Woodberry's Union Craft Brewing gaining traction

These days, it seems that all you need to call yourself a "brewery" is a homebrew rig and a label printer.  Or even just a Facebook page and Twitter account.

This writer is keenly aware of several pending or proposed brewery and beer-bar projects in the immediate Baltimore region.  Some are awaiting regulatory blessings; some are little more than a Facebook page; and at least one will be detailed in the upcoming issue of Mid-Atlantic Brewing News.  Some grandiose announcements or proposals simply crash or peter out (anyone seen much of Bawlmer Beer lately?  How about Logan Shaw's promised return of the Wild Goose brand?)

The Baltimore Sun's "Midnight Sun" blog now has details on one of these slowly-forming projects, Union Craft Brewing in Woodberry.  (Reminder: The Sun now limits you to fifteen free page views per 30-day period.)  Founder Jon Zerivitz, who freely admits that the first Baltimore Beer Week was part of the inspiration for his business plan, has taken the necessary first step away from a "virtual" presence with the signing of a lease on a 7200-square-foot industrial building adjacent to the Woodberry Light Rail station, almost in the literal shadow of the historic Meadow Mill building cupola visible from the Jones Falls Expressway.  Construction begins later this month, with four fermentation tanks scheduled for delivery in February, according to Zerivitz.