Cheers to Five Years

Megan McGaha — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 20:25:55 +0000

Guinness Open Gate Brewery (OGB) opened on August 3, 2018, the home of Guinness in America. What better way to mark five years of good times and great beer than with a party! The traditional five-year anniversary theme is wood, representing the craftsmanship, strength, and deep roots that the brewery has grown since opening. The fête of epic proportions will run Thursday, August 3 through Sunday, August 6, 2023.

Festivities include limited-edition beer releases, wood-fired food specials, live music, wooden lawn games, and free ice cream scoops from Taharka Brothers while supplies last. Best of all, the event is free to all and no tickets or reservations are required. (Those wishing to partake of a special guided food and beer tasting experience will require an advance ticket.)

Do you know why it’s called “Open Gate” Brewery? Because when Guinness opened its pilot brewery in Dublin, St. James’s Gate, they literally threw open the gates to the public. Since the Baltimore location is, like St James’s Gate, also a hub of innovative brewing, it made sense to call it Open Gate Brewery. It also makes sense that their anniversary would be celebrated with three special releases that showcase the creative spirit of OGB’s experimental taproom:

Habanero IPA (6.8% ABV)

This American IPA has been dry-hopped with Simcoe and Amarillo hops. The star of the show, however, is the punch of spice coming from fresh, deseeded Habanero peppers added during secondary fermentation. The spiciness jumps to the forefront, backed up by tropical hop notes.

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Coffee Stout (13.3% ABV)

This imperial stout began its slumber more than a year ago in freshly-dumped bourbon barrels more than 14 months ago, getting a boost from roasted espresso added post-barrel. The result is bursting with roasted malt character, with hints of vanilla and caramel.

Barrel-Aged Raspberry Sour (8.8% ABV)

Where the science and art of brewing come together: The brewers introduced this blend of golden and amber ales, both aged separately for two years in oak barrels and both inoculated with Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus. Once blended, raspberry puree was added for a touch of sweet and tart, to round out this truly unique beer.

These limited releases will, of course, be available on draught or in cans to go as will other new brews such as Japanese Rice Lager and English Summer Ale. Live music will be performed 5:30-9:30 p.m. from Thursday through Saturday featuring Shake The Room, The Rollex Band, and Joi Carter. In keeping with the “wood” theme, the community tent will feature Baltimore Fallen Lumber and wood-centric artists on Saturday.

So come beat the heat with a cold pint shared with friends over a Bavarian pretzel, oysters on the half shell, or perhaps one of OGB’s current seasonal smoked BBQ sandwiches. Add a scoop of Taharka Brothers Honey Graham ice cream and you’ve got yourself a party. OGB will be offering special anniversary swag, too, to commemorate hitting the five-year mark.

Mark your calendars for August 3-6 and visit the OGB website for more information. Follow on social @Guinnessbrewerybalt and be sure to tag a friend—or more—so no one misses out. OGB always asks that you drink responsibly and can’t wait to pour you a pint this August. Slainte, hon!

Source

In The Can

Jess Mayhugh — Thu, 26 Jul 2018 08:30:00 +0000

What to serve when faced with a big ol’ pile of steamed hard shells? We’re recommending a beer, of course, but also a few things to consider if you want to break tradition and move in a fancier direction. Best of all, everything is in a can and ready for a plunge in a cooler full of ice.

Monument City Penchant Pils ($11 6-pack)
Natty Boh is Baltimore’s beer of choice, but we have two complaints. First, it hasn’t been brewed in Maryland since Cal connected on his 3,000th career hit. Second, well, not everyone is a fan of this can. Monument City solves both problems. Brewed in Baltimore, this crisp, refreshing brew offers the same “crushability” as a Boh but with a little more finesse and flavor for a new generation of beer lovers.

Old Westminster Winery “Bloom” NV
($10 can)
Old Westminster sees your Maryland brew in a can and raises you a Maryland wine in a can. This semi-sweet blend of Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, and Muscat offers a delicious and homegrown alternative for any crab feast. There’s just enough sweetness to combat that Old Bay without crossing into dessert-wine territory. Chill these and prepare to elevate your crab feast with this vinous option.

Novo Fogo Sparkling Caipirinha ($19.99 4-pack, Country Vintner)
It’s Brazil’s national cocktail—in a can! Inhabiting the same general cocktail space as the daiquiri and the Margarita, the Caipirinha lends itself well to spicy food because of its sweetness and its thirst-quenching citrus zing. Treat those crabs to a little international flair! Fun Fact: Cachaça is a spirit made from distilled sugarcane juice and is mostly made in Brazil.

Source

cans – Baltimore Magazine

Cheers to Five Years

In The Can