Guinness to close Baltimore production brewery (sales, houses, closing)

[uggabugga]

after just five years?

In August 2018, Guinness opened Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House, its first brewery to operate in the United States since leaving New York in 1954.

Based just south of Baltimore Guinness’ on 62-acre brewing campus once home to the Calvert Distillery a legendary post-Prohibition operator that that for decades produced the mid-Atlantic’s popular Lord Calvert Whisky, the brewry’s opening was widely celebrated.

The $90m operation is home three separate brewhouses– a small two barrel pilot brewery, a 10 barrel brewhouse dedicated to experimental beer, and a custom-designed 100 hectoliter brew hub as well as large and small-scale packaging lines.

But it won’t be for long…

On May 31st Diageo, the London-based drinks major that now owns Guinness, filed a Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice that its Guinness manufacturing facility in Maryland is set to shut down by 9 June 2023.

, Guinness To Close Baltimore Production BreweryIn a statement to American Craft Beer, Diageo explained its decision, a decision that according to the filing could impact 108 brewery employees.

[NJ2MDdude]

I just drove by the plant last week. I wonder what financial incentives MD gave Guinness to open a plant in Halethorpe.

[james777]

The state's economic development agency helped them locate there but I do not know if any financial incentives were involved. Those programs that give financial incentives to open new businesses are just like the social programs in cities, a grand waste of taxpayer money. If sales warranted higher production, that plant would already have been the primary candidate to expand to because the company had owned the facility for years.

The stories don't say if they are closing the restaurant and brewpub also. I always questioned the logic of putting a brewpub out in the middle of nowhere. It belongs in a city, town or shopping area that has a lot of foot traffic.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by james777

The state's economic development agency helped them locate there but I do not know if any financial incentives were involved. Those programs that give financial incentives to open new businesses are just like the social programs in cities, a grand waste of taxpayer money. If sales warranted higher production, that plant would already have been the primary candidate to expand to because the company had owned the facility for years.

The stories don't say if they are closing the restaurant and brewpub also. I always questioned the logic of putting a brewpub out in the middle of nowhere. It belongs in a city, town or shopping area that has a lot of foot traffic.

They are keeping the restaurant/pub open since it is wildly popular. Or at least for the time being.

[SonySegaTendo617]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

They are keeping the restaurant/pub open since it is wildly popular. Or at least for the time being.

Damn, I was scared when I clicked on this thread at first! Guinness is planning to(coincidentally enough) open a Chicago restaurant and pub, a la the one they opened in Baltimore. I worry hearing this news their Baltimore brewery is closing, that it could be a hidden sign that the brewpub in Baltimore plus yet to open one in Chicago, doesn't last in business for more than a few years. But I hope I'm proven wrong, and both do stay open.

[ion475]

Originally Posted by james777

The stories don't say if they are closing the restaurant and brewpub also. I always questioned the logic of putting a brewpub out in the middle of nowhere. It belongs in a city, town or shopping area that has a lot of foot traffic.

The restaurant is actually quite popular AFAIK.

And suburbanites go to brewpub also...that's what that giant parking lot next to the brewery is for .

[skeddy]

Can't see a brewpub keeping a 62 acre parcel of land from being redeveloped. It's a nice place but ...

[NJ2MDdude]

Where is Sagamore Rye Whiskey made? Perhaps they can open a distillery/whiskey bar at the site.

[james777]

Originally Posted by NJ2MDdude

Where is Sagamore Rye Whiskey made? Perhaps they can open a distillery/whiskey bar at the site.

They distill and bottle it by the water in Port Covington. The Halethorpe site would be ideal because that is where Lord Calvert whisky was made.

[NJ2MDdude]

Originally Posted by james777

They distill and bottle it by the water in Port Covington. The Halethorpe site would be ideal because that is where Lord Calvert whisky was made.

I imagine they could at least age the whiskey in Halethorpe.

Alternatively, make the site available to area microbreweries and allow them to open up a beer hall with live indoor/outdoor entertainment.