Naptown Pintcast

Welcome to the first episode of season three of the Naptown Pintcast. This podcast was recorded on a late chilly afternoon in mid-February — snuggled up in the VIP booth at Waverly Brewing Company in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore. …under the menacing gaze of Snowball and Binky. My guests on this “roundtable” episode are Brendan O’Leary (cofounder of True Respite Brewing Company and the Treasurer of the Supporters of Maryland Brewing PAC), Avery Strachan (of Waverly Brewing Company, as well as the Government Affairs Chair for the Brewers Association of Maryland), and Kelly Dudeck (Chief Strategy Officer of Grow & Fortify, representing the Brewers Association of Maryland.) Melissa Yukna (managing partner and general manager of Waverly Brewing Company) also joined us briefly during our conversation. Our discussion centers around what the 2019 Maryland General Assembly session holds for Maryland craft brewers. As I reported last week in my column last week for The Capital, the brewers are leading with a message clearly underscored with confidence and optimism. Though that confidence is warranted, it may be a surprise to some, given the tenor of legislative discourse around craft brewery regulation in Maryland in 2017 and 2018, under the cloud of House Bill 1283. Listen in to learn what’s different about this year, why things are different this time around, how Guinness has been an active, supportive partner with Maryland craft brewer legislative priorities, and… the story of Snowball and Binky.

Get Your Tickets to Make It Funky 2018 After years of being thrwarted, I finally had a chance to sit down with Jeff Ramirez, co-owner and head brewer of Denizens Brewing Co. in Silver Spring. We talk about his story, lessons learned as a brewery owner, the upcoming Make It Funky Fest, and more.

"True Respite Brewing Company is the culmination of an ever-growing love for the craft beer moment. Creating these moments of true respite, where great beer and a relaxed environment turn strangers into friends, is our primary mission. In the end, we just want to see you all happy."

Revive! pairs Maryland’s award-winning beer with medal-worthy restaurants and chefs from the Free State. Taste the gold medal beers from the 2017 Maryland Craft Beer Competition and hear the announcement of the 2018 competition winners. It will be held on Saturday, August 25th at the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, a spectacular late-Italian Renaissance building situated on 310 acres of rolling hills and woodlands located in the heart of the Baltimore Washington area. In an effort to help support a community struggling from the devastation of recent floods, the Brewers Association of Maryland is contributing a portion of the proceeds from Revive! to the Ellicott City Partnership. With nearly 100 operating breweries and more than 25 breweries-in-planning, Maryland’s craft beer industry is comprised primarily of locally-owned businesses. These businesses directly contribute to the state’s economy through job growth and a commitment to Maryland agriculture.

Today at 3 p.m. -- in about 30 minutes -- Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House will open its doors in Relay, Maryland, which is located in Baltimore County.  Though their “test taproom” has been open since October — and already boasts a devoted following of local regulars, in addition to tourists — it pales in comparison to the expansive, three-level brewery experience that also resides on the same property, which is owned by Guinness’ parent company, Diageo. Ten days ago, I sat down with Oliver Gray & Ryan Wagner of Guinness to talk about the opening, the history of the site, the beer, and much, much more.

