I'd known of Wico Street Beer Co in Baltimore for some months from their website and have been waiting for their taproom to open. During a recent stop in to Forward Brewing near Annapolis, I learned from head brewer Warren Hendrickson that not only was the taproom now open, but that they would be collaborating on a sour IPA. And so I contacted Wico St. Beer Co. to catch up.
Today breweries are tucked into every corner of the landscape. From bucolic farm breweries, those squeezed into suburban industrial parks, to urban quaff houses fit into spots that have lived many lives before. Wico Street Beer Company, pronounced wye-coe), at 1100 Wicomico Street 1A Baltimore MD, is one of latter. They are the new guy in Pigtown section of Baltimore, just west of Ravens stadium. Pigtown has been described as “a hip neighborhood with its own unique quirks” (source: pigtownmainstreet.org). This small section of Baltimore now supports three breweries (including Suspended and Pickett) and will have a fourth when Checkerspot moves their brewery to the neighborhood in the coming months.
Wico St Beer, Suspended Brewing, and Pickett Brewing in the Pigtown area of Baltimore.
Brewery art work is done by Marshall Adams.
The Cousins
Mike Richardson (l) and Joran McGraw (r) of Wico St Beer Co.
I met Mike Richardson and Jordan McGraw at their new brewery and taproom. They are cousins, just three years apart, and have known each other for most of their lives. Mike left a high-pressured work as a partner in a financial planning firm before getting into craft beer full time. Jordan moved to Maryland 12 years ago and brings brewing experience from working at DuClaw and Hysteria before setting up shop at Wico Street.
Jordan and Mike decided a brewery is something they wanted to do together and signed a lease at this location in January 2022, opening the taproom on November 18, 2022. Currently, most of their beer is contract brewed at Oliver’s Brewing but the plan is the smaller batch beers will be brewed Wico Street beginning later this year. They have a 5-barrel system with a 10-barrel capacity. Sitting in the brewhouse are six oak puncheons (puncheons are about twice the size of a typical wine barrel) that they can't wait to get beer into, making beer using the solera blended brewing method.
The Wico St Beer
Their beer menu lists 11 beers, five of which are sour IPAs. Yes, that style mashup is what they will be known for, at least initially. Mike says there thing will definitely be sours but they have beers of many styles with a Mexican lager being a customer favorite. I tasted their Speaking Cursive fruited sour DIPA and it is very quaffable. At 8.5% ABV perhaps even dangerous.
Mike brags that Jordan makes some of the best sour beers he's ever had. Interestingly, Jordan describes their sour IPAs as polarizing. Speaking Cursive and Planetary Quarantine (fruited sour IPAs) are their most popular beers right now. They are also their most complex beers, too.
“I love slow beer. It’s a living, breathing thing. You can’t rush it.”
Jordan’s motto is, “I love slow beer”, meaning beer that takes a while to make and mature. “It’s a living, breathing thing. You can't rush it.”
The Taproom
Jordan and Mike are very proud of their taproom. Marshall Adams is a well-known local artist whose work lines the taproom walls, the Beer Fridge, and can labels. Bold, bright, colorful, it grabs your attention and may not let go — and that is intentional. It is a statement and it seems customers are enjoying it as much as they do. The taproom is currently open Thursday through Sunday, and is dog friendly. Parking is not an issue, available on the street and at the parking garage adjacent to the taproom. Food trucks are onsite when the taproom is open.
Final Thoughts
Mike and Jordan are enjoying making great beer that is different yet familiar. Their focus on sour IPAs will differentiate themselves in the local beer market. They are anxious to bring more brewing to their brewhouse and get beer into (and to customers) their oak barrel puncheons. This is a brewery you will want to try and one I'm sure you will want to keep an eye on.
Wico Street Beer Company
1100 Wicomico Street 1A
Baltimore, MD 21230
web: wicostreetbeerco.com
email: info@wicostreetbeerco.com
Taproom Hours
Thursday: 3pm - 10pm
Friday: 3pm - 10pm
Saturday: 12pm - 10pm
Sunday: 12pm - 8pm
