About
"It all started in 1980… Hugh Sisson, a Maryland native, theater grad school major, and all-around good guy, joins his family’s restaurant & bar, “Sisson’s” located on Cross Street in South Baltimore.
Craft beer wasn’t even on the radar back then. But, Hugh quickly recognized that to run a business, you need to do something to be different.
Light bulb moment: “What if we turned Sisson’s into a brewpub and brewed our own beer?”
Solid plan, right? Problem: Brewpubs weren’t legal in Maryland at the time.
In 1987, Hugh worked with Maryland legislators to draft a bill to legalize brewpubs in Baltimore City – the bill passed on first attempt. Fast forward to 1989, “Sisson’s” becomes the first brewpub in the state of Maryland.
After the brewpub scene for a few years, Hugh felt the need for a bigger stage (theater-pun intended.) In 1994, he left “Sisson’s” for his next business venture… and the rest, friends, is nothing short of Maryland craft beer history"
Craft beer wasn’t even on the radar back then. But, Hugh quickly recognized that to run a business, you need to do something to be different.
Light bulb moment: “What if we turned Sisson’s into a brewpub and brewed our own beer?”
Solid plan, right? Problem: Brewpubs weren’t legal in Maryland at the time.
In 1987, Hugh worked with Maryland legislators to draft a bill to legalize brewpubs in Baltimore City – the bill passed on first attempt. Fast forward to 1989, “Sisson’s” becomes the first brewpub in the state of Maryland.
After the brewpub scene for a few years, Hugh felt the need for a bigger stage (theater-pun intended.) In 1994, he left “Sisson’s” for his next business venture… and the rest, friends, is nothing short of Maryland craft beer history"
7/10
Dark roasted sweet malty with some molasses, some oxidised character, spices and brown sugar, sweet toasted malty finish.
Tried
from Bottle
on 26 Mar 2025
at 06:04
4.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 4
Texture 6
Overall 4.5
Bottle. Not very good beer. Color is a very pale amber. Some head. Aroma, very weak. A soapy, dough aroma. Taste is a bland, nasty taste.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Mar 2025
at 04:39
7.8/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8
12oz bottle picked up at Total Wine.
Pours near black with a medium sized tan head, light lacing. Dark malts, chocolate, caramel, cocoa, raisins, sweet.
Good
Pours near black with a medium sized tan head, light lacing. Dark malts, chocolate, caramel, cocoa, raisins, sweet.
Good
Tried
from Bottle
from
Total Wine & More - Melbourne, FL
on 24 Mar 2025
at 00:48
6.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottle. Black in color with a tan head. Aroma is coffee and chocolate. Taste is coffee and chocolate with hints of molasses, toffee and caramel.
Tried
from Bottle
on 21 Mar 2025
at 05:13
6.3/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Mar 2025
at 18:22
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
13th March 2025
CBJ tasting. Thanks to Leighton for the 2012 bottle. Clear deep amber brown beer, no real head. Light and semi dry palate, papery malts, a little caramel. Eucalyptus aromatics in stark contrast. Touch of wood. Light semi dry finish. Different.
CBJ tasting. Thanks to Leighton for the 2012 bottle. Clear deep amber brown beer, no real head. Light and semi dry palate, papery malts, a little caramel. Eucalyptus aromatics in stark contrast. Touch of wood. Light semi dry finish. Different.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Mar 2025
at 18:18
7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Vintage 2012. Moderate sweetness, nice well toasted malts, earth, dried berries, a little leather. Limited oxidation. A little toasted toffee and caramel vibe. Solid overall.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Craft Beer Junction
on 13 Mar 2025
at 18:04
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Bottle shared at the craft beer junction bermondsey tasting. Many thanks. A clear nut brown coloured pour with a halo of greyish head. Aroma is semi sweet, cola cubes, dusty, brown sugars, aged. Flavour is composed of semi sweet, nutty malts, toasted malts, dried fruits, cola cubes, mellow aged, some, chalk. Palate is semi sweet, rounded, mellow carbonation.
Tried
from Bottle
on 13 Mar 2025
at 14:27
6.8/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Bottle split at the CBJ tasting, thanks to LKS, 13/03/2025.
Extremely dark mahogany brown topped with a khaki cap that thins to the edge.
Nose is dark malts, brown bread, toffee, dried fruit rinds.
Taste comprises dates, cocoa powder, fruit esters, oxidisation setting in.
Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, drying close.
Passable ... unsurprisingly a bit bollocksed.
Extremely dark mahogany brown topped with a khaki cap that thins to the edge.
Nose is dark malts, brown bread, toffee, dried fruit rinds.
Taste comprises dates, cocoa powder, fruit esters, oxidisation setting in.
Medium bodied, moderate carbonation, drying close.
Passable ... unsurprisingly a bit bollocksed.
Tried
on 13 Mar 2025
at 14:16
7/10
RB score 3.31
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Mar 2025
at 01:24