Friday, November 21, 2014

Farm Breweries in Frederick County Becoming a Growing Trend

This year, Maryland’s first farm brewery under the Farm Brewery License which passed in the State in 2014, opened right here in Frederick County. Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm was the first under the new law and since then, several more have followed. The latest farm brewery to open in Frederick County is Red Shedman Farm Brewery at Linganore Winecellars who just celebrated with their grand opening last weekend.

What is a Farm Brewery? A Farm Brewery is similar to a vineyard or winery where a vineyard makes and sells it's wines from the grapes they grow on their vineyard, a farm brewery makes and sells beer from ingredients grown on the farm.  This year’s legislation now allows farm breweries to act as wholesalers and distribute to local bars and restaurants up to a maximum of 3,000 barrels per year.  Farm Breweries and Tasting Rooms are allowed in agricultural portions of the County as long as the farm is growing some of the stock on site and the product is brewed on site.  More farms are growing hops in Frederick County than any other county in Maryland according to the 2012 U.S. Census of Agriculture.


"The Farm Brewery Bill is really a win-win for the industry," said Vic Aellen of Linganore Wincellars. "It's a win for the distributors because it allows us to establish a market for them, and it's a win for us because it gives us an opportunity to go out and meet our clients."


In August, Thanksgiving Farms in Adamstown opened one of the countries first community-supported breweries, Mad Science Brewing Co. Like members of community-supported agriculture cooperatives known as CSAs, CSB participants are able to fill their own two-liter growlers 20 times in a five-month season.


The ’Buy Local’ and ‘Homegrown Here’ movement has expanded into Frederick County's alcoholic beverages!