One year ago today, August 3, the doors to Guinness' first brewery in the US in 64 years opened in Maryland!
Since then, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House has brewed over 80 unique Guinness beers and welcomed more than 400,000 visitors from every US state and beyond.
Located just 10 minutes from downtown Baltimore and short trips from Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York, the Open Gate Brewery serves as the home of Guinness in the U.S. and the center for all of its experimental beers on this side of the Atlantic.
The impact the brewery has had on Maryland goes well beyond visitors: more than 200 permanent, full-time employees from the surrounding area now work at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery.
To mark their first birthday, the team at the Guinness Brewery is hosting a big celebration today with a free concert headlined by country superstar Frankie Ballard, a special Guinness cake and thousands of cupcakes from local confectionary legend Charm City Cakes, and a beer brewed especially to mark the milestone: First Anniversary Barrel-Aged Grand Cru.
Available exclusively at the Guinness Open Gate Brewery on tap and in 12oz. cans for takeaway, this 10.5% ABV release is a blend of an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels and a Belgian-style Golden Ale aged in rum barrels.
Saturday, August 4 will also feature live music and anniversary beers on tap.
Guinness' story began 260 years ago when Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease at St. James' Gate in Dublin. Since 1817, when Guinness first began exporting to the US, America has been a huge part of that story, so there was massive excitement when parent company Diageo announced they would be opening the first Guinness brewery on US soil since 1954.
"When we started working towards opening the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, we knew we were building something significant that would mean so much to millions of people around the world," said Nuno Teles, President, Diageo Beer Company USA.
"What we couldn't fully predict is what being a part of the Maryland brewing scene would feel like. It's widely accepted that the U.S. overall is the most dynamic beer market in the world, but the breweries in Baltimore, and Maryland as a whole, have created such a supportive and inclusive environment. Each day we're more and more grateful to be here."
And what a year it's been! Here's a look at some of the highlights:
The brewery welcomed their 100,000th visitor in November, just three months after opening.
Ireland's Ambassador to the US Dan Mulhall paid a visit.
The Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House hosted their first New Year's party.
They joined in FeBREWary, the state of Maryland's official month-long celebration of craft beer, an homage to the file local breweries and beer scene.
They launched Guinness' first barrel-aged beer aged in Bulleit Bourbon barrels.
The US brewery participated in Guinness' annual 'Stache for Charity initiative for St. Patrick's Day.
They marked St. Patrick's Day at the US Guinness brewery for the first time - AND made sure everyone was safe with free rides.
The Barrel House launched a delicious brunch menu.
To give back, they hosted a fundraising event with the Maryland Food Bank.
They crafted a delicious Saison Blanc honoring women in the brewing industry.
And they launched over 80 new and inventive Guinness brews. From a recurring series of favorites including Guinness IPA, Guinness Milk Stout, Guinness White Ale, and Guinness Blonde – which became the first beer to be available nationally from the brewery last summer – to more limited releases like Nitro Vanilla Cream Ale, Orange and Hibiscus Belgian Ale, Raspberry Kettle Sour, and Belgian Style Apricot Pale Ale, there has truly been something for all legal drinking age adults.
If you need more convincing, here are our 10 reasons why you have to visit the Guinness US brewery, and if you're already convinced, here's everything you need to know to plan your visit.
For updates on the anniversary celebration and more from the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, follow @GuinnessBreweryUS on Facebook and Instagram and @GuinnessUS on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or visit www.GuinnessBreweryBaltimore.com.
Guests of all ages are welcome to visit the Guinness open Gate Brewery Monday through Wednesday 3:00pm to 9:00pm, Thursday 3:00pm to 10:00pm, Friday 12:00pm to 10:00pm, Saturday 11:00am to 10:00pm and Sunday 11:00am to 9:00pm and enjoy a guided tour of the brewing facility.
*Whether enjoying a pint at the Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore, at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin or anywhere in between, please do so responsibly.
