Maryland's Guinness Open Gate Brewery shutting down; company cites rising costs

HALETHORPE, Md. — After nearly 8 years of operations, Diageo, the owner of the Guinness brand, has announced plans to close the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe. In a statement to WMAR, the company cited rising costs as a reason for the closure.

‘We have made the difficult decision to close the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore. This decision follows a careful review of our operations and long-term business priorities," a spokesperson for Diageo stated. "It is not a reflection of the passion, talent, or dedication of our team, nor of the support we have received from consumers and the Baltimore community since we opened our doors in 2018."

The closure comes just 3 years after the facility laid off 100 people and stopped brewing the Baltimore Blonde variety of the beer at the location.

Guinness Open Gate brewery opened in 2018 as a destination for the Guinness brand. The company estimates that more than 2 million visitors from Maryland and across the United States visited during its time in operation.

"Over time the company had experienced increasing operating costs, shifts in consumer demand, and broader economic pressures that made the Baltimore brewery increasingly difficult to sustain," Diageo explained further on their decision.

The brewery's last day open to the public will be on November 1. The brewery is expected to fully end operations by the end of the year.

The company did not state how many jobs will be impacted by the closure.

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