As downtown Silver Spring Maryland revitalized it is also becoming a craft beverage destination with three breweries and a winery within a two-mile radius. Silver Branch Brewing Company opened in February 2019 as the latest addition and is well worth a visit. Proprietors Christian Layke and Brett A. Robison produce a wide selection of Central European, British Isles, Belgium, and Americas styled beers that will impress most visitors. They also pour wine - including those from Austrian grapes - and offer German sausages. But on the beer.
During our visit, we tasted through their entire lineup finding several immediate standouts. On the Central European side, the Killer Castle Kellerbier is basically an unfiltered version of their Czech Pilsner Glass Castle and is more refreshing with enhanced minerality. Our group split on The Oracle Speaks Weizenbock disagreeing on its powerful banana character but returned to an agreement on the Fashion Killer Altbier. The two Belgians were solid particularly the Sacred Table Abbey Single Pale Ale. The spices were adequate to entice but not overwhelming. The Americas provided the greatest enjoyment as well as the great disappointment. Everyone disapproved of the Down w/ The Raj sour IPA but loved the Sisyphus hazy IPA and all three volumes of the Quantum Shift East Coast IPA. IPA lovers rejoice. Finally, the British Isles were a solid trio of the Chronicle Tropical Stout, Ruby Dragon Mild Ale, and the Cheshire Grin ESB. The last two were completely enjoyable particularly to those of us accumulated to the room temperature of the beers.theCompass Craft Beverage Finder will guide you to Silver Branch Brewing Company or take Metro's Red Line and walk across the street. Cheers.
