FREDERICK, MARYLAND

In the midst of a mini-mall stationed just next door to Midnight Run Brewing on the outskirts of Frederick, Maryland, ROCKWELL BREWERY owner Paul Tinney (a guitar designer) and brewmaster Scott Kernon succeed at creating an “intimate and fun atmosphere” for lovers of straightforwardly stylistic suds.

Recalling a black-walled art deco studio, this mid-sized brewery’s exquisite post-modernist neo-Industrial setting features glimmering bulb-lit ROCKWELL lettering along the wall, an abstract tap station, mosaic wood bar, stark ceiling-bound exposed pipes and sturdy community tables.

The brewhouse and storage deck the rear and a cement benched deck with partial covering allows for extra seating during my friendly June ’20 excursion.

First up, mild helles lager, Mausketeer, plied maize-dried astringency to herbal Hallertau hops, musky pilsner malts and acrid barnyard mustiness for a briskly light-bodied thirst quencher.

Best sellin’ Rapture, a crisply dry blonde ale, lets spritzy lemon zest snuggle alongside grassy-hopped cracked wheat rusticity for perfect lawnmower fodder.  

Dewy peat moisture soaks into sweet tobacco-roasted mocha malts for That “B” CB English Pale Ale, allowing British Golding hops to provide slight floral herbage.

Honeyed caramel spicing sweetened Sump N Good, a fine Vienna lager with subtle peach, apple, pear and cherry illusions.

Toasted amber grains and caramelized chocolate malts led Dropkick Irish Red, a dewy moderation scattering leafy-hopped red and orange fruiting.

Easygoing Spacegrass East Frederick IPA gathered floral-daubed peach, pineapple, grapefruit and orange tanginess for its dry piney hop lacquering.

Dry piney citrus bittering engaged floral-perfumed hops for Smooth Operator, an “easy IPA” garnering tangy orange-grapefruit, peach and pineapple juiciness.

A hazy yellowed glow brightened lactic Tidal Wave, a trusty New England IPA posting tangy grapefruit zest, tart passionfruit sedation and guava-candied pineapple souring.

Tart raspberry puree spread across candied lemon, green grape, guava and gooseberry souring for salt-licked Raspberry Beret, a lightly vinous sour ale.

Smooth coffee overtones fronted nitogenated Speed Of Darkness, a dry Irish Stout dangling mild dark cocoa creaming above waxy black patent malts.

Heavenly mocha moderation, Bitchin’ Camaro Milk Stout, brought soothing chocolate-coffee creaminess to fudged brownie, toffee and cookie dough sweetness.

Sublime Ace Of Spades Barleywine bolstered rummy cherry, burgundy, raisin and fig tones with toffee-spiced molasses chocolate malting.