[This article originally appeared in the June 2024 issue of the South Baltimore Peninsula Post.]
It didn’t take long for the peninsula’s newest craft brewery, M8 Beer, to establish its own niche in the bustling South Baltimore beer scene. Not yet a year old, M8 hit the ground running after taking over an existing, modern brewery and taproom and crafting a line of distinctive brews with an Australian twist.
Australian native Jeff Osborne jumped at the chance to take over the former Checkerspot brewery at 1399 S. Sharp Street after owners Judy and Rob Neff decided in 2022 to move west a few blocks to a larger location. Originally from Gold Coast in eastern Australia, Osborne first came to Baltimore in 1999 as a professional squash player. “I built a lot of good relationships here. I always had a fondness for Baltimore and always came back to visit,” he said. Osborne left Baltimore in 2005 and settled with his wife in Mexico.
His Baltimore connections included colleagues at the former Meadow Mill Athletic Club in Woodberry, which was owned by Himmelrich Associates, the landlord for the Spring Garden Office Complex that housed Checkerspot Brewing. After news of Checkerspot’s departure got out, Osborne received a call from Baltimore friends associated with Himmelrich, who told him this could be an opportune moment to get into the brewing business.
“We moved back to Baltimore in 2022 to start my dream,” he said. With two investors that he met through Himmelrich, Osborne purchased the 12,000-square-foot brewery and equipment and reopened the space shortly after Checkerspot’s departure. “And now I am having a blast leading the team and growing this business.”
M8 distinguishes itself from other local breweries with its unabashed Australian take on the atmosphere, the food, and of course the beer. A big part of this is Australian-grown hops imported from Down Under, as well as the bold and bright flavors that the M8 brewers experiment with.
M8 currently produces 13 beers, ales, and seltzers. Some of the biggest fan favorites are the Fraser Island Pacific Ale, a citrus-forward IPA, and the Czech M8 Pilsner that packs a bit more of a punch than your average pilsner. A few other standouts are the Southern Cross “ESB” (extra special bitter) and their Hazy IPAs, the Slim Dusty, and the Kangaroo Hop.
In addition to the hops imported from Australia and New Zealand, M8 also uses hops from Germany and the United States, including Michigan, Oregon, and Maryland.
The beer production process is much the same as that used by Checkerspot – since M8 inherited many of the towering mash tuns, vats, and tanks – with a few key differences. Besides the use of Australian hops and grains for their distinctive flavor, the M8 canning line, which is now run by a third party (Baltimore’s Iron Heart Canning Company), uses a mobile canning line to can about 5,000 beers per hour.
After opening in September 2023, M8 quickly found its footing and is working on strengthening its current distribution relationships. Beer output has grown by almost 25 percent a month since opening, according to Osborne. “We continue to ramp up our beer production to meet the growing consumption,” he said. “We recently needed to add additional brewing staff. People want good beer.”
Within 30 days of launching distribution sales, M8 secured deals with 25 Baltimore restaurants and liquor stores including MaGerks Pub & Grill, Harborview Liquors, and AJ’s on Hanover. They plan to continue to grow in Baltimore City and surrounding counties, with a goal to become the leading beverage company in the mid-Atlantic.
M8 has already cemented itself in the Baltimore-Australian scene, with the Australian Rules Football Club, Baltimore Dockers, frequenting the taproom. They show Australian rules football games on TV alongside Baltimore’s professional sports teams. The brewery’s proximity to Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium means big crowds every game day.
When the Peninsula Post visited the M8 brewery this spring, it was Orioles opening day, and the first-floor taproom was packed. We could barely squeeze through the crowd as we made our way to the back to get a glimpse of the brewery’s production floor and to meet Osborne and his team. Valon “Val” Kafexholli, an Australian from Adelaide who didn’t know Osborne before joining M8, is the taproom manager. Brendan “Fitz” Fitzsimmons, the brewer, was pouring over some of the mash tuns when we first arrived. Owen Pereira, M8’s chef, blends American and Australian flavors to create a menu that includes Aussie pies, sausage rolls, Texas BBQ, and (on special occasions) kangaroo. Pereira first made his mark on the Baltimore food scene when he won the Top Chef Junior television show as a teenager.
M8 fits right in with the cluster of South Baltimore breweries nearby and works to continue the tradition of camaraderie and community. Checkerspot’s owners were more than willing to let Fitz play around with their equipment prior to moving in. “They’ve been nothing but incredibly helpful and super collaborative along the way,” Osborne said.
His plans for renovating the brewery for a fresh look are taking shape. The building has a new coat of paint and new signage. The first-floor wall separating the taproom and brewery has been replaced with floor-to-ceiling glass so that customers can peer inside to get a firsthand look at the brewing process. The second-floor space will also be remodeled with a glass wall and a new configuration for the bar and tables. Other plans include adding a massive deck from the second floor, extending out toward the railroad tracks over an unused grassy area.
In May, M8 joined the South Baltimore Brewery District, a coalition of local breweries that includes Checkerspot, Pickett Brewing Company, and Wico Street Beer Co. The goal of the group is to combine forces to create a walkable craft beer district in and around South Baltimore.
Whether it’s game day and the SoBo streets are packed or it’s a cold winter evening, M8 has brews and food that can uplift any occasion. Visit the M8 website for information on their draft selection and events. – John Thomas
South Baltimore Peninsula Post 