Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Halethorpe will permanently close on Sunday, November 1, ending an eight-year run for the Guinness destination just outside Baltimore.

Guinness announced the closure Thursday, saying the brewery has welcomed more than two million visitors since opening in 2018. In a farewell message, the brewery said it has produced more than 700 different beers over the years and invited customers to visit during its final month for “one final toast.”

The Baltimore Sun reported that Guinness owner Diageo made the decision after reviewing the operation and its long-term business priorities. A source familiar with the decision told the Sun that rising operating costs, changing consumer demand and broader economic pressures had made the operation increasingly difficult to sustain.

The Open Gate Brewery opened to the public in August 2018 at 5001 Washington Boulevard following an approximately $90 million investment by Diageo. At the time, it marked the first Guinness brewing operation on U.S. soil in more than 60 years and included brewing, packaging, warehousing and visitor operations that generated more than 200 jobs.

The Halethorpe site was created as an American counterpart to Guinness’ Open Gate Brewery in Dublin, giving brewers space to experiment with new beers influenced by American brewing traditions. The facility initially included two brewhouses, including a smaller system for experimental beers and a larger system used to produce Guinness Blonde. Guinness Draught and the company’s other classic stouts continued to be brewed in Ireland.

The property itself also has a longer alcohol-production history. The site was previously home to a historic whiskey distillery, a connection that helped inspire the original “Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House” name.

The operation changed significantly in 2023, when Diageo shut down the site’s larger beer production operation. The Open Gate Brewery visitor experience remained open with its taproom and experimental brewing operation. The brewery currently features an experimental brewery, taproom, brand store, food offerings, beer garden and tours. In its closing announcement, Guinness thanked its brewing and hospitality employees and said its support for Baltimore-area organizations would continue beyond the brewery’s final pour.

“We’re so grateful for the memories, the friendships and the years we’ve shared,” the brewery wrote. “For the next month, join us for one final toast. We’d love to see you before our last call.”

Maryland spa Even Keel Wellness Spa is offering a free day of care for anyone living with cancer as part of its Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiatives.

On Sunday, October 18, all four Even Keel locations in Annapolis, Baltimore, Crofton and Columbia will offer completely free treatments to people living with cancer. Reservations are limited and must be made by phone.

The free treatments are part of Even Keel’s “Calm for a Cure” efforts throughout October. Popular Maryland food blogger Nomtastic Kim recently highlighted the initiative, which also includes fundraising for The Harmony Foundation, an organization that provides support and comfort to individuals affected by cancer and their caregivers.

Throughout October, $25 from every $150 Even Keel gift card purchased will be donated to The Harmony Foundation. At the end of the month, Even Keel plans to match the total amount raised through all donation sources.

Reservations, which are limited, for the October 18 Free Day of Care can be made by calling the participating locations:

Annapolis: 410-990-0111
Baltimore: 410-862-0928
Crofton: 443-292-4100
Columbia: 443-542-2413

 

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More than 450,000 Maryland residents were among those potentially affected by a massive data breach involving Labcorp patient information, according to Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown.

Maryland has joined a bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general in reaching a $2.3 million multistate settlement with Laboratory Corporation of America, better known as Labcorp, following an investigation into the 2019 breach.

The breach occurred at Labcorp’s debt collector, Retrieval-Masters Creditors Bureau, which operated as American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA). It potentially exposed personal information belonging to more than 27.5 million people nationwide, including approximately 10.2 million Labcorp patients.

According to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, 451,558 Maryland residents were among those potentially affected. Although the breach occurred at AMCA, the sensitive information involved had been collected by Labcorp and belonged to its patients. The settlement centers in part on companies’ responsibilities to protect sensitive information when sharing it with outside vendors.

“Marylanders trust healthcare companies to protect their most sensitive medical information, even when that information is shared with outside vendors,” Brown said. “This settlement holds Labcorp accountable for failing in that duty and requires the company to maintain stronger vendor oversight to prevent this kind of breach from happening again.”

Under the settlement, Labcorp will be required to strengthen its information security program and vendor oversight practices. Requirements include expanding its incident response plan to address vendor security incidents, minimizing the amount of information shared with vendors and maintaining a dedicated vendor risk management team.

Labcorp will also be required to impose additional cybersecurity requirements on debt collectors handling its information and hire an independent third-party assessor to evaluate its information security practices with a focus on vendor risk management.

The settlement follows a separate 2021 multistate settlement with AMCA that included a $21 million payment that was suspended because of the company’s bankruptcy.

Maryland was part of the executive committee involved in the Labcorp investigation, which was led by the attorneys general of Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Texas.