You’ve got 18 choices at Ocean City Brewing. And if you aren’t in the mood for OC Brewing’s offerings, they keep a couple of others on tap, too.
Assistant brewmaster Justin explains how barley, malt, hops, water and sugar turn into a delicious brew.
Ambition, your name is Ocean City Brewing. This upstart of a brewery only opened in June, as in after Memorial Day. And they opened big — a bar/restaurant as big as a hardware store (that’s what it used to be), with 18 of their own beers on tap. Yes, 18! And if that wasn’t optimistic enough, they included a gift shop with t-shirts, glasses and other stuff as big as at least one brewpub I’ve been in.
Here’s the best part. I liked it so much I already have been there twice.
OK, I’m a sucker for micro-breweries. The paint wasn’t dry the first time I stepped across the threshhold at Burley Oak. I went to Evolution when it was in a little building in Delmar — and I’ve been to 3rd Wave, who moved there when Evo grew up and moved to Salisbury. You get the picture.
Ocean City has turned into a craft brew destination. OC Brewing isn’t even the newest one. Assawoman Bay Brewing opened only a few weeks ago. How will I find the time to check them all out?
It wasn’t full when we visited on two different afternoons but there sure is room for a big crowd.
I’ve been waiting for Ocean City Brewing, watching the hardware store turn into this new endeavor. The wait, I must say, was worth it on several counts. They know what they’re doing in the brew house. Their brews range from a mild Route 50 American pale ale to a gorgeous Joshua’s Red Irish ale to a black and rich Lost Souls stout. A craft brewery without something quirky just isn’t right and they got it right. A watermelon brew called Alrighty Then! (They put in the !), a nutty Nuckin’ Futs that tastes like Thanksgiving. Devil’s Mistress bites back with a 12% ABV.
Samples come in flights of 3.
We sampled some food, too. I predict the restaurant will soon be famous for their eggrolls, stuffed with Philly cheesesteak or mahi mahi or Thai chicken or a dozen other intriguing possibilities. Salads are fresh. BBQ is savory. And everything I saw on the way to other tables looked like the kind of hearty grub that can stand up to the beers made here.
Tour tickets are $10 and include a pint glass and three samples of their beer.
Gifts with purchase of tour ticket.
Then there is the tour. It’s short, maybe 10-15 minutes. This ain’t no Anheuser Busch after all — it’s not even Dogfish Head. (Now this is a fun tour with plenty of “off-center” brews.) But it’s enough to get introduced to OC Brewing before sampling their wares. Ticket holders get a pint glass, and a few coupons for discounts for dining and souvenirs.
Like I said, they’re ambitious here. And it looks to me like their ambitions are paying off.
© Text and photos Mary K. Tilghman
I’m coming back when they open these whiskey barrels filled with porter and red ale.
A Day Away Travel 
You must be logged in to post a comment.