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. 

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.

BabyCat Brewery and beer garden to open in Kensington

BabyCat Brewery will open this fall at 10241 Kensington Parkway, behind the shopping center and post office there. Local residents Sam Mussomeli and Terry Redmond are the co-founders of the brewery, which will include a taproom and a beer garden. They have been experimenting and coming up with beers that may appear on the final list since last year, including The Catnip Bender, brewed with Idaho 7, Ekuanot, and Citra hops; an oatmeal milk stout; the On the Prowl IPA (6% ABV); and the Put It on My Tabby lager (4% ABV). Craft beer aficionados in the region may have already had a chance to sample some of these at events where BabyCat had a tent or table over the last year.

As all of the cat themes might suggest, pets were one inspiration for the venture. Mussmeli and Redmond aim to create a community brewery, featuring food from local restaurateurs and food trucks, and live entertainment by local musicians. BabyCat is expected to open in November 2022.

Logo courtesy BabyCat Brewery

Zinnia coming to Silver Spring

Zinnia, a restaurant and beer garden, is coming this summer to 9201 Colesville Road in Silver Spring. The property is the former Mrs. K's Tollhouse. Owner Chris Brown is also the owner of Takoma Beverage Company.

Brown has been aiming for a mid-July opening. A liquor license hearing for the new establishment is scheduled for July 1.

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.

FULL ON CRAFT EATS & DRINKS TO OPEN ON NORBECK ROAD (PHOTO)

A new gourmet sandwich shop will open on Norbeck Road (just north of Leisure World) early this summer. Full On Craft Eats & Drinks will also feature craft beer and wine, at 4007-D Norbeck Road - which is Rockville according to the U.S. Postal Service. But so close to Aspen Hill and Glenmont, that one might consider it Silver Spring, as well. You decide!

What's not up for debate, is Full On's promise not to use preservatives, chemicals or stabilizers in its food. All meats are processed and roasted in-house, not from a factory. And every sandwich will be made to order. Also prepared daily, will be soup, as well as salads made fresh-to-order.

Sandwiches will include Turkey & Cranberry, Ham and Eggs (with egg salad), Crabcake Grilled Cheese, and the Greek Salad Sandwich with smashed chickpeas, greek olives, sliced cucumber, banana peppers, tomato, red onion, and feta cheese, with oil & vinegar.