Beer, wine, spirits abloom in Washington County

Beer, wine, spirits abloom in Washington County GETTY IMAGES

written by

YVONNE FORD

OWNER, RED HEIFER

WINERY

Washington County is abloom with new and varied wineries, breweries and distilleries, and springtime offers a great opportunity to head out of the house and imbibe in your local offerings.

Cushwa Brewing Co. in Williamsport, which opened in 2016, moved to a new location and underwent a significant transformation in 2020.

Scott Coleman, co-owner, said the new location offers “more space for the taproom and production.”

Coleman said the new “customer base is widely varied. The new space has brought in more families,” in part due to the inclusion of Rad Pies, which offers made-to-order pizza. In addition, Cushwa offers wine from Red Heifer Winery in Smithsburg and Big Cork Vineyards in Rohrersville. The addition of wine has made Cushwa more attractive to an increasing number of people.

“We can make a variety of customers happy by adding on food and wine,” Coleman said.

After visiting Cushwa Brewing, be sure to turn the corner and visit Homaide Brewing Co.

Other breweries in Washington County include Antietam Brewery and Upper Stem Brewery. Upper Stem is Washington County’s first farm brewery, growing and producing ingredients such as grains, hops, herbs and fruit used in its brew.

For the first time, distilleries have made their way into Washington County, with several slated to open soon. Meinelschmidt Distillery in downtown Hagerstown and Pathfinder Farm in Keedysville anticipate opening their doors to the public this year.

Most of Washington County’s wineries are located throughout beautiful farmland. For a relaxing afternoon at a vineyard, enjoy your choice of Antietam Creek Vineyards, Big Cork Vineyards, Cool Ridge Vineyard and Red Heifer Winery.

Other wineries include Blue Mountain Wine Crafters and Stone House Urban Winery, each uniquely offering smalltown charm in Funkstown and Hagerstown, respectively. All locations offer outdoor seating, and many offer food and host live music.

To highlight what the county has to offer, Washington County’s Agriculture Business Development Specialist Leslie Hart spearheaded a Pour Tour campaign featuring each beverage crafter.

“The new Pour Tour brochure features the finest local wineries, breweries and distilleries,” Hart said. “These award-winning local businesses are open and ready to provide you with the highest-quality libations.”

Be sure to enjoy responsibly and consider carry-off options to safely consume at home. For more information about the Pour Tour, go to: visithagerstown.com/files/pour-tour.pdf. — Places