Silver Branch Brewing Co. to open taproom in Wheaton

Silver Branch Brewing Co. is expanding to Wheaton. It is leasing the retail space in the Montgomery County government office building at 2425 Reedie Drive in the Wheaton Triangle. The 8,589-square-foot space is being subleased to the brewery by the County for a 12 year period, with two 5-year options to extend. The retail space is subdivided into two suites.

Montgomery County has agreed to a base rent abatement of 18 months for Suite A, and of 30 months for Suite B, and a Construction Allowance "equal to $440 per square foot or $3,779,160." This means the County is giving a break on rent, and providing over $3 million reimbursement for construction costs, to Silver Branch. The deal was proposed by County Executive Marc Elrich, and has been approved by the County Council.

Silver Branch currently operates taprooms in Silver Spring, Rockville, and Warrenton, Virginia. The Virginia location is temporarily closed for renovations due to a fire that occurred in December 2024. All three existing taprooms serve food as well as beer, and are highly-rated in online reviews.

Dacha Beer Garden opening in downtown Silver Spring

Montgomery County fans of Dacha Beer Garden in Washington, D.C. soon won't have to travel so far. The local Bavaria-inspired chain is expanding to Silver Spring. Dacha will take over the former Denizens location at 1115 East-West Highway. It won't just be a change of signage, though. They plan to relocate the Denizens kitchen to the garden level, resurface the patio, replace the outdoor bar with a new covered bar, install a new motorized canopy over the garden area, and update the lighting fixtures and bathrooms. 

The Dacha beverage list includes German, Belgian and American craft beers, local meads and ciders, draft cocktails and a selection of fine wines. Currywurst and krapfen are on the menu at both D.C. locations, so hopefully we can expect those German menu items in Silver Spring, as well. Construction is expected to begin this summer.

You could own a brewery building in Silver Spring

The building currently home to Third Hill Brewing Co. at 8216 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring is on the market for sale. This doesn't mean that Third Hill is closing; in fact, their lease runs through February 2029, with 2 5-year extension options. What it does mean, is that you can own the building and become the landlord. According to the sale listing, you would also become the owner of the brewery beermaking equipment, which will convey with the sale, and the cool lighted sign on the pole out front. The asking price is $4,000,000, according to the online sale listing. 

From Crown Wigs to Crown Beer & Wine in Silver Spring

Here's a bankshot of a change in business concept. Crown Wigs closed last year at 8233 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring. Now a beer & wine sales license has been approved for Crown Beer & Wine at the same address. Their off-sale license only permits the sale of sealed containers of alcoholic beverages, which cannot be consumed on-site. The shop will also serve as a convenience store, as noted on the blue awning.

Salud! Beer & Wine opening in Takoma Park

Salud! Beer & Wine is coming soon to Takoma Park. The store, which will offer craft beer and fine wine tastings, will be located at 1173-C University Boulevard, in the Hampshire-Langley Shopping Center. Matt Gorman of Renaud Consulting represented the store owners in reaching a lease deal for the 3000-square-foot storefront with property owner Saul Centers. Operating hours for the store will be 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday, and 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.

Third Hill Brewing Co. opens in downtown Silver Spring

Third Hill Brewing Co. is now open at 8216 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring. It has filled the building recently vacated by Astro Lab Brewing. Third Hill's current selections include a Key Lime-and-grapefruit-raspberry Funtime Seltzer, Scientist Pale Ale, and its first Berliner Weisse. Operating hours are 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM Thursdays and Fridays, 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM Saturdays, 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM Sundays, and closed on Mondays.

Astro Lab Brewing closes in Silver Spring

Astro Lab Brewing last night

A great addition to downtown Silver Spring in recent years has departed. Astro Lab Brewing closed permanently last night at 8216 Georgia Avenue. The brewery welcomed customers for the last time, and the Cafe Vino truck served pizzas. Longtime readers of this website will recall the construction updates I posted during 2018, in which we saw the old Champion Billards building transformed into a neighborhood destination brewery. "We're a little older, a little weary but a whole lot better off for having spent the last 4 and half years with you," the owners wrote in a farewell message on social media.

Daro's Beer & Wine considers adding basement speakeasy in Wheaton

Daro's Beer & Wine, a beer and wine retailer that also serves cold beer indoors at 2501 Ennalls Avenue in Wheaton, has room to grow in its 2000-square-foot basement level. Owner Pete Cordaro is floating the idea of turning the space into a speakeasy, given that it has access from both inside the store, and from the exterior alleyway. 

