Beer Lovers: Don’t Miss the Guinness Open Gate Brewery
The beer brand’s Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House in Baltimore merges Dublin’s heritage with Maryland's charm to create a must-visit brewery experience.
At Guinness’ first brewery in the U.S. in more than 60 years, you can take a tour of the beer-making facilities, sample one-of-a-kind experimental brews and get a taste of the iconic Guinness experience.
The Guinness Experience
Learn about what sets Guinness apart from the competition
The Open Gate Brewery has brought all the best parts of what you expect from Guinness in Ireland and combined it with local flair and modern innovation. Take a free tour of the facility to see behind the scenes insights into how the beer is made and learn about the centuries-old history of the building which once distilled whiskey.
Guinness Open Gate Brewery is the only American Guinness factory, and it’s right here, in Maryland.
Grab a pint or a try a sampler. The brewery has crafted hundreds of new recipes since opening in 2018, like the Over the Moon milk stout. And, you can take a little bit of Guinness home with you with 4- or 6-packs sold on site.
Also available in the taproom are the classic drafts Guinness lovers will expect: Guinness Draught, Guinness Extra Stout and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout and Baltimore Blonde. Check the brewery’s Facebook and Instagram pages to see what’s currently on tap.
Beyond the Beer
Grab a bite with your drink
The brewery’s food truck in their beer garden has a rotating menu so there’s always something new to try.
The brewery offers a pub-style menu representative of the regions where Guinness is available, with nods to Maryland cuisine as well. Sample dishes like fish and chips, corned beef or Maryland crab cakes.
The lawn outside the brewery is perfect for families in the warmer weather with plenty of seating and a food truck for a quick bite. Check the event schedule for special celebrations and live entertainment in honor of holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and Oktoberfest.
Welcome to Baltimore
Guinness Open Gate Brewery is also home to the first Visit Baltimore logo sculpture! Whether you’re commemorating your visit or showing off your Charm City pride, we welcome you to snap a pic and share with us by tagging @visitbmore and @guinnessbreweryus and using the hashtags #VisitBaltimore and #GuinnessBmore.
History
About Guinness beer and brewery
The launch of the Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House marks the first time a stateside Guinness brewery has existed since 1954, giving you the chance to enjoy innovative, experimental and barrel-aged beers without crossing the pond. During the free brewery tour, learn all about Guinness history, including the creation of John Gilroy’s iconic zoo animal ads, the scientific development of nitro kegs and the story of Guinness’ 9,000-year lease in Dublin. For a small fee, sample the latest drafts at the end of your tour.
The site of the only American Guinness factory is as historic as it is remarkable, as it lies directly on Washington Boulevard where Maryland’s first legal distillery after Prohibition flourished for decades. The Maryland Distilling Company opened in 1933 and was eventually bought by Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, a distiller of Canadian whiskey that was once the largest owner of alcoholic beverage lines in the world.
In 2001, Diageo, a British alcohol producer, took over and made the plant its own. While the beverages made and served have changed to beer, the memories of past distillers still remain in the form of leftover barrels and swabs that the brewers use for experimentation.
