Breweries
7 locks brewing
Since 2015, this 7,200-square-foot taproom and brewery in Rockville has been crafting beloved beers that have become staples in the region’s restaurants and grocery stores. Enjoy a flight of five 5-ounce pours ($15) or three 5-ounce pours ($10), which might include award winners such as Devil’s Alley IPA and Redland Lager. Feel free to bring something to eat or have food delivered, though food trucks are often on-site Thursday through Saturday from 4-8 p.m. Most Saturday evenings feature live music, and there’s almost always a game on one of the wide-screen TVs in the taproom. Kids and leashed pets are welcome anytime. 12227 Wilkins Ave., Rockville, 301-841-7123, 7locksbrewing.com
BabyCat Brewery
Opened in 2022 by founders Terry Redmond and Sam Mussomeli, the Kensington brewery’s taproom offers an industrial sensibility punctuated by poppy beer label artwork. There’s room inside for 100 guests, with space for another 150 on the patio and deck. Sip on a flight of four 4-ounce pours for $12. The on-site food trailer Cattie Shack is open Thursday through Sunday, serving wings, fries, tacos, hot dogs and more. Additionally, a rotating cast of food trucks is on-site, and guests can order delivery from The Dish & Dram nearby. Feel free to bring pets and kiddos. In August 2024, BabyCat announced that it would open a second location in downtown Bethesda. 10241 Kensington Parkway, Kensington, 301-302-8892, babycatbrewery.com
The Brookeville Beer Farm
There’s a holistic mindset to this working farm in Brookeville. The land is planted with everything from hops and shiitake mushrooms to raspberries and blackberries, which are often used as ingredients for its beers. In turn, the spent grain from the brewing process is put to work as compost to enrich the soil. Welcoming to children and leashed pets, the brewery has a large taproom and a sprawling outdoor area dotted with picnic tables. Taste any four beers for $16. If you’re feeling noshy, you can purchase pizzas, appetizers and salads (no outside food is permitted, except cakes for celebrations). 20315 A Georgia Ave., Brookeville, 301-260-1000, brookevillebeerfarm.com
Elder Pine Brewing & Blending Co.
Popular beers at this Gaithersburg farm brewery include its ever-changing IPAs and Kankitsu, a Japanese-inspired rice lager. Try a tasting flight of three or four 4-ounce samples (prices vary). Children are discouraged, but pets are encouraged. A food truck is always open at the same time as the 45-seat tasting room (there’s more seating outside), serving sandwiches—including a beer-braised beef cheesesteak and another starring pork that’s cooked in cider from Two Story Chimney Ciderworks—sides and salads. Every Saturday in the spring through the fall, the brewery hosts live music outside at its Forest Floor Stage. 4200 Sundown Road, Gaithersburg, 301-377-9906, elderpine.com
Lone Oak Farm Brewing Co.
Nearly 29 acres of picture-perfect farmland are planted with barley, hops, berries and hay, but are also home to fields, gurgling streams and a pond. Sit in the taproom, on the patio, or at a picnic table on a first come, first served basis. Or reserve specialty seating in increments of one hour 45 minutes: VIP table ($26.50), small tent ($132.50) or large tent ($159). A 20% gratuity is added to all of these reservation purchases. Feel free to bring dogs and children; there’s a sizable playground for littles to enjoy. Tasting flights offer the chance to sample a range of the brewery’s offerings ($15.50 for five 5-ounce pours), such as its Sandbar Tropical Hazy IPA. Bonus: Their cocktail bar offers craft drinks, featuring vodka and whiskeys from their sister operation, Fallen Oak Distilling. 5000 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney, 240-261-4967, loneoakbrewingco.com
Saints Row Brewing
Tony and Lacy Prebula popped the cap in 2017 on this laid-back brewery, which also roasts and packages coffee as a side hustle. Savor a flight of four 5-ounce pours ($13). Stop in around Christmas for the annual release of Dark Necessities, a crowd-pleasing imperial milk stout laced with espresso, cinnamon and a fiery hit of cayenne. You’re welcome to bring your own nibbles, though there is often a food truck on-site. Well-behaved children and leashed pets are welcome in the 50-seat taproom and the outdoor beer garden, which has room for another 45. 15 Fulks Corner Ave., Suite 101-102, Gaithersburg, 240-756-6454, saintsrowbeer.com
Silly Yak Beer
Opened in 2022 by Ryan Hill and Tommy Evans, the operation is the sudsy sibling of Two Story Chimney Ciderworks. One of the state’s only gluten-free breweries, it uses corn, rice, buckwheat, millet, sorghum and quinoa to create its beers, which can be sampled in a tasting flight of four 4-ounce pours ($12). Make sure to try the Amber Ale, the most popular brew. Hang out in the 50-seat tasting room or outside, where you can reserve a firepit ($40 for two hours). Check the online calendar to find out which food trucks will be on-site. Saturday is a great time to visit, thanks to live music in the tasting room. 7115 Damascus Road, Gaithersburg, 240-745-5390, sillyyakbeer.com
Silver Branch Brewing Co.
