HAVE SOME SUDS WITH YOUR SOAK
Take a look inside Sykesville’s newly opened BierBath spa and alehouse, where visitors can enjoy unlimited brews with their hops-filled spa tub experience
Visitors to Sykesville can now sip craft beers while soaking in a large wooden tub filled with Epsom salt, hops and barley, at the town’s newest business, BierBath, which opened at 1213 Liberty Road in Sykesville last weekend.
The beer spa and alehouse’s signature treatment incorporates a 40-minute soak plus 10 minutes in an infrared sauna and 10 minutes to wash off afterward, which can be enjoyed by appointment.
Family, friends and business partners clad in black BierBath shirts and baseball caps with yellow lettering watched and applauded as Sykesville resident, co-founder and co-owner Hector Enriquez, 45, cut the ribbon at BierBath’s grand opening on Dec. 9.
Enriquez said the opening of BierBath represents the culmination of tireless work and vision.
“We have more than one year building this place and it’s a reality now, so I’m happy,” Enriquez said. “The expectation is very high for me, but I think we can do it because we have had a good response from the community.”
Co-founder and co-owner Greg Baran, 46, of Woodbine, said although the treatment may smell of beer and contain hops and barley particles, there is no actual beer in the bath; however, customers may order unlimited draft beers with their spa treatment at the push of a button that alerts a staff member.
Wine and menu items such as charcuterie and sandwiches can be purchased while enjoying a beer bath.
The spa area’s low light and noise canceling walls lend a degree of separation from the bustle of a brewery/restaurant. Baran said the spa is accessible to disabled guests and ingredients can be omitted from the bath in case of allergies. Bathing suits must be worn while in tubs and street clothes must be worn outside of the spa area.
Each tub is thoroughly cleaned after every bath, Baran added.
Customers can book individual soaks or share a tub with one other person. BierBath has a room with two tubs that groups of up to four people can share. Pricing starts at $100 for a one-person soak, and customers must book in advance.
The building’s interior includes an inviting and spacious bar, which anyone can visit whether or not they plan to spend time in the spa. The use of rubber ducks in parodies of classic art and in the BierBath logo reminds customers that the business doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Enriquez said he put his artistic talents to work in designing the dog-friendly, kid-friendly bar with 150 seats across several four- and six-person tables, a large communal table and bar seating.
“The idea is to have a place that is fun,” Enriquez said.
The bar’s minimalist, industrial aesthetic reflects the beer spas in Europe, Enriquez said, where such businesses are far more common than in the U.S.
BierBath’s opening marks the fourth active beer spa in the country, Baran said. Chicago, Denver and Orlando, Florida, each have similar businesses.
Enriquez, an international hotel photographer, first met Baran, who works in the tech industry, at a beer-tasting event, but their children have been friends for years. Enriquez said dozens of potential partners said no to his idea of a beer spa before Baran decided to help make it a reality.
“We looked around and said, ‘What are we missing in Carroll County? How can we change the game in Carroll County? Can we up the level?'” Baran said.
Board of Carroll County Commissioners President Ed Rothstein, of Eldersburg, attended the ribbon-cutting, and said he expects BierBath to complement local businesses, provide a unique service to county residents, and draw visitors from nearby metropolitan areas.
“This is legit, this is really cool,” Rothstein said. “I do like the professionalism and vibrancy that this really shows.”
Sykesville was chosen for a location to encourage visitors from Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Columbia, Enriquez said, and because it is his home.
Carroll County Chamber of Commerce President Mike McMullin said the business is so much more than just a spa, and its large bar with ample seating presents the opportunity to hold community meetings.
“Don’t be fooled by the name,” McMullin said, “it’s not just a spa. This place looks like an amazing pub, with all different types of beer that customers can pick from.”
About 17 new part-time jobs were created to support the business opening, although Enriquez said many of those will likely become full-time positions once operators have a better sense of labor needs. BierBath is still seeking to hire five or six more people.
BierBath opens at 11 a.m. every day and remains open until 9 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 p.m. on Thursdays, 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 8 p.m. on Sundays.
“This is a place that is for everyone,” Enriquez said, “not just for the beer lovers.”