Things are hopping at the
Peabody Heights Brewery.
The 50,000-square-foot Charles Village brewery produced its first beer in December, and is building up production, says Stephen Demczuk, one of three co-owners, along with J. Hollis B. Albert III and Patrick Beille.
Peabody is expected to reach its first year projection of 10,000 barrels this year, says Albert, also the brewery’s general manager. The co-owners’ long-range goal is hitting the 35,000-barrel mark.
Peabody currently employs 6, but may hire additional staff for the warehouse.
“As we ramp up production, of course [hiring] is going to increase,” Demczuk says. “We have to start slow.”
Peabody is a co-op brewery, which means it brews and distributes beer for local craft brewers. It currently produces three beers: Baltimore-Washington Beer Works’ Raven Beer, Full Tilt Brewing’s Baltimore Pale Ale and Red Center Amber from Public Works Ale. The beers can be found in liquor stores, restaurants and grocery stores in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. It will soon begin selling in West Virginia, California and New York. It's one of the many breweries and beer-themed restaurants
that have been growing in Greater Baltimore. Another one is underway as
investors ressurect the former Pabst Brewing Co. building in South Baltimore.
Peabody Heights Brewery is located in the old Capital Beverage bottle plant at 401 East 30
th St., which moved out about three years ago. In April, the owners started the building overhaul. This includes installing an activated charcoal filter to remove chlorine and any impurities beer lovers don’t want in their brew.
“That’s the start of our beer, so our beer, batch to batch, is going to be consistent,” Albert says.
Currently, there is no Peabody Heights beer, but hopefully will be someday, Albert says.
**Correction. An earlier version of this story said that the brewery is hiring up to 80. It was based on incorrect information that was given to BmoreMedia.
Writer: Amy Landsman
Sources: Stephen Demczuk, owner, Baltimore Washington Beerworks, co-owner Peabody Heights Brewing; J. Hollis B. Albert III, co-owner and general manager, Peabody Heights Brewing