Ministry of Brewing is one of those breweries you remember even if you forget what you drank there. Housed inside the former St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church at 1900 E. Lombard Street in Baltimore’s Upper Fells Point/Washington Hill neighborhood, it’s a 32-tap brewery with 53‑foot barrel ceilings, stained glass, a brew deck on the altar, and pews repurposed as seating. It’s also a deliberate experiment: can you take a landmark church that once anchored a neighborhood, convert it into a brewery, and still honor its role as a gathering place for education, community, and philanthropy?
The answer, so far, looks like yes. Here’s a practical guide to the Ministry of Brewing story—how the church became a brewery, what you’ll find on tap, and how the team is using the space for more than just pints.
From St. Michael the Archangel to Ministry of Brewing
St. Michael the Archangel Church dates back to the mid‑19th century. The parish was established in the 1850s to serve German Catholic immigrants, and by 1900 it counted roughly 10,000 parishioners—one of the largest congregations in the country’s oldest Catholic diocese. Over the next century the demographics shifted: Germans were followed by Poles, Italians, Czechs, Koreans, and eventually Hispanic parishioners. The Redemptorist order of priests ran St. Michael’s for more than 160 years.
By the early 2000s, like many city parishes, St. Michael’s was struggling. After years of declining attendance and financial pressure, the church closed in 2011. The building sat vacant; the sanctuary dark, stained glass overlooking empty pews. Preservationists worried St. Michael’s might go the way of so many urban churches—sold off, subdivided, or demolished.
Instead, the Redemptorists sold the property to a group of four partners: Jeff Hunt (who previously helped start MadTree Brewing in Cincinnati), Michael Powell, Ernst Valery, and David Wendell. They bought the complex in 2017 and closed on the deal in 2018, with a plan to turn the church into a brewery that would still feel like a public, civic space.
After a lengthy buildout and a round of city inspections and occupancy delays, Ministry of Brewing opened to the public on January 30, 2020, with a grand opening celebration that February—just weeks before the pandemic hit.
The Space: Brew Deck on the Altar, Beer Hall in the Nave
Walk inside Ministry of Brewing and the first impression is vertical. The 53‑foot barrel‑vaulted ceiling towers above the bar. Stained glass throws colored light across the space. The original Stations of the Cross line the walls. It feels like a church because it was one.
The brew deck sits where the altar once did. A 20‑barrel brewing system and stainless tanks rise in front of the apse, visible from almost every seat. A 40‑foot bar runs along one side of the nave. Long, beer‑hall tables made from reclaimed church wood fill the central aisle. Pews have been repurposed into booth seating. Under the old choir loft there’s a lounge area; outside, a small courtyard adds seasonal seating.
The buildout leans into reuse. Wood removed during the renovation was turned into tables, benches, and even beer‑flight paddles. The old firehouse‑style confessional vibe is swapped for a wide‑open social hall, but the bones are intact—you know you’re drinking in a former church, not a generic "industrial" taproom.
For Baltimore, the building is a case study in adaptive reuse done carefully: a landmark that remains recognizable, but with a new function that keeps the doors open and the lights on.
Ownership, Mission, and the Three Pillars
Ministry of Brewing’s ownership group—Hunt, Powell, Valery, Wendell—built the company around three stated pillars: Education, Community, and Philanthropy.
- Education: Co‑owners Ernst Valery and David Wendell helped design a summer lab‑sciences program hosted in the brewery’s QC lab. The program works with Baltimore high school seniors—especially students from underrepresented backgrounds—teaching molecular biology and lab skills that translate to jobs in biotech, research, and brewing. It uses the brewery as a live teaching environment: yeast, fermentation, and quality control as a gateway into STEM careers.
- Community: The team talks openly about wanting to preserve the church’s role as a gathering place. The space hosts neighborhood meetings, weddings, holiday parties, fundraisers, trivia nights, and pop‑up events. In practice, it functions like a parish hall with steel tanks instead of a pulpit.
