Sagamore Spirit Distillery will open April 21 for free public tours and rye whiskey tastings. To Sagamore’s President, the grand opening of the five-acre waterfront campus is another step toward restoring Maryland’s long distilling heritage and putting the state “… back on the map as the premier distiller of rye whiskey.”
The Lighting Practice was tasked with creating an inviting experience that enhances the revitalization of rye whiskey distilling in Baltimore and the Sagamore brand. Interior and exterior accent lighting helped to highlight the stills and bring life to the newly constructed distillery while making the project site visible along the waterfront and I-95.
As part of the design team, TLP worked with architectural firm Ayers Saint Gross to develop the lighting system for the distillery and processing buildings. Al Borden, Ryan Conover, and John Conley designed the exterior façade lighting, site lighting, and water tower lighting. Inside, they illuminated the front of house and retail spaces, as well as the visitor center, whiskey stills, and the tasting rooms.
During its opening weekend, Sagamore Spirit will offer distillery tours between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Each tour is about 45 minutes long and can accommodate up to 24 people of all ages. The distillery anticipates more than 100,000 annual visitors.
Sagamore Spirit Distillery is the first of several new buildings to be constructed in the Port Covington area of Baltimore, which many believe will jumpstart a transformation of the former industrial rail yard. The team at TLP is excited for the grand opening and its many positive implications for the State of Maryland.
Sagamore Spirit distillery to open April 21
Baltimore Business Journal | February 2017
Sagamore Spirit can be seen across Baltimore bars and restaurants, and starting April 21 fans of Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank’s whiskey will be able to get an up close look at where it’s made.
The Port Covington distillery at 301 E. Cromwell St. will open April 21 for free public tours and tastings of the Straight Rye Whiskey. Guests can learn about the process of making the whiskey, including bringing in water from Sagamore Farm, the Reisterstown horse farm also owned by Plank.
The 22,000-square-foot distillery building houses the production equipment, including a 6,000-gallon cooker and nine 6,500-gallon fermentors. Next door is a 27,000-square-foot welcome and processing center with two tasting rooms. The project also includes a two-story restaurant that will house a concept by James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Carmellii of New York. Carmellini also is also establishing the concepts at Plank’s Sagamore Pendry Baltimore hotel in Fells Point.
