2023-11-22 08:32:38
Sample innovative beers at craft breweries. Sip your way through our distilleries and experience the notoriously unique Maryland Rye. Savor the state’s flavors while soaking up views of tidy vineyard rows. You’ll also find eight mead makers and cideries (and some breweries offering cider, too). Scan to find your perfect Maryland tipple. Say Cheers to Craft Beers Maryland’s famous blue crabs are best enjoyed with a local beer. Heck, Frederick’s Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm makes Dollyhyde Farmhouse Ale, a light Belgian that pairs perfectly with decadent crab meat. Along with Milkhouse, several beloved area breweries like Monocacy Brewing Co., Idiom Brewing and Brewer’s Alley make Frederick a craft beer hub. Farther west, Antietam Brewery in Hagerstown serves suds with a side of Civil War history, and 1812 Brewery in Cumberland helps put the area at the cutting-edge of the brewer’s art. Over in Baltimore, check out great selections from Union Craft Brewing, the nautically named pours at Heavy Seas Brewery, and the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, to name a few. Closer to the capital city of Annapolis, you’ll love Forward Brewing, while Inverness Brewing delights in Monkton. Southern Maryland is home to the locally legendary Ruddy Duck Brewery, serving up eclectic pints and great grub on beautiful St. George Island. Mully’s Brewery in Prince Frederick makes seafood shine with its Sailor’s Delight Amber, and Scorpion Brewing has a topnotch tasting room in Owings. The Eastern Shore’s thriving beer scene is home to RaR Brewing in Cambridge, dedicated to trendy ales. Evolution Craft Brewing Co. in Salisbury is another shore hit, and Burley Oak Brewing Company makes sure Berlin is stocked with brilliant brews. Pop the Cork on Adventure Marylanders have been making wine for centuries, but in recent years the state’s wineries kicked things up a notch, winning awards and pleasing palates around the world. Quickly becoming known for our rich, yet quixotically light Barbera reds — which grow beautifully throughout the state — Maryland also produces exceptional Albariño, a dry white with hints of lemon peel and sweet melon that pairs exquisitely with freshly caught seafood. Now home to more than 100 wineries connected by 11 wine trails, Maryland makes for a fabulous grape-lover’s getaway. Meander through Western Maryland’s mountains and Civil War history on the Antietam Highlands Wine Trail, home to standouts like Big Cork Vineyards, Red Heifer Winery and Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery. Near Washington, D.C., explore the Capital Wine Trail. Along with classic varietals, you’ll discover refreshing ciders and fruit wines that capture the essence of the region’s agricultural bounty. The Piedmont Wine Trail and Gunpowder Wine Trail crisscross Central Maryland and feature some of the state’s oldest and most well-known wineries. Some stops include Boordy Vineyards and Basignani Winery, renowned for hosting year-round concerts and events. The Chesapeake Wine Trail is home to 16 favorites like Broken Spoke Vineyard & Winery, Crow Vineyard & Winery, Great Shoals Cellars, Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery and Bordeleau Vineyards & Winery. Venture to the First Landing Wine Trail and Patuxent Wine Trail to explore the vintner’s art in Southern Maryland with stops at standouts like Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery and Port of Leonardtown Winery — an easy stroll from downtown Leonardtown and its waterfront events. And that’s just the tip of the grape vine when it comes to our burgeoning wine scene. Toast Your Spirit at a Maryland Distillery Talk about tradition: Marylanders have been distilling the finest spirits for five centuries now, and the once ubiquitous Maryland Rye is making a hard-charging comeback thanks to makers across the state. Sagamore Spirit Distillery is helping lead the way along this new rye road from its gorgeous property on the waterfront in the Baltimore Peninsula community. The city is also home to the Baltimore Spirits Company, offering tours as part of the Union Collective in the hip Hampden neighborhood. Old Line Spirits is another local favorite, founded by a pair of naval aviators who bought a still in Oregon and shipped it to Maryland to make their whiskey dreams reality. Bootjack Rye Whiskey from McClintock Distilling Company in Frederick has brought home multiple gold medals, proving Maryland is still where it’s at when you’re talking rye. Springfield Manor in Thurmont is a true triple threat with a winery, a brewery and a distillery best known for its flavored gins. Twin Valley Distillers in Rockville serves up Seneca Bay rum and Norbeck vodka, or you can take a tour of the shore with a stop at Windon Distilling — home to LYON RUM — in historic St. Michaels, where making double-distilled spirits is a true art. In Ocean City, Seacrets Distilling Company crafts a full range of spirits, with an orange vodka perfect for a true Maryland orange crush. Copper Compass Craft Distilling Co. in White Plains has the needle pointed in the right direction when it comes to traditional rums; book a tour to learn about the history of the spirit (and do some tasting, too). At Tobacco Barn Distillery in nearby Hollywood, the Moll Dyer Cinnamon Whiskey pays tribute to one of Maryland’s oldest ghost stories. For more fun, try the flavored moonshines at Southern Trail Distillery in nearby Mechanicsville. Whatever your pleasure, Maryland has just the craft drink to raise your spirits.
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