- Philanthropy: Ministry of Brewing partners with Baltimore public schools and local non‑profits, using the space and its events calendar for fundraising. The brewery actively solicits additional partnerships and treats donations as part of the operating plan, not an afterthought.
It’s an answer to a question a lot of cities are asking: what should we do with closed churches? Ministry of Brewing’s bet is that beer plus intentional programming can be one viable answer.
What’s on Tap: Classic Styles in a Wild Setting
Ministry of Brewing runs 32 rotating taps. Rather than hang the brand on a single flagship, the brewery leans into a broad mix of styles:
- Clean lagers – German‑style Pils, Helles, Vienna and other malt‑forward lagers.
- Hop‑forward beers – IPAs and pale ales that can hang with any modern lineup.
- Sours and fruited beers – Berliner weisse‑inspired sours and seasonal fruited variants.
- Dark beers – stouts and porters that fit the cathedral‑like space in winter.
The exact list changes frequently; the brewery keeps an updated draft list on its website and social channels. If you’re planning a visit, it’s worth a quick check so you can plan around releases.
Beer production runs on a 20‑barrel system capable of supporting the taproom and limited distribution to local bars and restaurants. Head brewer Dave Macala (as reported by local coverage) focuses on clean, approachable beers that work for both downtown beer nerds and first‑time visitors who just wandered in because they saw the building.
Food, Families, and Practical Details
Ministry of Brewing operates as a taproom first—there’s no full kitchen—but they run a steady roster of rotating food trucks and external vendors. When food trucks aren’t on site, guests are welcome to bring their own food or order in from nearby restaurants.
The taproom is:
- Family‑friendly: kids are welcome, and the cavernous space and long tables make it easy for groups.
- Dog‑friendly: leashed dogs are typically welcome in designated areas (check the latest house rules before you go).
- Accessible: the building is wheelchair‑accessible, with modern restrooms and seating at multiple heights.
Hours can shift seasonally, but a typical schedule looks like:
- Monday: late afternoon to evening.
- Tuesday–Thursday: mid‑afternoon to 10 PM.
- Friday–Saturday: noon to 10 PM.
- Sunday: noon to early evening.
For the latest hours, events, and food truck schedule, the Ministry of Brewing website and social feeds are the source of truth.
Why Ministry of Brewing Matters
There are plenty of breweries in churches around the world. Ministry of Brewing stands out for a few reasons:
- It’s not just using a church as décor—it’s restoring a neighborhood landmark and keeping it public.
- It ties beer to education and workforce development, using the lab and the building to teach STEM skills.
- It treats the taproom as community infrastructure—fundraisers, school events, neighborhood meetings—rather than a closed, beer‑only box.
For Baltimore, the project is a proof of concept: you can save historic sacred spaces by giving them new, secular uses that still feel communal. For drinkers, it’s simply one of the most memorable rooms in which you’ll ever drink a pint.
Visiting Ministry of Brewing: Quick FAQ
Where is Ministry of Brewing?
1900 E. Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD, in the Upper Fells Point / Washington Hill area.
Is Ministry of Brewing really in a church?
Yes. The brewery operates in the restored sanctuary of the former St. Michael the Archangel Church, first opened in the 1850s.
How many beers does Ministry of Brewing have on tap?
The taproom typically pours around 32 rotating beers, covering lagers, IPAs, sours, and dark beers.
Does Ministry of Brewing serve food?
They don’t run a full kitchen but host rotating food trucks and allow outside food when trucks aren’t present.
Is the brewery family‑friendly and dog‑friendly?
Yes. The space is family‑friendly during all operating hours, and leashed dogs are welcome in designated areas.
Sources: Ministry of Brewing – Official Site; Ministry of Brewing – About & Mission; Baltimore Magazine – Ministry of Brewing to Open Inside St. Michael’s Church in Fells Point; Baltimore Sun – In Baltimore, Turning an Abandoned Church into the ‘Ministry of Brewing’; Brewers Association of Maryland / Our Community Now – Historic Baltimore Church Transformed into One of the Most Divine Breweries in the World.
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