Rod J Beer: Beer Brown Bag Unboxing Surprise Pickups

Rod J Beer: Brewery Ommegang King In The North Beer Review

Rod J Beer: Brewery Ommegang Hand Of The Queen Beer Review

Join Us On Twitter 9/27 For A Great Chat With Black Beer Geek

Another great chat to share...

Guinness Open Gate Brewery Visit

This past weekend, I finally had the chance to make the long overdue trip down to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery here in the Baltimore area. And I must tell you, it was definitely worth visiting and checking out. From the great feel of the exterior to the nice warm feeling of the interior to the well-designed space, the brewery itself definitely created its own tone to make it distinctive.

So I and my old friend Keith decided to connect up here to grab lunch and catch up now that we are both in Baltimore. You see, Keith is one of my longest-living friends that I still connect with as we go back to when we met many years ago when I was in 7th grade and he was in 5th, and we were pretty much neighbors growing up. There are many stories I could share of the fun we had back in the day as we reminisced but that's maybe for another time, but since moving back to the east this was a great time for us to catch up again and neither of us had a chance to check out the Guinness spot so it made a perfect choice.

So as we met and headed into the parking lot, it was easy to just be amazed at the look and the design of the brewery to which I alluded earlier. This huge entrance sits at the top of the steps and just beckons you to step inside. A large courtyard outside with a huge space that it would be easy for football or in America a soccer game to break out if it wasn't for the chairs and tables occupying it. Had it not been for the rain showers that we were underway on this afternoon, we could have easily enjoyed some of the spots outside as well.

This being said, we entered the brewery, and just as nice as it was on the outside, the inside did not disappoint. Funny thing on the way in, I was asked for identification. Lol. that hasn't happened for many years, it must have been the shave from the new razor, lol. But, walking in, Keith already had a good corner spot at the bar and so we were ready to rock and roll.

As we discussed the brewery, Keith like myself had been a Guinness drinker for a number of years. So talking with each other and knowing the parts of the Guinness history that I did, I shared some of that as we spoke, and Keith was intrigued as he himself had also been a Guinness fan to which I wasn't aware. 

Now the cool thing about going to a brewery and why I also recommend people to do so from time to time is that the brewery experience can be that much more for fans of beer. The tap list offered many offerings that you would not see in a store or even a bar, you have to go there and the collection of beers on tap they had was across a nice beer diverse spectrum. Also in talking about diversity., this also transcended into the staff as well which was great to see and all were welcoming.

So, getting into the beers, my buddy Keith pretty much kept it on the Guinness IPA which he was enjoying. I, myself, well, of course, had to mix it up. So as I almost always do, I decided to start with two flights that they were offering with one being more of a hop flight and the other being a mix of ales that included an amber, porter, brown, and stout. All of the flight beers were part of their experimental beers as also was my capper of the Old Fashioned-Inspired Ale which I went full size on. Although. full size on an 11.5% ABV meant 1/2 size of a large snifter, lol. It worked though.

We both went with the burgers for lunch although the English breakfast was almost the selection to go with which may be the choice the next time I go. For that, you must order between 11am and 2pm, but it looks to be a little loaded mini-feast. The burger though was done well though, came out medium as ordered and was juicy as can be. Coupled with their Guinness-style chips which were like french fries done in chip form and were perfect for dipping into their homemade ketchup, along with a good size pickle too.

Overall no real complaints about the food or the beer, although the one thing I will say about the pricing is that I do feel the beers were more costly than some of the other breweries that you may be accustomed to visiting. Maybe, this is just part of the Guinness experience but at $15.50 for one flight and $18.50 for another, they were the most expensive that I have ever paid anywhere on the flight level. The Old Fashioned-Inspired Ale wasn't bad at $11.25 considering and the burger at $18 was a little higher than average but not really too crazy. Overall, it was a great experience, and definitely would recommend a visit if you are in the Baltimore area and want a brewery to check out. Keep in mind, that it is the only Guinness brewery in the states so that alone makes it that much more attractive for a visit in my book.

Cheers! 🍻

New Resource Helps Consumers Find Ohio-Grown Beers

Fresh Hop Ohio Campaign Helps Consumers Drink Beer Grown Here COLUMBUS, Ohio – For craft beer lovers – especially the "hop heads" – this is the best time of year. Harvest season gives Ohio breweries an opportunity to showcase one-of-a-kind beers made with locally grown and freshly picked hops. To help consumers find these once-a-year beers at breweries across the state, the Ohio Craft Brewers Association and the Ohio Hop Growers Guild have launched Fresh Hop Ohio, a guide to the first beers brewed with the 2022 hop crop. Most of the beer consumed around the world is made with hops that are kiln dried and pelletized for longer shelf life and ease of storage. The beers featured in the Fresh Hop Ohio campaign are all brewed with fresh, unprocessed hops grown by Ohio farmers. Fresh hop beers offer uniquely robust aromas and flavors, and are only available during the fall harvest season. "As Ohio's craft brewing industry has grown to more than 400 independently owned breweries, Ohio's hop growers have also increased in number, acreage and available varieties," said Ohio Craft Brewers Association executive director Mary MacDonald. "Brewing beer with locally sourced hops, barley and other ingredients is a great way for our industry to further our commitments to supporting the local economy and practicing environmental stewardship." The beer list at the Fresh Hop Ohio page continues to grow as farmers around the state complete their harvesting and brewers schedule their brew days to use the hops at the peak of freshness. Consumers can see the name and location of the brewery, the name and style of beer, the name of the hop grower and varieties used in the beer, as well as an estimate of when the beer will be available at the brewery taproom. Additions are made to the list as new information comes in from the breweries. See the beer list at https://ohiocraftbeer.org/freshhopohio Founded in 2007, the Ohio Craft Brewers Association is a nonprofit guild that exists to promote, preserve, diversify and unify Ohio’s craft brewing industry. We aspire to be recognized as the industry leader at both state and national levels for preserving the art of making high-quality, unique craft beer; to serve as the unified voice for craft brewers across the state; to advocate on behalf of the Ohio craft beer industry; to contribute to systemic, local community development by driving economic and job growth, while creating experiences that bring people together; to promote safe, responsible enjoyment of Ohio craft beer; and to serve as a beacon for local production and manufacturing through craft beer, resulting in diverse choices for consumers.