Local Man's Home-Brewed Beer Is A Success Story

HALETHORPE, Md. (WJZ) -- A movement started over 20 years ago by a restaurant owner who wanted to sell beer he made in his restaurant has turned into a local success story.

Mike Schuh has details from the Heavy Seas Brewery in Halethorpe.

In Halethorpe, the smell is success is in the air. Twenty years ago, it took only three people to run a much smaller brewery. Now it takes 45 to navigate these Heavy Seas.

After getting laws passed 25 years ago to allow for brewpubs, Hugh Sisson created the brewery. He remembers bringing home his first two six packs.

"And I put them on the counter and turned to my wife and said, `I don't know if we're going to make any money but that's the last 12 months' of work right there,'" he said.

Sales of suds soared. In fact, three more brew tanks are waiting to be installed.

"No, there's no way in hell I thought we were going to get to this size," he said.

But now, Sisson makes beer sold in 16 states from Florida to Maine. His next one will be aged in used wine barrel.

Wednesday night, they celebrate their first two decades, thanking their customers, employees and good fortune.

"But I wanted this to be a celebration of all that's happened in Maryland beer in the past 27, 28 years," he said. "So it's our day but it's more than just our day."

The 20th anniversary celebration is happening right now at the brewery where the owners of other Maryland microbreweries are guest bartending. The brewery is on Hollins Ferry Road and will be open until 9 p.m. Wednesday.