Saturday I had the pleasure of attending Hysteria Brewing’s grand opening. It was well attended and quite well organized. The taproom exuded the industrial chic quality embracing many modern brewery taprooms, but with a more nuanced and individual character complete with small library, movie theatre-esque curtained big screen, and a photo-op bench. The bar was packed, along with the tables as the Hysteria staff poured as quickly as they could to meet the demand. The initial offerings were limited to three:
- Trash Panda, an American IPA, 7.2%
- Yellow Sudmarine, a Hefeweizen, 5.3%
- Mo’saic Mo’problems, a session IPA, 4.6%
As I have stated often, everyone’s palate is different, and many that were not mosaic hop fans gravitated to the citrusy, bold Trash Panda. Others, looking for lower alcohol IPA with strong mosaic notes and slight malt undertones enjoyed the session IPA. Other palate pleasing offerings are sure to come (including a much touted milk stout) as the brewery continues to negotiate the opening days. For those that cannot make the journey to Columbia- fear not as Hysteria will be distributing via delivery truck to your favorite watering hole and retail shop.
Regardless of the beer preference, the crowd enjoyed the artic air within the taproom and the array of outdoor tables and tents set up in the parking lot. As mentioned in my previous post, it was a marketing win for Hysteria and for Lost Ark. The Distillery benefited from Hysteria’s grand opening, sharing the cordoned off parking lot, food truck, corn hole, and most importantly consumers. Many sampling at Hysteria were later discovered at Lost Ark taking advantage of the delightful cocktail samplers (made with Lost Ark Rums) the taproom was (now) legally offering. The scene did not quite harken back to a pre-Prohibition biergarten, but it was reminiscent of the purpose- to offer enough enticements for consumers to bring the family and spend the day (and their money). Some even brought picnic blankets (along with the wee ones and quadrupeds) for the shaded grassy areas- although scant. It appeared that even the jiu jitsu studio lost a few parents to the taproom offerings. Who knows, maybe the studio might end up with a few more families signing up for lessons due to the opportune proximity to hand crafted Maryland beverages! It is a win for everyone, and a modern business model to watch.
Cheers!
