In a modest yet magnetic taproom tucked just off Bel Air’s Main Street, the heartbeat of Independent Brewing Company pulses with purpose. It’s more than just a brewery. It’s a carefully constructed third space—part laboratory, part living room, and part local institution. Here, founder Phil Rhudy and head brewer Keith Hipsley are quietly defying trends, not by chasing them, but by perfecting the art of staying true.
Independent Brewing Co. in Belair, Maryland
Independent Brewing Company (IBC) doesn’t shout for attention. It doesn’t rely on flashy gimmicks or overhopped identity crises. Instead, it draws people in with something rarer in today’s crowded craft beer landscape: authenticity.
From Grape to Grain: The Origin Story
Phil Rhudy’s road to beer was paved with grapes. Living in Baltimore’s Hollins Market neighborhood, he began his fermentation journey with winemaking. Access to imported grapes from a friend led to the creation of twenty-carboy batches—enough to fill a small winery. But it wasn’t long before Rhudy turned his attention to beer.
Phil Rhudy of Independent Brewing in Belair, Maryland
“I was brewing in the late ‘80s,” he recalls. “There were no homebrew shops. I’d get my yeast in a mason jar from Wild Goose Brewery on the way back from the beach.”
Those early experiences gave Rhudy a hands-on education in process, experimentation, and the gritty underpinnings of the emerging American beer renaissance. What he lacked in formal training, he made up for with curiosity, grit, and a spreadsheet-like understanding of beer chemistry. “I still have my original laminated cheat sheet,” he laughs. “All the formulas for IBUs, color, alcohol… back when you calculated it all by hand.”
From those humble roots, he developed the brewing philosophy that would shape IBC: passion-first, process-focused, and always experimental.
The Brewing Collective: Enter Keith Hipsley
Brewer Keith Hipsley’s journey mirrors Phil’s in many ways. A homebrewer turned professional, Keith began cleaning kegs and gradually worked his way into brewing roles, first at DuClaw Brewing, and then at Independent, where he’s now led the brewhouse for nearly a decade.
Keith Hipsley in the brewhouse
“I started homebrewing over 20 years ago,” he says. “I focused a lot on German styles—lagers, in particular—because they matched the water profile I had at home and the time I could devote with two young kids running around.”
That deep familiarity with traditional styles gave Hipsley an anchor. But much like Rhudy, his approach is rooted in adaptability. Independent offers a wide-ranging tap list, from crisp lagers and festbiers to fruited sours, IPAs, and even the occasional triple. “We like to keep a wide range,” Hipsley explains. “We try to have something for everyone.”
And they do—all while avoiding the common pitfall of chasing every trend. “You have to have a reason for people to come back,” Phil says. “Good beer is the price of entry. But after that, you need a vibe, a space that feels alive.”
The Space as a Statement
From the moment you enter the airy, barn-like taproom with its community tables and colorful chalkboard menu, it’s clear: this is a place designed for people, not pretension. The outdoor beer garden is alive with music, laughter, and conversations that stretch long into the evening. Whether you’re wearing cycling gear or pushing a stroller, you’re welcome.
Welcome to Independent Brewing
“Our goal was always to be that third place. Home, work, and your third place—Starbucks used to have that nailed. During COVID, people lost one of those. We became a lot of folks’ second place.”
“Our goal was always to be that third place,” Rhudy says. “Home, work, and your third place—Starbucks used to have that nailed. During COVID, people lost one of those. We became a lot of folks’ second place.”
That meant pivoting fast. “We had to be fresh. We had to change constantly,” he continues. “I’ll move furniture just to give people a new feel.”
It’s not just aesthetic. It’s strategic. Like the early 7-Elevens that restructured their store layouts weekly to encourage browsing, Independent evolves with purpose. “You can’t get stale,” Rhudy adds.
