Iconic Beer Brand Closes One Of Its Only Breweries In The US

American fans of popular stout beers may have cause for concern: Guinness announced it will close its Baltimore brewery in 2026. In a statement, Diageo, the company that owns the popular Irish beer brand, said that that the brewery will become inaccessible to the public beginning on November 1 before ceasing operations completely by the end of the year. The Baltimore location was one of only two Guinness breweries open in the United States; the last one now standing is in Chicago's West Loop.

The reason for the closure ultimately comes as part of the many cost-cutting measures currently being carried out by Diageo, a company that plans to save $1 billion over the next three years. In fact, the company has already laid off thousands of people since the initiative began in August 2026. 

Despite this closure and the many other changes occurring within the company, Diageo assures Guinness fans that they shouldn't worry about the brand's availability in the United States. "While our Baltimore brewery will close, our commitment to bringing Guinness to consumers around the world remains as strong as ever," noted Diageo in the statement (via FoodDive).

Since it opened in August 2018 (when it became the first new American Guinness brewery since 1954), the Guinness Open Gate Brewery has been a popular destination for beer fans. And while the Guinness brewery didn't make it on our list of the very best breweries in each state, its closure has still obviously upset some longtime fans of the location. "I had the NICEST worker experience there. I thought their staff was very accommodating and friendly," claimed one Redditor, who also added, "I enjoyed taking people from out of town that didn't often visit Baltimore."

However, some Baltimore locals are not surprised that the brewery is closing down — and not just because Guinness allegedly tastes better in Ireland than it does stateside. After spending 90 million to create the massive brewery, Guinness stopped producing, packaging, and warehousing its beer in Maryland in 2023. As a result, many fans believe the location has been running on fumes ever since.

Many have also noted that the brewery's location has always been an issue. "It was always in a weird location in my opinion," wrote a Redditor. "There's just not much else around it." Another shared a similar sentiment: "Maybe I'm too city brained but a brewery you have to drive to maybe was not the best idea."