Because of the coronavirus outbreak, I am unable to visit breweries. Subsequently, we are repeating Craft Beer on The Bay blogs and podcasts from the last six years. This is Craft Beer on The Bay featuring Ruhlman Brewing from January 29, 2016.
For most brewers, the path to becoming a brewmaster starts with home brewing… and that’s exactly how Henry Ruhlman, the Head Brewer and owner of the Ruhlman Brewery, got started. Last week I met with Henry at his brewery on the family farm, a few miles outside the town of Hampstead and Henry told me about his introduction to craft beer and the formation of the Ruhlman Brewery.
Henry’s start in home brewing was through an extract beer kit he received as a birthday gift in 2003. Extract beer kits provide all of the ingredients you need to brew a five-gallon batch of beer. After trying a few more extract kits, Henry started growing his own hops so that he could brew his beer with hops right from his farm. Over time, those hops became a big hop field!
(Henry Ruhlman talks about his hop field)
In 2010, Henry and his family became owners of his father’s farm and, shortly afterwards, began making plans to open a brewery next to the hop field. In 2012, Henry built a 10-barrel brewery on the farm including a bottling and labeling line.
While I was at the brewery, Henry had a batch of his Red Ale in one of his tanks and we talked about Ruhlman Red Ale and Ruhlman Milk Stout.
(Henry Ruhlman talks about his Red Ale and his Milk Stout)
You can find Ruhlman Brewery beers in Carroll County and at the brewery, year round. And a summer visit to the brewery gives you a chance to walk through the hop field or just sit in their beer garden and drink a Ruhlman craft beer.
Cheers!
Jefferson
The Craft Beer Guy
Email: jward@thebayonline.com
