| Antietam Brewery/Billy’s Pub 49 Eastern Blvd N. | Hagerstown, MD 21740 (301) 791-5915 www.antietambrewery.com |
Antietam Brewery is located in Benny’s Pub in Hagerstown, Maryland. Just a short drive down Route 40 from Interstate 81, the brewery is near the Antietam Creek and only 10 minutes from the infamous Antietam Battlefield.
When it opened five years ago, Benny’s Pub sat only 60 people. Today the restaurant seats over 170 customers, showcases Antietam’s brewing system, has an outdoor seating area, and is connected to a bottle shop, Benny’s 2 Go (which features an impressive growler filling station).
Brewmaster Daniel Maerzluft earned a degree in Brewing Technology from Siebel Institute of Technology in 1999 and spend four years as an apprentice. He has worked in the industry for over 10 years at places like Mountaineer Brewing Company in West Virginia, Flying Dog Brewery in Maryland, Wallaby’s Microbrewery and Diamondback Brewery in Ohio, and Pedemales Brewing Company in Texas.
The beers on tap during my visit included…
- Kelly’s Red River IRA – a 7.5% ABV India Red Ale brewed with 5 different hops
- Lil’ Mac IPA – a 6.5% ABV American IPA brewed with 10% malted rye
- 1605 RED – a 5% ABV Irish-style Red Ale with British malts and hops
- Lil’ Ben’s Milk Stout – a 5% ABV Milk Stout with pure milk sugar and specialty malts
- Hager-weiss Hefeweizen – a 5.3% ABV Wheat beer with 100% German ingredients
- General’s Golden Ale – a 5.4% ABV Golden Ale with American and New Zealand hops
- Maibock – an 8% ABV Spring Lager with strong malt flavors and a sweet finish
- Otto’s Orchard Raspberry – a 6.5% ABV Wheat Beer with raspberry
- Bases Loaded – a 6% ABV Copper Ale celebrating 30 years of the Hagerstown Suns Stadium
Though not on tap, another beer from Antietam is Clara-B’s Trappist Dubbel, an Abbey-style Dubbel with Belgian malts and German hops boasting hints of fruit and spices and a strong caramel undertone from Belgian Rock Candi.
The pub features appetizers like Coconut Shrimp, Santa Fe Nachos, and the usually comforting fried goodies. Wings come in a variety of flavors including Raspberry Chipotle, Garlic Butter, and Caribbean Jerk to name a few.
The menu also showcases steamed shrimp, ribs, pizza, and a variety of burger options like the Signature Bourbon Burger, which is a ½ pound burger with cheddar cheese sauce, bacon, and a special Honey Bourbon BBQ Sauce.
Benny’s Pub is open Monday 3 PM to 2 AM, Tuesday through Friday 11 AM to 2 AM, Saturday noon to 2 AM, and Sunday noon to midnight.
