Maryland Beer Journal
Beer, People & Places
Maryland Beer Journal & Atlas (MBJA) — Our purpose is in our name — only Maryland, only beer. We tell the stories of the beer, the people, and the places that make Maryland beer unique. Maryland traverses a diverse landscape, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains, including Baltimore, the Chesapeake Bay, historic small towns, and all points in between. And the beer is as diverse as the landscapes.
Upper Stem Brewery: Crafting Tradition and Community
Upper Stem Brewery is a licensed farm brewery in Washington County, just northeast of Hagerstown, MD. In April 2020, as the world grappled with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan Winger decided to launch his brewery, a risky move given the uncertain times. Yet, they navigated the challenging waters through ingenuity and a small canning operation, providing curbside delivery that kept the dream alive.
A Hidden Gem: The Story of 1812 Brewery
In early March 2024, I visited the 1812 Brewery outside Cumberland, Maryland. I'd heard about the brewery from local friends and had hoped to visit myself, but the timing was never right. So, when traveling to western Maryland for a friend’s retirement party, I asked if I could stop by and learn more about the brewery and its people, and they welcomed our meeting.
New Beer Resolutions 2024
I began writing this during chilly November 2023, then added some edits while watching the daffodils blooming in March. And now it’s June and warmer temps. Where does the time go? I have been working on some other writing projects, and I have not brought this one to a conclusion. These are a few thoughts about my writing for this year and how it relates to my relationship with beer, travel, and life.
Reform for Craft Beer Must Happen Now
Craft breweries have to navigate local laws from county and city jurisdictions, and an unfavorable business climate which puts Maryland at a disadvantage when competing with neighboring states and simply keeping the lights on.
Maryland Brewery Closures: 2024
It isn't easy to learn of another local brewery closing. There will always be business cycles, and craft beer is no different. Even so, breweries are opening in Maryland, and successful breweries are growing, adding taproom locations, and expanding markets.
Maryland Beer Opinions: Best Maryland Festival
In February 2024, Deep Beer Journal hosted our first Maryland Beer Opinions poll. The poll asked, “Which Maryland breweries produce the best barrel-aged beers?” The results are in. And the March 2024 opinion poll is now open.
2023 : A Maryland Beer Year in Review
Looking back on 2023, we saw a lot of movement in Maryland breweries: openings, closings, moving, expansions, awards, and the reveal of the Maryland hop. If the early days of 2024 are an indication, it may be a dynamic one for Maryland beer.
Scorpion Brewing: Closing Our Doors For Good
The last beer poured at the Scorpion Tap Room at 929 Skinners Turn Rd. will be on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, 2024. At that time, we will be closing our doors for good.
Calvert Brewing: We Are Closed
Even though we are still in its early weeks, this year has not provided much good news for the Maryland brewery scene. Several breweries have closed their doors, with Calvert Brewing being the first.
Maryland Beer: Opinions
MARYLAND BEER: Got OPINIONS? Deep Beer Journal has opened an OPINION POLL. Add your voice to the question: Which Maryland breweries produce the best barrel-aged beers? Enter for a chance to win this original Maryland beer t-shirt displaying every Maryland brewery as of the end of 2023.
AleCraft Closing Maryland Brewery
AleCraft Brewing in Belair, MD, has announced that they will be closing their Maryland brewery. They will focus on the newer location in Railroad, PA.
Suspended Brewing Closes
Suspended Brewing Co. in the Pigtown section of Baltimore City, posted on their website on January 1, 2024, that their taproom is now closed. Mystique Barrel Brewing and Lager House are to open there in 2024.
Stone Silo Brewery Opens in Damascus
Stone Silo Brewery Opens in Damascus — In mid-January 2024, Stone Silo Brewery, a new farm brewery in near Damascus MD, opened their doors to the public. That moves the brewery county to eleven in Montgomery County.
Maryland Brewery Treks :: An Invitation to Adventure
Maryland Brewery Treks are 25 sortings of Maryland breweries based on relative proximity. Breweries are grouped from three to six locations which could compose a brewery excursion. These include most of the state’s breweries, but due to distances, not all.
MID-ATLANTIC BREW NEWS: DECEMBER / JANUARY 2024
The December - January 2024 edition of the Mid-Atlantic Brew News has been released. Learn about the Food History Weekend at the National Museum of American History, Death of the Beer Festival, Global Warming vs. Hops, Women in Beer, plus regional brewery profiles and updates across the Mid-Atlantic region.
Burnish Beer Co: Shaking Off the Rust
Burnish Beer Company celebrated their second anniversary in October 2023. For a relatively new brewery, they have come a long way in that short time. But then, the Burnish team has brought a lot of experience and a diversity of talent to this brewing venture.
Mid-Atlantic Brew News: October / November 2023
Interested in learning more about smoked beers? You can read about it in the lastest edition of the Mid-Atlantic Brew News and the cover story, Autumn Smoke: Rauchbier Emerges as Fall Seasonal.
Maryland Top Rated Breweries 2023
What are the best breweries in Maryland? I get asked that question occasionally. Of course I have my opinion, as we all do. Honestly, can this question be answered subjectively? Untappd may have the answer.
Route 50 Brewery Tour
There is a wealth of notable beery diversions not far off US Route 50 along Maryland’s Eastern Shore. If you'd rather sit in a taproom than traffic, drinking a beer than eating sand on the beach, then one (or more) of these drive-ersions may be exactly what you need. Let’s go a little journey, shall we?
Beer on the Road: Davis & Elkins WV
In June 2018, I traveled to Elkins, West Virginia and stopped into a few beery places along the way. It seems wherever you travel, there are new and exciting breweries popping up, much to a beer lover’s pleasure.