Nanobreweries have taken off in Montgomery County in the last few years as a result of much-needed changes that were (finally) made to several laws which previously had made it essentially impossible for nanobreweries to succeed in Montgomery County.
There are three nanobreweries in Rockville that Rebecca and I have been enjoying. They each:
> Serve up a range of thoughtfully crafted and reasonably priced beers, brewed on-site.
> Host a range of different events and activities across each month.
> Are the epitome of a locally-owned small business, worthy of the local community’s support.
7 Locks Brewing (info and photos below)
Saints Row Brewing Co. (click for separate blog post)
True Respite Brewing Co. (click for separate blog post)
They’re each a bit different as far as their brews, their vibes and their events/activities. They’re each located in what was an industrial space – so, you’ll find their spaces are pretty simple – which, at least for us, creates an unpretentious and welcoming community feel. Whether this is your thing or any of these might become your favorite(s) will depend on your personal tastes.
One great thing they do all have in common is you can (and are encouraged to) bring in your own food – either from home or from a restaurant (they do not offer their own food). Some nights, there will be a local food truck parked outside. Food trucks’ cuisines vary. Some we’ve really enjoyed – so, if you’re into potentially good food truck food, check each nanobrewery’s schedule to see which food trucks will be visiting when.
All three of these nanobreweries are also child-friendly. It’s not usual to see multiple families at each during early evening hours. We’ve brought our kids a few times ourselves.
Note: As of this blog post, there’s word of another nanobrewery in the works for Rockville, to be named Mano Negra. No location or opening date has yet been announced.
7 Locks Brewing
12227 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852
7locksbrewing.com
facebook.com/7LocksBrewing | instagram.com/7locksbrewing | twitter.com/7LocksBrewing
yelp.com/biz/7-locks-brewing-rockville
7 Locks Brewing is the largest of the three nanobreweries, with the most seating. They have a half dozen brews that are available year-round, plus another half dozen or so that rotate or vary by the season. Here’s what currently on tap: 7locksbrewing.com/beers.
In addition to their seating, they also provide some games to play, such as cornhole and oversized Jenga (with large wood blocks), which adults and families both enjoy.
Their regularly scheduled events and activities include live music most Saturday nights featuring local and area bands and performers. They also occasionally host fundraisers and other events for local nonprofits. Here’s their current event schedule: 7locksbrewing.com/events. And, separately, here’s their food truck schedule: 7locksbrewing.com/brewery.
In addition, every Thursday evening at 7 pm, they host a team-based trivia night competition. Friends of ours regularly take part. They say it’s pretty competitive and a lot of fun. Here how it’s described on 7 Locks Brewing’s website:
“Join us for trivia night every THURSDAY starting at 7pm, hosted by Geeks Who Drink: Free to play, win free beer and gift cards. The quiz lasts 2 hours with about 70 questions through 8 themed rounds of 8 questions including 2 audio rounds and a visual round. This is not your average trivia night!”
And, finally, Sundays at 7 Locks Brewing are dog-friendly for “well-behaved dogs.” Woof.