By MATT HUMBARD — Denizens Brewing Co. launched as a brew pub in Silver Spring, Md., in 2014. Serving their beer on site as well as through self-distribution of cans and kegs, the brewery quickly saturated their capacity and began looking for locations to expand production. Denizens found an opportunity for a significant expansion in the Riverdale Park Station on Route 1 in Riverdale Park late last year.
Denizens recently signed a lease for a 12,000-square-foot space in the new shopping center adjacent to the Whole Foods Market and Gold’s Gym. The space will be a mixture of a full-service bar and restaurant as well as a brewery to create the flagship beers of the Denizens brand. “9,000 square feet of production space will house a 30-barrel brewery and up to 10 60-barrel fermenters,” explains Emily Bruno, the director of business operations of Denizens Brewing Co. “The remaining 3,000 square feet will be the tap room with indoor and outdoor seating.”
The new pub will have 20 draft lines with Denizens beer, a mixture of flagship offerings produced at the new location as well as seasonal and barrel-aged beers brewed at the Silver Spring location. The new location will also feature locally made liquors, meads, wines and the occasional guest beers. The management at Denizens said they are excited to be a part of the burgeoning brewery corridor along Route 1.
“We’ve always had a lot of respect for Franklin’s [Brewery] and the downtown businesses in Hyattsville,” Bruno said. With Streetcar 82 Brewing Co. also opening along Route 1, there will be three breweries within a short drive of each other. “A similar situation is happening in Silver Spring with two new breweries opening up close to our current location … it’s exciting that people can visit so many breweries in such a short distance,” Bruno added.
In addition to beer, the new Denizens location will also offer a food menu with brunch, lunch, dinner, as well as late night snacks. Denizens at Riverdale Park Station is planning to stay open later than many establishments in the area. While the hours for the brewpub are not yet established, Denizens hopes to provide a late-night place for the surrounding communities to get a beer and a snack. “We will offer a late night menu and have some extended hours going a little later than most restaurants in the area,” Bruno explained.
Denizens is already looking for opportunities to support Hyattsville festivals and events ahead of opening their new space. Denizens donated beer to last month’s HER STORY art installation at Studio SoHy and plans to continue to support local events. “We are constantly engaged with the community,” Bruno said. “We love being a part of festivals and outdoor things; that’s what we want to do … it has always been a part of Denizens Brewing Company to do outreach to our community. We’ve done that in Montgomery County and will continue that in Prince George’s County.”
The location is projected to be open by the end of 2018. “We are on track to begin construction this summer and to open in November or December of 2018,” Bruno clarified.