CLEVELAND – Great Lakes Brewing Co. (GLBC), now celebrating 31 years of independent craft brewing, announces plans to distribute their award-winning ales and lagers throughout Maryland.

On October 7, Ohio’s original craft brewery will be available throughout the state of Maryland through a partnership with Backup Beverage. While GLBC has deepened and expanded their existing distribution territory in recent years, this is the first new state the brewery has opened since 2012.

According to GLBC Regional Sales Manager Mike Friedle, launching in the state of Maryland presents exciting growth opportunities for the brewery. “Maryland has long been a missing piece of our distribution footprint along the East Coast. Previously, those in the area would need to travel to neighboring DC, Virginia, West Virginia, or Pennsylvania to purchase our product. We’re thrilled to finally make our beers available to everyone in the DMV.”

Customers can expect to find GLBC’s year-round family of beers in package and draft: Dortmunder Gold Lager, Eliot Ness Amber Lager, Holy Moses White Ale, Burning River Pale Ale, Great Lakes IPA, Commodore Perry IPA, and Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. GLBC’s seasonal portfolio will also debut in Maryland beginning with Oktoberfest and Ohio City Oatmeal Stout in October, and followed by fan favorite Christmas Ale in November.

An official kickoff event is set to take place on October 4 at Max’s Taphouse in Baltimore, prior to the statewide launch which will involve several customer appreciation events, meet-and-greets, tastings, and giveaways. Customers can follow @GLBCinDMV on Twitter and Instagram and visit greatlakesbrewing.com/events for launch event announcements and regular updates.

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About Great Lakes Brewing Co.:

Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC) was founded in 1988 by brothers Patrick and Daniel Conway in Cleveland, Ohio. Independent and employee-owned, GLBC is known for its award-winning portfolio of fresh, balanced, and flavorful beers with names and artwork that tell stories of the Great Lakes region. Since its founding, GLBC has remained a principle-centered brewery with a “triple bottom line” philosophy, balancing financial responsibility with social and environmental responsibility. For more information visit greatlakesbrewing.com

About Backup Beverage, LLC:

Based in Frederick, Maryland and servicing the State of Maryland, Backup Beverage, LLC is committed to building brands through Education and Customer Service. “Relationship building is our job and maintaining that trust between our customers and ourselves is paramount.”