Independent Brewing In Bel Air Looks To Expand

BEL AIR, MD — Independent Brewing is looking to expand its footprint in Bel Air.

The business plans to create a taproom behind the current location on Main Street.

Representatives for Independent presented preliminary plans to the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners Tuesday night at a work session in Town Hall as the business aims to grow.

Independent employs seven full-time workers, according to owner Phil Rudy.

With the new additions, the business "would probably employ five or six additional people," Rudy said, including "three full-time employees at a decent salary, one of which would be a very skilled person."

The business will likely need to be granted an exception to the town's code around parking, since the new building would double capacity. The new building would have a 99-person occupancy, and the old building would also have 99-person occupancy.

Because the town code says 50 percent of the parking for a business needs to be on-site, project managers said they may need to go to the board of appeals to get permission. They noted that many patrons come by bike or by foot, since the brewery is on the Ma & Pa Trail and along Main Street in downtown Bel Air.

Project officials declined to show the plan, which was given to the town commissioners, with Patch, saying it had not been officially submitted to the town.