The changes mean craft beer enthusiasts will see more of their favorite drinks in stores around the Washington region. The other loosens provisions on contracts between brewers and wholesalers. One law increases the amount of beer craft brewers can produce and sell. Two new laws - the Brewery Modernization Act and the Beer Franchise Law - will dramatically alter the craft beer industry. Not because the O'Learys are taking on more friends, but because the new year brings more opportunities for growth to Maryland craft beer brewers.
MARYLAND HOMEBREW SHOPS SERIES
True Respite's inner circle series could expand next year.
Every time she comes in the taproom, she points at it and tells everyone, 'That's my beer,'" says Bailey O'Leary. There's "Button and Muffin," pet names of a couple of their employees, and "It's Too Foggy," a phrase uttered by their sassy toddler when she doesn't get her way. The owners of True Respite Brewing Company in Rockville, Maryland, have an entire series of beers inspired by close friends and family. If you ever get accepted into Brendan and Bailey O'Leary's inner circle, they'll name a beer after you.
I believe the recipe for a great tasting beer begins and ends with people.Bailey (L) and Brendan O'Leary, owners of True Respite Brewing Company in Rockville, Maryland. I needed to build a bigger community for Good People, Good Beer, Good Life. That’s when I realized I was on to something. Yes, they liked my pours, but people were there to see ME. When it started back up in 2021, I was surprised to see so many people looking for me. Because of the pandemic the festival was skipped. My first time in attendance there was 2019, and we all know what happened in March of 2020. I get stopped from people who recognized me there even today, two years later. Since attending the Friendship Craft Beer Festival, things have really taken off. Not to mention the feeling I had when I saw the line for people waiting to see me was longer than for the pros. There’s no better satisfaction than pouring the beer you slaved over to see it enjoyed at a craft beer festival. Yeah, most of them happen now because of the following I have grown. I’m regularly asked about sharing my brews with friends – remember those tastings I mentioned. It is a great support system besides making lifelong friends, I’ve learned a lot, and started to build a following. I have been a valued member of my local homebrew club, the Brewers Association of Maryland, The National Brewers Association, and the MD Homebrew Guild. In fact, it’s our tagline: Good People, Good Beer, Good Life.Īnyone with the right knowledge can build a brewery, but not everyone can build a community. I am building a place to celebrate Good People, Good Beer, and the Good Life. I want to build an experience for people who love good beer and hanging out with like-minded folk. But I know exactly what it is going to be. I’m still in negotiations with a few landlords looking for the perfect location, so yeah, I don’t know what it looks like. I have a clear vision for what I want to build. From there I started looking for a location. With all of that experience under my belt, I felt it was time start developing my own brand and personality around the beers I was crafting. I visited trade shows, talked to every expert I could track down, and brewed more. I devoured as much information about beer and the industry as I could. A lot! I hosted tastings for friends and professionals. Once I had the perfect system I needed to brew and experiment and learn, I sought out to do just that. This set up is similar to the pilot systems many small breweries use. I built a fully electric system with vent hood, pumps, conical fermentors, and glycol chiller. I created a 300sf brewery in my home to hone my skills. I took Phil’s words to heart and I began to study.
While that is not the advice I wanted to hear, it was the advice I needed. Here I was prepared to take the leap and start right away looking for a location - that was 2016. He gave me the best advice anyone could have given me at the time, “You’re not ready.” Having made a number of nice beers and wanting to do something in the hospitality industry for decades, I talked with my good friend Phil Rhudy who owns Independent Brewing in Bel Air, Maryland.
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