A new, locally brewed beer is coming to a pub near you.
After months of preparation,
Union Craft Brewing in Woodberry will launch two styles of beer this month. The brewery also plans to open its tasting room to the public in mid-July.
Union Craft is one of several new breweries and beer-themed restaurants to debut in the last year.
On June 29, Union Craft Brewing will launch Duckpin Pale Ale and Balt Altbier, a German-style
Altbier at a launch party at
Max's Taphouse in Fell's Point. The beers will be on draft and also in specialty firkins, or small kegs, with slight variations to the original which make them one-off rarities, says Union Craft Brewing Co-owner Jon Zerivitz.
"I'm super excited, really nervous, but really ready to take the plunge into this. I'm feeling incredibly humbled and grateful for the support the city has shown us so far," Zerivitz says.
Following the launch, kegs of the two styles of beer will roll out to "better beer bars around the city," Zerivitz says.
The company launched with an $800,000 investment from private sources and Zerivitz says it has taken the whole investment to build the company.
Located in a 7,200-square-foot space in Woodberry right outside of Clipper Mill and near the Jones Falls River, Zerivitz says he found an ideal setting to start Union Craft Brewing.
"Manufacturing is often pushed to the outsides of the city. We tried to find a space within city limits. We have a reverence for Baltimore and its history, and Woodberry was ideal," Zerivitz says.
The space was at one time an annex for the original mill and has served a variety of different functions over the years including a furniture company and most recently a large-format sign company.
The tasting room will be open to the public and offer tastings, tours, and beer to-go.
Zerivitz started Union Craft Brewing with co-owner Kevin Blodger, an award-winning brewer with nine years of experience at various breweries in the area.
"Him and I collaborate on recipes…he uses his vast knowledge to make them come alive," Zerivitz says.
The company plans to brew about 1,000 barrels in its first year of operation. They expect to launch a seasonal as well as some special single-batch beers.
"There is no limit to the number of styles we might produce except for fermentation capacity and demand for our flagship Pale Ale and Altbier. We do also plan to expand the flagship line," Zerivitz says.
Source: Jon Zerivitz, co-owner of Union Craft Brewing
Writer: Alexandra Wilding,
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