A visit to the Guinness Brewery, mere minutes away from BWI Airport, is the perfect way to enjoy a summer day, or really any day of the year. Plan to take a tour, learn about the history of the famous company, see the brewing process in action, and try a delicious array of beers. While the iconic stouts Guinness Draught, Guinness Extra Stout, and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout will continue to be brewed in Ireland, this local brewery makes 14 different kinds of beers, and this is the only location you can sample some of them. It’s a treat for beer lovers.
Image courtesy of Patrick McNamara of Drawn to the Image.
The beautiful facilities were built in the 1940s and used to be a distillery, with the visitor center situated in an old barrel rick house. The brewery is a center of exploration and innovation in barrel aging as a nod to the site’s heritage, and to the long tradition, Guinness has of aging beer in wood. During the renovations of the facilities, pillars and floors were kept to honor the history. Rick houses on site hold about 80-90,000 barrels in each house. A fun thing to look for during your visit is a vintage clock always set to 5:59, military time 17:59, which is the year Guinness was founded. Your tour guide will be impressed if you know that!
Image courtesy of Patrick McNamara of Drawn to the Image.
I love browsing the artifacts, some of which are favorite advertising pieces brought over from Dublin. But the best part of the visit was, of course, the beer. The seasonal options are special, creative, and delicious. The bites at the tap house work perfectly with the beer selection and the restaurant upstairs offers high-quality food with actual beer pairings.
Image courtesy of Patrick McNamara of Drawn to the Image.
I can’t wait to return for potential private events in the beautiful Barrel Room or to bring my family out to enjoy live music and tasty treats, or enjoy dinner and date night with my husband. It’s a great spot for locals, or a fun visit if you’re flying through town.
Videography and photos courtesy of Patrick McNamara of Drawn to the Image.
