POCOMOKE CITY, MARYLAND

Opened June ’24 in the central DelMarVa town of Pocomoke City, CYPRESS ROOTS BREWING COMPANY rocks the Eastern Shore of Maryland with a small, eclectic blend of slightly offbeat, yet stylishly mainstream, handcrafted ales. 

Led by co-owners Warren Willey (head brewer) and Jessmin Duryea, Cypress Roots strives to create an ‘individually built, unique fingerprint’ on the local beer scene. Willey learned how to brew with a humble hefeweizen kit before deciding to start up a small brewpub.

A red brick walled, concrete-floored, wood slat-ceilinged pub with lacquered tan concrete top bar, windowed tanks and eight tap handles, Cypress Roots also boasts a rustic reclaimed wood tap list and large stein collection. There are several metal-wood seats and a few front windowed tables for thirsty patrons.

As my wife and I settle in with Willey and Duryea, they mention a new bock recipe they’re assembling on a five-gallon scale while I down six diverse suds.

Mild Session Wheat draped lemony floral perfuming and crisp cucumber watering over oats-dried white wheat doughing.  

Fruity Pebbles with a salty Tang soft drink backdrop, Pocomoke Punch American Wheat picked up mild redcurrant snips above a soft wheat underbelly.

Bolder than its stylistic competition, Cypress Red Ale let mildly creamed caramel malting sweeten the dewy dried fruited center, submerging its dry Bakers chocolate bittering.

Another stylishly bolder brew, Carpe Noctem Black IPA allowed tarry pine and syrupy dark chocolate to embitter its ultra-dry yellow grapefruit and orange rind conflux and charcoaled black grape wisps.   

Authentic Brit-styled dark ale, Riverside Brown Ale, saddld its soft-watered coca powdering with reserved nuttiness, mossy dew and weedy residue.

Sweet milk chocolate contrasted coffee-burnt dried cocoa for Dividing Creek Oatmeal Stout, swerving thru maple molasses oats and recessive hop char.