Baltimore-Washington Beer Works

The Baltimore-Washington Beer Works, of Baltimore, Maryland is the first to have launched a beer in another country before ever being produced at home. Production first occurred in Germany prior to any in America. The Raven was originally produced in the Black Forest and still is produced in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg. The small town of Nagold, south of Stuttgart and west of the university town of Tübingen, is where the Anker Brewery can be found. BWBW was founded by Stephen Demczuk of Baltimore, who was partner in Europe's first beer-of-the-month club, Beer Around the World. He, along with Baltimorean, Jim Seay and German beer importer Mr. Wolfgang Stark, styled a beer that would be appealing to the masses, drinkable and enjoyed by both the lager and ale drinker. From the assistance of master brewer Mr. Hans-Martin Walz of Anker Brewery, came The Raven, a beer brewed in honor of Baltimore's literary genius, Edgar Allan Poe. After more than a year operating in Europe, the world's most competitive beer market, production of The Raven began in Baltimore in June of 1998.