On July 28, Jon Zerivitz, Adam Benesch, and Kevin Blodger, will celebrate six years of Union Craft Brewing in their new Union Collective Space on 41st Street in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore. While it’s exciting to see this well-deserved expansion come to life for Union Craft Brewing, this next chapter for them is about so much more than just the brewery itself. “When we initially realized that we were at capacity and needed to expand, we were just thinking about expansion,” fellow co-founder and director of marketing Jon Zerivitz reflected. “How do we solve this problem for Union? And when we went out into the city to look for a location, we still just couldn’t find anything that was gonna work for us.” So, Zerivitz, along with Blodger and Adam Benesch, the third Union co-founder and director of operations, went back to the drawing board with their search their homebase neighborhood Hampden in Baltimore. It was then they looked at a previously-dismissed, massive warehouse space located at 1700 W. 41st St. — once home to Sears — with fresh eyes. A new vision of Union’s future and the community’s started to take shape between them. They wondered what if, instead of simply expanding for themselves, they invited other local makers and manufacturers to share this space with them, to create a community hub? “The first reaction (in the community) was, ‘Whoa, this is a big step! How are we going to do this?’ ” Benesch said. “But then, I think once people understood what we really were trying to do here — and what it could all mean for all of us together — it clicked with a lot of people and realized what the potential could be.” Thus, the Union Collective, “a new home for Baltimore’s growing independent businesses,” was born. In addition to the Union Craft Brewing taproom, Earth Treks, a regional climbing and fitness gym, has also opened their doors. In future, other local businesses, such as Vent Coffee, The Creamery, Well Crafted Pizza and others, will call the Union Collective their home. There will be a larger grand opening to celebrate the full Union Collective later this year. At a time when the definition of success is completely different for craft brewers than it was even only five years ago, the story of the Union Collective presents a unique growth story for others to look to. It adds more dimension to the already proven narrative of how craft breweries revitalize towns and make a point to give back to their own communities. It also shows the potential of what could be.

Happy Friday! To help you get your weekend started, here is a Flashback Friday conversation with Hollie Stephenson, the head brewer of Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House in Relay, Maryland. Since we're mere weeks away from the full opening of the brewery, I hope you enjoy this Flashback Friday conversation with Hollie about her story and her looking ahead to what 2018 will have to offer. 

If a beer blinds you, is that a good thing or a bad thing? How has Mully's changed since they first opened their doors? What's next for Maryland breweries following this year's General Assembly session? I get the answers to these questions and more in this interview with Cindy Mullikin of Mully's, and beer historian and author Maureen O'Prey.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Schooner Woodwind (based in Annapolis), Captain Jen collaborated with Hysteria to brew a commemorative beer -- the Seas the Bay IPA. FYI, it's delicious.  In this episode, we talk about the origin of the beer, how Ty got the nickname Taco Ty, the importance of local partnerships, the history of the Schooner Woodwind, and much, much more.

It's rare that a brewery gets a second chance to give a first impression -- or to reimagine a drastically different on-premises strategy than they might have imagined years ago when they first got started. But that's exactly what Diamondback Brewing was able to do. Learn more about the Naptown Pintcast.

Sunday, March 25, 2018 was Maryland Day, when the first European settlers landed in the province of Maryland on that date in 1634. To celebrate, I headed back to Odenton to see the guys at Crooked Crab Brewing. If you're a long-time listener, first-time caller of the Naptown Pintcast, you'll probably recall that I hung out with the Crooked Crab crew.  Leaving aside the fact that I clearly didn't know much about podcasting when we first recorded -- "Dude, the wind won't ruin the audio," I said. "It'll be fine, it's not a big deal!" -- it was an exciting milestone. Not only for them, because they were looking forward to opening, but also for Anne Arundel County.  About seven months later, they've opened their doors, and the community -- businesses and beer drinkers alike -- have welcomed them with open arms.  So, I thought I would check in with them to see how things have been going. Now that they're open, is the reality of owning a brewery living up to their dream?

