Guinness Opens for Business in Maryland

Opening a Guinness is always a big deal but opening a Guinness brewery on American soil is huge. 

For the first time in 64 years, Guinness has a production facility in the United States, thanks to a substantial investment of time and money by parent company, Diageo. The brewery opened on August 2, following a short ribbon-cutting ceremony, and is already busy producing Guinness Blond for the American market.

"This brewery has long been a dream for Guinness, and an incredible amount of hard work has gone into getting these doors open," said Diageo Beer Company USA Chairman and Diageo Global Chief Sales Officer Tom Day in a recent statement. "I can't wait to see people enjoying the fantastic beer our brewers have made in this historic and beautiful building. I'm proud that we have created something special and quintessentially Guinness here in Maryland."

Officially known as the Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House, the facility is located in Halethorpe, Maryland, and is centrally located for the Maryland/DC area, just 10 miles away from downtown Baltimore and 30 miles from Washington, D.C. Estimates from the company put the price tag for the facility at more than $90 million and created more than 200 jobs.

"Our administration is proud of Maryland's robust and growing brewing industry and we are excited to welcome a legendary brewer like Guinness to our great state," said Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. "In addition to more than 200 new jobs, this new facility's full-time brewing and hospitality operations will bring a new source of tourism to Baltimore County and to Maryland. We remain committed to supporting companies that invest in our communities and our citizens, and Guinness opening its doors today is yet another example that Maryland is open for business."

Construction of the campus started with a pre-existing structure in order to maintain Diageo’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Guinness has also implemented measures to reduce the overall electric consumption and water usage at the site, while utilizing recycled elements for the build, along with low volatile organic compound (VOC) materials and paints, to accent the building, according to a statement from the company.

Initially, the brewery will focus exclusively on Guinness Blond, but add new innovations to production as they become ready to go to market.