USA, MD: Guinness appoints brewmaster for planned Baltimore County facility

Guinness has named a brewmaster for its planned Baltimore County facility as the brewery's parent company looks to get its liquor license approved by the county, the Baltimore Business Journal reported on June 6.

Peter Wiens was announced as the brewmaster on June 6, coming over to Guinness from San Diego-based Stone Brewing Co.'s East Coast facility in Richmond, Va. Wiens has spent his career in a number of positions at Anheuser-Busch before moving to Stone Brewing in 2012 and leaving as director of brewing operations for the East Coast.

Wiens will head up the brewing operations at Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House at 5001 Washington Blvd. in Relay. It is the first Guinness brewery to open in the U.S. in 63 years and will take over the facility previously home to the historic Calvert Distillery.

“Guinness is synonymous with the highest quality offerings and being a Guinness brewmaster is a dream I've had since college," Wiens said in a statement. "The first beer I ordered when I turned 21 was a pint of Guinness and I'm honored to have the chance to participate in the continuation of this iconic brand’s legacy and its return to American soil."

Diageo Beer Co. USA, the parent company of Guinness, is looking to get its liquor license approved by the Baltimore County Board of Liquor License Commissioners. Diageo was in front of the board on June 5, but a spokesperson said a continuance was called as a key person was missing and a makeup date has not been set.

The spokesperson said Diageo does not have any reason to believe they will not get approval for the liquor license.

The new Guinness facility is expected to require a $50 million investment with a small-scale brewing operation and taproom opening this fall and the full brewery and visitor experience opening in spring 2018.

The traditional Guinness Stout will continue to brewed in Ireland while Wiens will oversee the production of Guinness Blonde American Lager and new small-batch beers. The blonde lager will be brewed in a 100-hectoliter system and a 10-hectoliter system will be used for the small-batch brews.

Guinness is estimating the brewery and taproom will create 70 new jobs and bring in around 300,000 people annually.

Diageo had a regular presence in Annapolis in the first few months of 2017 as the company needed the taproom barrel limit raised in order to open in Maryland. The General Assembly passed House Bill 1283 with a 2,000 barrel limit for taprooms, up from 500, with the ability to purchase an additional 1,000 barrels back from a wholesaler.

Dwayne Kratt, senior director of government relations for Diageo, said in April the barrel limit should be fine for the first year, but the company will look to expand in future years. The taproom will also close at 10 p.m. each night as part of a compromise in HB1283.

06 June, 2017