Beer Philosophy: Experimentation Meets Execution
While other breweries splash out with eccentricity for shock value, Independent’s innovation is calculated. A recent foray into high-pressure yeast fermentation—a technique that reduces esters and shortens lagering time—has helped them create cleaner, faster-turning lagers.
“We’re using spunding valves and pressure-tolerant yeasts,” Hipsley explains. “It’s not widespread in Maryland yet, but it’s common in some German breweries. We’re pleased with the results—cleaner profiles, smoother carbonation.”
That sense of exploration permeates every aspect of the brewhouse. “I designed and installed all our brewing equipment,” Rhudy says with pride. “We’ve got a 10-barrel system with plenty of flexibility. I spent years building this—this is the culmination of visiting breweries across the country and learning from every one of them.”
Independent Brewing merch
Even their approach to water is a master class in precision. “We spend more time on water chemistry than most people do on their recipes,” Rhudy says. “It’s 90 to 99 percent of beer, after all.”
Not Just Another Taproom
What truly sets IBC apart isn’t just the beer—it’s the culture. Staff are ServSafe and Cicerone-certified. Musicians perform regularly in the converted shipping container stage. Cyclists and runners launch from the brewery weekly. Kids play in the beer garden while parents sip on lagers or gluten-reduced IPAs.
The Funk House adds to the taproom experience.
That community-minded ethos extends into the very DNA of the business. “We don’t distribute much,” Phil says. “Our business model is built around the taproom. We wanted to stay small, hyper-local, and focused. That was always the plan.”
It’s a conscious deviation from the path many breweries take—expansion, packaging, distribution, repeat. “We saw what happened to places that scaled too fast,” he says. “We never wanted that.”
Even their decision to make all their beers gluten-reduced was intentional. “We started dabbling in it, and people responded,” Phil explains. “Eventually, we went 100% gluten-reduced. We don’t promote it heavily, but it means a lot to those who need it.”
The Industry Through a Realist’s Lens
Rhudy doesn’t mince words about the state of craft beer. “We’re seeing a correction,” he says. “People aren’t paying $9 for mediocre beer anymore. And they shouldn’t. If your beer isn’t your number one priority, you shouldn’t be in this business.”
“You’ve got to be special. You can’t just be another brewery.”
That ethos permeates every corner of Independent. From their regular staff meetings to their relationship with customers, the brewery isn’t just making beer—it’s making a case for quality and intention in every pour.
“You’ve got to be special,” he says. “You can’t just be another brewery.”
The Future, Firmly Rooted
Looking ahead, Independent isn’t chasing market share. They’re chasing meaning. That might include a distilling venture—Rhudy has experimented with whiskey and believes a good stout could become a world-class bourbon. But only if it fits.
“If you’re going to do it, you better love it,” he says. “That’s what this place was built on. Not money, not ego—just love for the craft.”
Biergarten murals of brewing elements add color and visuals
Rhudy and Hipsley are, in the best way, outliers. They’re not chasing hype or awards, even though Independent has won multiple medals at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup. They’re chasing something simpler—and arguably more profound.
Community. Craft. Consistency. Independence.
To Independent Brewing, a sense of community is important. It is strategically located near the Ma and Pa Trail. Bikes and cycling are a theme in the taproom and outside seating.
For more information on their calendar, including Bend & Brew yoga sessions on Sunday morning, visit their events schedule.
For those who want something other than beer, they have elevated their other offerings with bottled craft sodas with cane sugar, organic juices, and other non-alcoholic beverages as well - including Nitro Cold Brew Coffee, Homemade Root Beer, and Kombucha on Tap.
Repurposed Ma and Pa Railroad cars add to the theme.
Bicycles add an important esthetic to the taproom.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As the industry recalibrates and flashy trends fade, breweries like Independent will endure—not because they shouted the loudest but because they brewed the best, treated people well, and never stopped learning.
And maybe that’s the real secret. In a world obsessed with constant reinvention, Independent Brewing knows exactly who they are.
