About Us

Starting out when I moved to Maryland after college as a young professional I was completely obsessed with beer. The science of it hooked me first. The way a few simple ingredients could turn into something completely different depending on how you handled them. I started homebrewing, started winning competitions, and kept hearing the same thing from people whose taste I trusted. You should do something with this.

I worked everywhere I could. Mobtown, Checkerspot, Suspended Brewing. Front of house, back of house, production, you name it. During the pandemic I was running food. I worked at Maryland Homebrew. Truly, I think I’ve done just about every job this industry has. Not because I had to but because I wanted to understand all of it before I put my name on something. And I’m glad I did. Nothing prepares you for owning your own business because when it’s yours, it’s all on you.

The space that became Mystique was a building I already knew. Suspended Brewing had been there before they relocated, and when the opportunity came up to take it over, I jumped on it. What happened next was… a lot. We thought we’d open in May of 2023. We opened in November. Somewhere in the middle of that, we discovered a trench drain that wasn’t connected to any plumbing. Twenty thousand dollars, gone. There were equipment delays, licensing headaches, construction surprises I don’t have enough time to list. We took our fair share of hits. But we’re here, and I’m glad.

We built the space the same way I brew beer. With intention and with nothing wasted. The tables are reclaimed wood. The shelving behind the bar was salvaged straight from the buildout. Every choice was deliberate, because that’s just how I operate.

The name Mystique comes from mixed fermentation, brewing with wild yeast and living microbes that produce something unpredictable, and complex. It’s the style I find most fascinating and frankly, it’s the one most breweries don’t have the patience for. Our barrel-aged beers take months, or sometimes years. We make an Erised Flanders Red, and as far as I know, we’re the only brewery in Baltimore making one. It’s a centuries-old style that most modern craft breweries just don’t, or won’t, do.

But Mystique isn’t just for the beer nerds. That’s why “Lager House” is right there in the name. We keep three or four lagers on tap at all times, including our Easyspeak Pre-Prohibition Lager, which is crisp, clean, and built for easy drinking (it’s in the name). We’ve got craft hard seltzers made with real fruit, house-made non-alcoholic drinks, and a kitchen with some great food. 

In the end, I want everyone to feel at home here.

And that’s really the whole point.

Most people have two places where they spend most of their time. Home and work. But there can be a third place. One that’s just for you. You don’t have to be an employee, a parent, or something else. You can simply be a person with a cold pint and some good company, part of a neighborhood that actually knows your name.

That’s what I set out to build in Pigtown. Not a trendy destination chasing whatever style is blowing up on Instagram this month. A real neighborhood spot. With live music, trivia nights, jazz Sundays, cooking classes, and yeah, genuinely great beer that we’re proud of.

Craft beer is about more than just the beer. It’s about the people, the community, and the journey.

Come see what I mean. I’ll probably be the one pouring your first pint.

-Tom Pagano Owner & Brewer, Mystique Barrel Brewing and Lager House