The new space could be rented for events, and possibly include a small stage for live music. Food would be catered, or delivered from outside establishments. It might also feature a big screen TV, a pool table, a pinball machine, Maryland Lottery and sales of beer and wine. But nothing is set in stone yet, as Cordaro is still accepting feedback from customers and the neighborhood.

Wheaton beer & wine convenience store for sale

Kiss and Ride Convenience, a convenience store selling beer & wine at 2398 Reedie Drive in Wheaton, is for sale. The store is in a prime location atop the Wheaton Metro station alongside busy Georgia Avenue.

According to the online sale listing, the asking price is $125,000 plus inventory. The current lease for the store runs through April 2035.

Bottlegonia coming to Shoppes of Burnt Mills in Silver Spring

Bottlegonia, a beer and wine store, is coming to the Shoppes of Burnt Mills at 10715 Colesville Road in Silver Spring. The owners say to expect a mid-November opening.

Marleny Market coming to Wheaton

Marleny Market is coming soon to Wheaton. The market will be at 2307 University Boulevard, in the classic Wheaton Manor Shopping Center that once was home to Toys R Us. Among the products sold at the market will be beer and wine. It will be an easy walk from the nearby apartments.

Silver Spring's Astro Lab Brewing launching 2 canned beers Friday

Tahia New Zealand Pilsner

Astro Lab Brewing will launch their first 2 canned beers in the Silver Spring brewery's history this Friday, July 26, 2019 at 11:00 AM. Be one of the first and few to pick up a can of Tahia New Zealand Pilsner, or the Fresh As IPA - or both. Both will be available for sale in limited quantities, no pre-sale orders, at only two locations - Astro Lab at 8216 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, and at Downtown Crown Wine & Beer at 303 Copley Place in Gaithersburg.

Fresh As IPA

Brew Belly opens in Olney

Brew Belly Kitchen & Sudhaus opened Election Day at 18065 Georgia Avenue in Olney. They're already drawing quite a crowd, to the point that the owners have had to remind patrons not to park in other businesses' lots nearby. They'll be hosting a Lebowski Trivia Night with Jailbreak Brewing Company tonight, November 7, 2018, starting at 6:30 PM. Quite a transformation of the old building, too, as you can see here.

Photo courtesy Brew Belly

Astro Lab Brewing logo painted on (Photos)

The logo sign for Astro Lab Brewing was being painted on the front of the building Sunday. Expected to open by the end of summer, Astro Lab is located at 8216 Georgia Avenue.

Silver Spring construction update: Astro Lab Brewing (Video+Photos)

Here's the latest progress at future Silver Spring brewery Astro Lab Brewing - and there's been a lot. You can see they now have a front patio, and what appears to be a garage-style door on the front facade. Astro Lab is located at 8216 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring.

Silver Spring construction update: Astro Lab Brewing (Photos)

Patience is a virtue for craft beer lovers in Silver Spring, as Astro Lab Brewing continues to painstakingly turn an old building at 8216 Georgia Avenue into a destination brewery. They've received their brewing equipment, which includes a 15-barrel brew house, fermenters, and a brite tank. These were acquired from ABS Commercial in North Carolina.

Over the last month, the owners have been preparing the steam piping and boiler for connection to public utilities. Utilities have been one of the time-consuming parts of the construction, but Astro Lab finally received approval of permits to dig in the right-of-way on Georgia Avenue and Ripley Street, for brewery-level water, gas and electric power upgrades.

The owners are hoping for a late August opening, so keep your fingers crossed. As you can see, they are still working hard on the facade of the building, as well.

DENIZENS BREWING CO. IN SILVER SPRING GETS CONSTRUCTION PERMIT

Denizens Brewing Co., an urban craft brewery and bar opening this summer in downtown Silver Spring, has been issued a construction permit by Montgomery County. This will allow the owners to transform the space at 1115 East-West Highway from a restaurant into a "restaurant and brewing company" configuration, according to the permit.

Among the in-house brew options will be trendy sour beers, and there will be live music as well. This definitely sounds like a great addition to downtown Silver Spring.

Up until now, Denizens has been in the news for changing its name - after another local brewery, DC Brau, objected to the original brand name of Citizens Brewing Company. No, I don't get what the problem was, either.

By this summer, expect Denizens to be know more for its beers and nightlife than that old story.

Logo courtesy of Denizens Brewing Co.

RUFFLES MAX BEER BATTERED ONION RINGS POTATO CHIP REVIEW (VIDEO)

The new Ruffles Max Beer Battered Onion Rings potato chip promises "maximum flavor." Can a chip deliver the flavors of one of America's favorite side dishes? Watch my review and find out! I found these chips at Giant.