1 Maryland Brewery Ranks Among Best in Nation

MARYLAND — Maryland's craft brewery scene is one of the state's best kept secrets and one company in the state has ranked among the top breweries in the nation, as well as in the top craft breweries category, according to the Brewers Association.

The not-for-profit trade association released two lists on Tuesday of the top 50 breweries — a ranking for craft breweries and a "best overall breweries" list. Both rankings are based on sales volume, the organization said, though beer sales changed significantly over the past year.

"The COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed where Americans purchased alcohol in 2020," said Bart Watson, a chief economist for the association.

Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick scored a spot on both the top craft breweries list and the top overall breweries list. The company started in 1990 as a brewpub in Aspen, Colorado, then grew to a full-fledged Denver brewery in 1994. The current state-of-the-art brewing facility in Frederick, Maryland, Flying Dog "continues to make sense," the company says on its website.

Top craft breweries according to the Brewers Association:

• Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick - Rank: No. 35
  • Core beers: Chesapeake Wheat, Vicious Hook, Double Dog, The Truth, Flood Line, Raging Bitch, Thunderpeel and more

Top overall breweries in Maryland, according to the Brewers Association:

Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick - Rank: No. 44

• Seasonal beers: In God We Crush, Kulture King, Pool Hopping, Dogtoberfest, The Fear, K-9 and more.

The Brewers Assocation represents more than 5,400 U.S. small and independent craft breweries.

>> Read the full Brewers Association report here.