Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe, MD will close to the public on Nov. 1, 2026, and wind down operations by the end of the year. The brewery was in Baltimore for around eight years.
The brewery made the announcement on its social media channels this afternoon.
Diageo North America Inc. owns the Guinness brewery, and the announcement to close comes three years after they stopped commerical brewing operations and laid off 100 employees — but continued as an experimental taproom and popular gathering space.
In 2025, Diageo sold around 63 acres of property surrounding the Open Gate location. After that sale, the Guinness campus consisted of only the 12-acre Open Gate Brewery.
“This was not a decision we made lightly,” a Diageo spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. “We are proud of what was built in Baltimore, thankful for everyone who contributed to its success, and committed to supporting our employees and community as we move forward.”
The statement noted a “careful review” of the company’s “operations and long-standing business priorities.” The Baltimore brewery had rising operating costs combined with lower demand and other economic troubles that made staying in business unviable.
Diageo plans to establish a $250,000 community fund to support local organizations to help mitigate the economic blow of closing the brewery. The company’s spokesperson said their “immediate focus” is supporting its employees with resources and assistance through the closure.
Guinness Open Gate Brewery opened in 2018 at 5001 Washington Blvd. in Halethorpe. It was the first Guinness brewery on U.S. soil in 64 years, housing a taproom, restaurant, and production facility. It had a strong starting year, with 400,000 visitors, which exceeded its expectations by 100,000. Over the years, it celebrated anniversaries with beer releases, themed events, beer festivals, St. Patrick’s Day, Arts and Drafts festivals, and Preakness, becoming a fixture on the city’s beer-drinking circuit.
