You may have seen the #howitstartedhowitsgoing hashtag all over social media in 2020. Sometimes the beginning was better, and sometimes the good news was on the other side. As Pickett Brewing Company closed in on a location after years of searching, we knew that how we started was just as important as how it’s going. Our new logo symbolizes just that.
How It Started
Our founder, Jason, started home brewing in 2007 in a garage in Dundalk with some friends. After about 5 years life got in the way so they put the burners away until the kids got older and more free time presented itself. Fast forward to 2017, in a different garage, and on a smaller scale he dusted off some of the old equipment and fired up the burners again — this time in a different Baltimore area neighborhood. While the space was small, the following grew pretty quickly. If the garage door was open, friends and neighbors knew they could stop in to taste the latest creations. One of the best parts was the immediate feedback, both positive and negative. Hearing what people liked, and what people didn’t like helped shape the process and product. People came for the beer and stayed for the stories. If people wanted to talk about beer, we’d listen.
Local community organizations invited us to provide craft beer tastings at their events. We met more and more people who were happy to try Pickett beer and tell us what they thought. Soon we were seeing our stickers on cars of people we didn’t even know. We knew we were getting closer.
As we introduced more people to our beer, they started talking about their favorites and asking for specific Pickett beers again. They might not have known it, but the Pickett regulars were helping us develop our future on-tap list (and might have contributed to a beer name or two).
With the support of our loyal fans we knew we were onto something. Finding a location proved to be a challenge. We wanted a brewery space that had the same open-door vibe that we created in the garage. We wanted an official brewery space that reflected where we started as much as where we’re going. In a city known for its neighborhoods, we knew we could find the right spot, we just had to be patient. In 2020, our opportunity arose.
How It’s Going
An industrial building became available in Baltimore’s Pigtown neighborhood close to the stadiums and the newly-coined Mo Gaba Way. Pigtown has a strong neighborhood vibe and collaborative support of small businesses in the area. This spot allows Pickett Brewing Company the opportunity to continue to grow our group of beer drinking friends and be part of a thriving community.
We hope you’ll follow us here and on Facebook and Instagram for updates on progress, beer releases, special events, and more. We’re looking forward to sharing this new beginning with everyone and learning about favored beers from new friends as well as those who have been with us from the start.
We’re so excited about where Pickett Brewing Company is going. It’s our hope that you’ll join us as we open a new garage door, and it’s our belief that a good day is only a beer away.