Founded by Christian Layke and Brett Robison in 2019, this brewery with a taproom and biergarten for 275 guests is next to the Silver Spring Metro station. Take a tour around the globe with its Four Worlds Flight, featuring its IPA, saison, doppelbock, dry Irish stout, hefeweizen and pilsner ($20). Complement your suds with sandwiches, salads, tacos and appetizers. The brewery regularly hosts events, including trivia nights, and in the fall it goes all out for Oktoberfest, with live music, games, a German-style menu and an abundance of gemütlichkeit (a feeling of coziness and good cheer). 8401 Colesville Road, #150, Silver Spring, 301-288-1112, silverbranchbrewing.com
Stone Silo Brewery
Standing tall and proud, this farm’s picture-worthy stone silo, built in 1931, inspired the moniker of this agrarian brewery by Don and Susan Katzenberger. In keeping with the rustic aesthetic of this 70-acre property, the taproom is located in the onetime milk house. Beers include a tangerine-accented hazy IPA, a strawberries-and-cream-laced sour, and a gose infused with key lime and cinnamon. Leashed dogs allowed, but only outside. Kids can come, too, but they must always be attended. Bring your own food or avail yourself of one of the food trucks on-site Thursday through Sunday. 28800 Kemptown Road, Damascus, 301-256-3118, stonesilobrewery.com
Waredaca Brewing Co.
Montgomery County’s first farm brewery is surrounded by paddocks full of horses, offering great photo ops during your visit (no petting allowed). Survey the agrarian operation’s sudsy offerings with a flight of five 5-ounce tasters ($16), which might include popular brews such as their premium extra pale lager, Shiloh Belgian Blonde and Winslow NE Pale Ale. Complement drinks with bites such as warm pretzels, charcuterie, cheese, popcorn and Detroit-style pizza (only available Thursday and Friday). There’s space for up to 70 guests in the taproom, as well as a couple hundred more outside. Children and pets are welcome. 4017 Damascus Road, Laytonsville, 301-774-2337, waredacabrewing.com
CIDERIES & MEADERY
Clear Skies Meadery
Made with fermented honey, water and yeast, mead is often referred to as honey wine. The vision of meadmaker Yancy Bodestein and business operations guru Manisha Eigner, this boutique meadery gives longtime lovers and first-timers alike a taste of the hive with flights of 2-ounce pours ($14.50 for four, $18 for five), which might include the award-winning Friending Fenrir, a dry mead that tastes like a dry prosecco blossoming with floral notes. You can pair drinks with packaged foods—such as chips, cheese and charcuterie—though the meadery sometimes hosts food trucks on weekends. Wednesdays are board game nights, while trivia happens every Thursday evening in the tasting room with space for 60 guests. Feel free to bring tykes and leashed pets. 15201 Display Court, Rockville, 301-867-8965, clearskiesmeadery.com
Doc Waters Cidery
Since opening in 2018, the first cidery in the county has been racking up awards for its apple-powered creations, including those that are hopped and oak-aged. Try a quartet of them in their natural state ($17) or as refreshing slushies ($23). The outdoor-only cidery offers plenty of shaded seating in the warm-weather months, while igloos and firepits are available to rent once it gets chilly (prices vary). Stop in for trivia on Friday nights, live music on Saturday and Sunday, and food trucks from Friday through Sunday (you also can bring your own food and nonalcoholic beverages). In September and October, pick a variety of apples in the orchard, including Crimson Crisps, Hudson Golden Gems and Pink Ladies. 22529 Wildcat Road, Germantown, 301-972-1814, docwaterscidery.com
Two Story Chimney Ciderworks
For five years, this charming cidery has been cranking out small-batch hard ciders, many featuring apples from its orchards. Its bestselling Sweet Tart, crafted with crab apples, is a core offering that can be tried in a tasting flight ($12 for four 4-ounce pours) in Two Story Chimney’s 50-seat tasting room or at a bevy of outdoor seats. A sister operation to Silly Yak Beer, the pet- and kid-friendly spot hosts rotating food trucks Friday through Sunday. For entertainment, pretend you’re a Viking warrior by hurling axes at the range with Sister Axe Throwing. 7115 Damascus Road, Gaithersburg, 240-745-5390, twostorychimney.com
DISTILLERY
Twin Valley Distillers
Pop into the distillery’s 2,500-square-foot showroom whenever it’s open to sample and purchase its spirits, such as single-cask bourbon, apple-cinnamon-infused whiskey, hibiscus-sorrel rum, and coffee liqueur. But if you stop by when the bar is open (Tuesday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.), you also can access a full cocktail list—including a smoked old fashioned, grapefruit-forward Paloma and bourbon-powered lemonade—a trio of housemade beers, and a food menu featuring pizza, panini and beef patties. Near the end of the year, the distillery releases seasonal spirits, including festive flavors such as eggnog and chocolate. 1029 E. Gude Drive, Rockville, 240-421-1115, twinvalleyd.com
