November 16, 2020
Julekha Dash
Image courtesy of Danielle Grinberg, VinePair.
Most beer drinkers associate Guinness with its dry Irish stout, brewed at St. James Gate in Dublin for the past 261 years. A lot has changed since 1759, including the debut of the first Guinness brewery outside Dublin, the Guinness Open Gate Brewery near Baltimore. The iconic Irish brand debuted the $90 million brewery in 2018. It welcomed more than 400,000 visitors its first year.
While the Maryland brewery produces several stouts — after all, it is Guinness — head brewer Hollie Stephenson says it has been her mission to “challenge people’s perception of Guinness as a traditional stout brewer.” She’s done this by leading its experimental brewing program, which has produced its signature light golden lager, Guinness Blonde, along with the fruity Guinness Salt and Lime Ale, and the citrusy Guinness Galaxy IPA. Indeed, the 4,000-square-foot taproom introduces visitors to about a dozen experimental beers at any given time, Stephenson says.
To continue reading this interview at VinePair, click here.
