re going to be able to tweak what we’ve learned and produce more limited edition one-offs in the brewery.”

In fact, Monument City will be expanding its current core product line from two to four beers, with quarterly seasonal and more small-batch releases, and they’ll be moving from bottles to cans once the facility opens. The brewery’s team will be expanding from two to four employees, and will be focusing more on the brewhouse operations and sales.

The new brewery will also have a taproom, an area for live music, and the ability to host outdoor events with food trucks in its parking lot. Despite all the exciting changes, the Praay brothers insist they the backbone of their company and its beers—like the popular 51 Rye and newer Battle IPA—will remain the same.

“We are so proud and grateful to Baltimore that our model of staying local has worked,” Ken said. “At the heart of it, we’re a family brewery and we want to remain an integral part of the local community for as long as they will let us.”

The stately red brick building at the corner of Calvert and Read streets pays homage to its former incarnation. Constructed between 1904 and 1908, the old firehouse that’s now Brew House No. 16 was reimagined by co-owner Harry Hummel, an architect by trade. He spared no expense in meticulously renovating the space, which was a working station until 1989, after which it was used as an office building.

Take time to appreciate it when you enter. Hummel and his son, Ian, the brewmaster, spent two years honing their vision, and the nuances and craftsmanship of the work are striking. The original red wooden bay doors, ornate tile work, high ceilings (which unfortunately contribute to the space’s amped-up volume), and iconic brass sliding poles preserve the legacy of the people who once worked—and undoubtedly ate—in the handsome structure.

It’s a safe bet that the firefighters weren’t washing down butternut squash baklava or pulled duck poutine with espresso porters. Those are among the offerings at Brew House No. 16, which, while it nods to its past, is very much rooted in the present. It is not a small endeavor in either scope or ambition.

We first visited on an unseasonably pleasant mid-November Wednesday evening, about a month after the Mt. Vernon restaurant opened to much anticipation. A sculpture of a bee (Hummel means “bumblebee” in German) and a cheerful, helpful hostess greeted us at the entrance. Every table in the dining room, which seats 80, was filled, so she took our cell number and texted us when our table was ready. (The Hummels hope to add outdoor seating for about 30 in the spring, and have long-term plans to convert the upstairs to a German-style beer garden with entertainment.)

Executive chef Adam Snyder, formerly of Cunningham’s in Towson, has designed a menu that leans toward heartiness. We found the most satisfying of his dishes in the starters, shared plates, and pub fare sections. Bacon and oyster pie, which would be a shrewd choice for a cold night, includes parsnips and potatoes in a soupy cream broth. The crab mac and cheese with bacon, made with cheddar, Gruyère, pecorino, and sourdough crumbs, features large chunks of crabmeat, and was baked to bubbly perfection. In a city where the dish too often translates to a watery yellow soup sprinkled with imitation crabmeat, this version is among the best we’ve had. A baby kale salad, mixed with black walnuts, apples, and goat cheese, was crisp and refreshing, as were pickled vegetables that included cauliflower and beets (though their smell isn’t for the faint of heart).

Our entrees were less even. A crab cake, served atop a bed of root vegetables, was moist and tangy but difficult to eat; it disintegrated when we tried to spear it. It sounds odd, but it needed more binder, and probably would be better served with less pungent veggies (save for the excellent charred lemon garlic rapini). The Tilghman Island striped bass, while a nice piece of fish, was undercooked. Smoked pork tacos ached for more kick. (As did the rum- and whiskey-based cocktails we tried, both of which pleased the palate but tasted alcohol-free.)

Snyder aims to pickle, cure, bake, and make everything he can in-house. On another visit, we saddled up to the tall marble bar in the back, which is sandwiched between the partially open kitchen and stainless steel beer tanks. We devoured a Roseda Farms Angus beef burger topped with crispy Tasso, roasted garlic aioli, and red onion jam, all of which melded perfectly. With it, we munched doughy and salty breadstick-like pretzels, made from scratch by the restaurant’s baker, Josh Feldman-Saunders. Paired with a smooth, but not-too-sweet, Belgian wit, it made for a terrific, casual meal.

Ian Hummel received a brewmaster diploma from the VLB Berlin, a research and teaching institute in Germany. The beers we sampled were properly bodied and eminently drinkable. The amber ale, which checks in at 6.5 percent ABV, is refreshing and a great choice by itself or with food. On multiple visits, however, Brew House’s brown ale wasn’t available, a disappointing development we’ll chalk up to growing pains.

Therein lies one of Brew House No. 16’s biggest challenges. The Hummels, who have designed a beautiful restaurant for which they have grandiose plans, have succeeded in certain areas, but have some work to do in others. If the restaurant/brewery’s components continue to develop and mesh—which we suspect they will, considering the passionate people running the front of the house, the kitchen, and the brewing operation—the buzz surrounding Brew House No. 16 will continue to spread like, well, wildfire.

If you follow Herring Run Park down through northeast Baltimore, you will eventually come to a nondescript industrial park just inside the beltway.

There, in a former ice-storage facility, Oliver Brewing Company is prepping its new headquarters, which opens the weekend of November 6-8 with live bands, food trucks, and exclusive beers.

The new facility—necessitated by growing demand for the microbrewery’s English-style cask ales, stouts, and porters—will more than double Oliver’s production capacity, and give it something increasingly essential for success: a public brewery with a taproom, retail area, and regular tours.

“This is the next step for us,” says co-owner Justin Dvorkin, 33, who purchased the label with his business partner, Donald Kelly, in 2008. Until now, all brewing for the company—which includes Pratt Street Ale House, The Ale House Columbia, and Park Tavern in Severna Park—was done in the cellar at Pratt Street Ale House, where the label started in 1993.

“[At Pratt Street] we get a lot of [out-of-towners] asking, ‘Do you do tours?’” Dvorkin explains. “It wasn’t really feasible. Now we can show off.”

And he isn’t worried about the brewery’s off-the-beaten-path location.

“We’re a little bit of an offshoot, but in reality, it’s 10 minutes from Canton,” he notes. “We want to give people a reason to go this way.”