Discover Delmarva: Burley Oak Brewing Company
BERLIN, Md- Burley Oak Brewing Company is locally owned and operated in the heart of Berlin, Maryland. The Owner Bryan Brushmiller took WMDT behind the scenes to see their process and what ignited the fire for him to pursue his hobby as a full-time business after losing his job in 2008. “Working odd jobs and just making beer in my garage. Basically that led to just a bigger garage.”
This “bigger garage” is fully equipped to handle any ideas Bryan and his team may cook up. The location has been given a second chance as well. Dating back to the 1880s originally built as a cooperage, the building has found a new purpose in brewing creative beers and flavorful spirits.
Brushmiller tells us “We offer 22 different flavors that we produce here at Burley Oak and we’re proud of every one of them. The offerings are always changing and rotating.” Their expansive lineup will take you on a journey from their Blackberry Cherry Cheesecake and Tiramisu beers to their Oyster Stout- giving a true taste of Delmarva.
Being a locally owned company allows them to pivot quickly to new trends or flavor profiles. Although they keep a core group of beers on tap, we’re told “The Rude Boy and the Bunker Sea are still beers that we make today after 14 years of brewing.”
Burley Oak’s innovative mindset has led to the creation of a new line of products that are sure to leave a sweet taste with visitors. “All our knowledge that we got from putting fruits in beers. We figured we could do that with vodka too, so that was the next step for what we make here,” says Brushmiller.
The process is similar to brewing beer but the distilling portion tends to be quicker dealing with the vodka; The flavors are sourced from fresh fruits and complement each other perfectly – to take your drink to the next level.
The reason for this expansion was quite simple according to Brushmiller, “We had a lot of people coming for the beer and then maybe someone they came with their group didn’t love beer. But we love that ’cause we would turn them on to different flavors.”
This has also aided their newest creations here at Burley Oak “The RTD (Ready to Drink) in a can we’re playing with some new flavors for that. That product line is extremely fun too, and to have a non-beer-based product lends a lot of creativity.”
The quick turnaround of their products allows new and innovative flavors every couple of weeks. From the variety of beers, vodkas, and pre-mixed drinks there’s something for everyone to enjoy during their time, with a new brew awaiting you every visit.
Brushmiller says you can find their products all across Maryland and Delaware. Plus, they plan to host a variety of special events throughout the coming months. For more information on their hours, events, or planning your visit. You can check out their website for more information.