WINERIES
61 Vineyard
To sample a range of the efforts from vineyard owners Mark and Pam Giganti, order a five-wine tasting flight ($20) that features a pair of reds, two whites and a rosé. Enjoy it in the well-appointed tasting room with 25 seats; there are another 50 seats out on the enclosed patio and 100 more scattered across the scenic 47-acre farm striped with 19 acres of vines and an Instagram-worthy view of Sugarloaf Mountain (all seating is first come, first served). You can bring a picnic, though the vineyard sells upscale snacks (charcuterie boards, hummus and olives), regularly hosts food trucks, and several local restaurants will deliver there. Children and leashed pets are welcome outside, but not in the tasting room. 28712 Kemptown Road, Damascus, 301-253-2832, 61vineyard.com
Olney Winery
You can taste any four wines for $10 at this sip spot with a suburban sensibility. Its lineup of more than 30 options includes classic varietals such as cabernet sauvignon and pinot grigio, and wines infused with the flavors of peach, pina colada and watermelon lemonade. For a deeper dive, sign up for the make-your-own-wine experience—you’ll create a one-of-a-kind label with their graphic designer and head home with 27 to 29 bottles of a personalized varietal ($450-$750). Food options include charcuterie, salads, sandwiches and brick oven pizzas, including a porky proposition featuring prosciutto, bacon and sausage, and one topped with seven types of mushrooms. 52 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Ashton, 301-570-1907, olneywinery.com
Rocklands Farm Winery
You know you’ve reached this rural vineyard when you pull up to the big red barn. Seating is first come, first served inside and also out on the sprawling lawn. Wet your whistle by enjoying a guided five-wine flight ($22 per person). No matter what, make sure to savor Anna’s Rosé, a dry low-alcohol easy drinker that is the winery’s bestseller. Kids are welcome; dogs are not. Bring your own nibbles to nosh on, patronize one of the rotating local food vendors, or pick up small bites in the market, such as cheese, charcuterie, dips, chips, sips and sweets. On Saturdays at 1 p.m., the vineyard offers a complimentary 45-minute tour of the 12-acre vineyard and its operations (adults only). 14531 Montevideo Road, Poolesville, 301-825-8075, rocklandsfarmmd.com
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard
Nestled at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain, this bucolic estate features 22 acres of vines spread out around a cozy tasting room, sizable patio and extensive grassy seating areas. Get a free tour of the operation by emailing in advance (info@smvwinery.com). Indulge in the full range of offerings at the bar or try a four-wine flight at a table (prices vary). The vineyard is dog-friendly and kid-ready, so feel free to bring a Frisbee, baseball or yard games to keep them amused. There’s also live music on Friday through Sunday so the good vibes stay strong. On the food front, there is a small selection of cheese and charcuterie available for purchase, and food trucks are on-site most weekends. 18125 Comus Road, Dickerson, 301-605-0130, smvwinery.com
The Urban Winery of Silver Spring
Located in downtown Silver Spring, this vino hangout offers a variety of tasting flights ($15-$20) so you can dive deep into its cellar’s offerings. Want to learn how wine is made and craft a small batch of your own? Sign up for the two-session Wine Making Experience ($500-$750), which yields bespoke bottles varying from sweet whites to robust dark reds. Bebop over on Thursday nights to hear live jazz; there’s a variety of live music on Saturdays. For food, you can build your own board with a variety of cheeses and charcuterie, savor mezze—such as tinned seafood, Old Bay-dusted chicken wings and Greek meatballs—or enjoy desserts, including baklava and chocolate cake. 2315 Stewart Ave., Silver Spring, 301-585-4100, theurbanwinery.com
Windridge Vineyards
The tasting room and outdoor seating at this picturesque property on the Piedmont Plateau look out over 10 acres of vines neatly laid out on the slopes below (another 20 acres’ worth are under cultivation at other sites). Settle in to sip on the latest vintage of Windridge’s refreshing sparkling rosé or its summery albariño. Complimentary reservations are highly recommended. Book a 20-minute guided tasting with an expert, which includes samples of five signature wines ($25 per person). You can bring your own food, though the vineyard also sells charcuterie, local cheeses, crackers, snacks and sweets. 15700 Darnestown Road, Darnestown, 301-750-9463, windridge.wine
This story appears in Bethesda Magazine’s 2024-2025 Insider’s Guide.