On an unseasonably warm Tuesday this past winter, I spent the afternoon with Old Man Kurt Krol, Brian Delaney and young whippersnapper Chris Broome at Howard County's first farm brewery, Manor Hill Brewing. We ate hot dogs. Lots of 'em. Then we drank beer. And then, through a very long conversation, in the back of their brewhouse, the guys confirmed a long-standing suspicion of mine.  There's more than meets the eye when it comes to the team behind the beer at Manor Hill -- especially in terms of experience, personality, and industry expertise and understanding. You just have to take the time to get to know them. So, what did we talk about? Well, quite a bit... The haze craze, and limited releases vs. core drinkers. How demand impacts their ability to be creative. The Golden Girls. Coffee Talk. Old people. We have an awkward moment about Blazing Saddles. Also, a few feelings about Untappd reviews leak into the conversation. How the internet and beer trading has elevated regional styles and breweries. How beers that started movements have faded into the background. Reconciling the importance of replicating and consistency, with one-off success with recipes and limited releases. Underappreciated styles, like smoked beers and barley wines. How Kurt also does some of the label artwork for Manor Hill. The dark side of Maryland beer -- the legislative landscape. How Guinness is influencing the Maryland beer scene and legislation. The culture of beer in Maryland vs. Virginia. “Core brands become core brands for a reason. They’re the best beers you make.” “I’ve always hated that word. It’s a toilet. If you call it a commode, you have too much money.” “Why wouldn’t I choose cascade? It’s the old man hop nowadays.” “That’s part of the fun of brewing on a farm. You can’t fill the hot water and flush the toilets at the same time.” “We had an IPA at an event the other week, and somebody gave it 2 stars because it was ‘hoppy.’ It was a double IPA.” “I think [reviews] are a necessary evil. I think they do end up dictating which way the industry goes — for better or for worse.” “You can chase things, but you have to know what you’re doing. You have to be able to replicate.” “Barley wines. I don’t know why every brewery is not doing one when it’s November. Every year.” “The definition of local has changed so very much. It's weird how that's changed from, 'Oh, Tröegs is only an hour-and-a-half away,' to 'I can't go there because it's in another state.' I don't think that's a Maryland problem. That's just how it's come about.” Related Articles and Content Manor Hill Brewing's website, Facebook and Twitter. Kurt's scribbles on Instagram. Subscribe to the Naptown Pintcast Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), PlayerFM, Stitcher, and Google Play. Want more information about the podcast or becoming a guest? I can help with that, too.

Alec Ross is the Democratic candidate for Maryland governor. Recently, he invited me to sit down with him at Diamondback Brewery in Baltimore to chat about what's happening politically with Maryland beer. 

Surprise! A bonus episode for you today! If you're into Maryland beer, and you haven't heard of Julie Verratti and Emily Bruno of Denizens Brewing, can you tell me about the rock you've been living under? Does it have a walk-in closet? How's the square footage? Are utilities included?  Okay, that was a bit rude, and I'm sorry.  For those unfamiliar, Julie and Emily are married. And along with Emily's brother (and now brewmaster) Jeff Ramirez, founded Denizens Brewing in Silver Spring three years ago. (In fact, I wrote about their story and their anniversary earlier this year.) In that (relatively) short amount of time, they've made a name for themselves in both Maryland and Washington, D.C., for their beer, their space, and their authenticity, as well as their voice. 

It's no secret that Frederick has one of the best beer scenes in the state -- maybe that's why husband and wife Brian and Carley Ogden's California dream of opening a brewery became a Maryland reality with Attaboy Beer, located on Sagner Avenue.  Granted, the story of how this local, hop-forward Frederick favorite came to be wasn't without its hurdles. A bad blind date (that thankfully turned into a good one), a batch of early homebrew dumped into sanitizer, a lost real estate opportunity in Baltimore... But each of those tests and milestones came together to make the story of Carly and Brian -- and Attaboy -- in a way that's relatable and makes it hard not to love them. They push and support each other equally. They've started their family. They go to the mattresses for what's right and always pull for the underdog. And yes, they will never require an invitation from you to speak their minds, but they're always warm, welcoming and sincere. (Oh, and they also make great beer.)

Meet Al and Roy of Waverly Brewing in Baltimore, right off of I-83 in Hampden. “We want teachers to be able to come here and hang out. And on any given Saturday or Sunday, you’ll see folks — they come down with their strollers, and they’re hanging out with their kids, and there are dogs running around. That’s cool to us. These are our friends. We know these folks.”

Franchise law. Local agriculture. The "circle of beer life." What makes the Maryland beer community great. Roosters. You name it, my interview with Judy, Rob and Stephen of Checkerspot Brewing (coming soon to Baltimore) covers it all...  For more information about this episode and to see photos from the recording session at Marsh Farm in Pasadena, visit naptownpint.com.

