Short Story Brewing adding Maryland taproom

Short Story Brewing Company hopes to open its new Maryland taproom by the end of the year, says Aaron Rote, brewery cofounder. In many respects the taproom will be similar the brewery’s current taproom in Rivesville.

Located at McHenry, MD in the Deep Creek Lake resort area, the new taproom will be only about three miles from Mountain State Brewing Company’s restaurant, which was the first West Virginia brewery taproom to be established in Maryland. The new Short Story taproom is close to both the lake and Wisp ski area. Its beer will be supplied from their Rivesville brewery.

Time to grow

Short Story Brewing is now close to two and a half years old, earning high ratings on growing sales volume, and it needed to make a decision on its future operations. What direction should their business model take?

“We thought about expanding our distribution but that is not for us,” Rote says. They realized that with more distribution you lose a lot of control over your product and how it’s sold, and you also take a big haircut on margins. Those facts really didn’t appeal to the Short Story crew. “What we really enjoy is our taproom and trying to bring as many people in there as possible,” says Rote. So they devised a plan to recreate that taproom experience in a new location.

About six months ago they began toying with the idea of maybe having a second location somewhere else in West Virginia. “We looked around and wondered where would be the best spot,” says Rote. But they realized that their key retailers in their prime distribution areas of Morgantown, Charleston, and Huntington, which they had been cultivating for some time, do a great job selling their product. They really didn’t want to directly compete with them by opening a taproom there. So they began looking across state borders.

“Our first thought was Deep Creek Lake, Maryland,” he said. They were attracted to the outdoor activity focused community there. And they also found a good-sized community of people there year round.

“We just drove up there one day and began looking for places for rent, and the first place we found was just perfect.” They signed their lease on the building the first of December and hope to be open on December 27.

Seeing the feel of their original taproom

“Our plan is to recreate the feel of our brewery — being a small town brewery that has some modern touches, some traditional touches. Not just a place to drink beer, but a place where the community feels welcome, whether they are interested in beer or not.” They want to keep the cozy welcoming feeling of their original taproom in any new place they might open. They want to maintain an atmosphere of interesting beer backed with interesting food.

They’ve been busy working on the building and have already signed up with a Maryland beer distributor. Remodeling work now underway, and Aaron will be up there himself working this week with the crew.

They expect the new location will at least double their in-house beer sales. This sales boost will shift their growth strategy away from an aggressive self-distribution program. Aaron also thinks the stronger in-house focus will allow their brewery side to become “a little more experimental, try some new things.” Key craft beer accounts that have been carrying Short Story beers in WV will continue to be served and could see a benefit from the expansion in beer styles that is expected.

Maryland is fast growing as a destination for West Virginia breweries’ beer. In addition to Short Story and Mountain State, Berkeley Springs Brewing and Greenbrier Valley Brewing are actively distributing in the state. Screech Owl Brewing has said it will begin distribution in Garret County, MD soon. Abolitionist Ale Works has been brewing a collaboration beer this year with Antietam Brewery in Hagerstown. All these actions demonstrate the growing craft beer culture in the Western Maryland region, which is great for business.

Follow Short Story Brewing’s social media for updates on the grand opening.

WV Beer Roads podcast features Aaron Rote interview

To hear the complete interview with Aaron Rote as he describes Short Story’s new taproom project and talks about Short Story’s future, check out the WV Beer Roads podcast.

Tap takeover

Brilliant Stream caught up with Aaron Rote at a recent Short Story Brewing vs. Stone Brewing tap takeover event held at Books & Brews in Charleston. Short Story brews at the event included Captain Rye Dark Lager, Advanced Methods in Stargazing Pale Ale, and Stay Cozy Triple IPA. Stone brought Sell By 01-01-20 IPA, Xocoveza Mocha Stout, and Ripper Pale Ale.

A nice turnout of people came to sample the brews and Books & Brews food.