Have you heard of Union Craft Brewing in Baltimore? Then you probably fall into one of two categories: You love their beer, and you already know how awesome Union head brewer Kevin Blodger is; or You love their beer, and now it's time to get to know Kevin Blodger. (There's probably a third category of not liking their beer, and thus not caring about who Kevin Blodger is... but if that sounds like you, we may not be able to be friends, so let's just move on.) Kevin Blodger, Union Craft Brewing head brewer, all-around badass One sunny Friday morning not too long ago, I made my way to Baltimore to sit down with Kevin in Union's taproom. During our chat, we talked about: How he got his start in brewing and his background at Gordon Biersch and District Chophouse. Upcoming collaborations with Goonda Beersmiths, Oliver Brewing Co. and Stillwater Artisanal. Why the first day they ever brewed their Duckpin was the worst day ever. Moving to their new space — the Union Collective — and the community-focused vision behind their new space. Bars vs. brewery taprooms -- what's the difference? How it felt to have Guinness’ interests as a foreign company prioritized ahead of local Maryland brewers. "Shelfies" vs. limited releases.... and much more! Okay, Here’s the Episode “When I look back on it, we were doing something really cool. We were training as German brewers … We were getting a formal brewing education through our practices.” “We’ve got all of these great breweries here already -- why not do everything you can to help them shine?” “I wish that at some point [Del. Talmadge Branch] had reached out to us, so we can show him what we do here…” “There isn’t a single brewer in the state that I don’t like, that I’m not happy to see every time I see them.” “I hate this saying that if you can buy a beer on the shelf, it’s not as good as a limited release.” Related Articles and Content The Union Collective (and coverage by the Baltimore Sun) My interview with Del. Talmadge Branch (and his follow-up Senate testimony) Del. Charles Barkley Says House Kept in Dark About HB 1283, Wants Brewers to Prosper Virginia Is Ready to Welcome Maryland Brewers with Open Arms Naptown Pintcast: Tim and Rahul of Goonda Beersmiths Union Craft Brewing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Kevin Blodger on Twitter and Instagram Subscribe to the Naptown Pintcast Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), PlayerFM, Stitcher, and Google Play. Want more information about the podcast or becoming a guest? I can help with that, too.

Welcome to Flashback Friday! This week’s episode is actually a throwback to the very first episode I ever recorded of the Naptown Pintcast with Crooked Crab Brewery, which I’m obviously serving up to you a little out of order. In this episode, I talk to Alex and Andrew of Crooked Crab about their experience as a brewery attempting to be the first to open in Anne Arundel County, breweries as community spaces, Andrew's "man crush" on Comptroller Peter Franchot, and their message to local legislators about the future of Maryland craft brewers. I hope you enjoy, and have a great weekend!

“We don’t consider time. We don’t consider expense. It’s all about what’s going to make the best beer. We do everything for the love of the beer.” “How does [what happened with House Bill 1283] build faith for people who want to open businesses in Maryland?” “The American adjunct lager is the bastard child of Prohibition.” A funny, unapologetic interview with Tim and Rahul of Goonda Beersmiths in Baltimore.

A little Labor Day weekend surprise for Naptown Pintcast subscribers. Enjoy this sneak preview episode, featuring my full interview with fellow Reform on Tap Task Force members John Knorr, co-founder of Evolution Brewing Company in Salisbury, Maryland, as well as Jake Day, the mayor of Salisbury.  Following a Reform on Tap Task Force town hall meeting a few weeks back at Evolution, I snagged the two of them to get their thoughts on what's happening with the task force, the role craft breweries play in community revitalization and economic development, as well as the stories of both Evolution and Salisbury. 

Each episode, I’ll invite you to be a fly on the wall as I travel around and have conversations with awesome people in our local Maryland beer community, including brewers, bartenders, retailers, writers, politicians, drinkers and everyone in between. Subscribe today -- the first episode will be dropping soon.