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Carroll County panel approves Beer Bath upgrade to Class B liquor license
Summary
The Board of License Commissioners approved Beer Bath's request to upgrade from a Class D beer-and-wine license to a Class B beer, wine and liquor license, subject to quarterly reporting on food-vs.-alcohol sales in the first year.
The Board of License Commissioners for Carroll County voted to approve Beer Bath’s request to upgrade from a Class D beer-and-wine license to a Class B beer, wine and liquor license on Feb. 25, 2025.
The change lets the Sykesville business serve a limited selection of spirits and premixed cocktails, the owners said, while they expand their food program to meet the county’s restaurant percentage standard. Hector Henriques, an owner-operator of Beer Bath in Sykesville, told the board the business is “looking to increase our… broaden our customer base” and described plans to expand the menu and equipment gradually.
The requirement that a Class B restaurant meet a minimum threshold for food sales came up repeatedly. Inspector Spector asked that Beer Bath submit quarterly alcohol-vs.-food sales reports during the first year so the board can monitor compliance. “If the board does approve it, I request that they submit quarterly alcohol versus food sales every 3 months on to the first year that we can monitor alcohol food sales,” Spector said.
Commissioner Barnhart described Beer Bath as “a very unique business” and an amenity for Carroll County that draws customers from outside the county. The owners said their current annual split across recorded sales (excluding spa services) is roughly 62% alcohol and 37% food; under the county’s rules they must reach at least 41% food sales to satisfy the restaurant-standard test for the upgraded license.
Applicants described operational controls they will use to limit alcohol service to a short, fixed drink menu and to train staff. Hector Henriques and Gregory Baron, who testified under oath, explained the venue’s hours, seating capacity and menu plans: seating is about 82 seats with a total capacity they described as roughly 130, and weekday and weekend hours were provided during testimony.
On a voice vote — motioned by Commissioner Barnhart and seconded by another commissioner — the board approved the upgrade. The board recorded the outcome as approved and placed on the record the inspector’s request for quarterly reporting for the first year. No individual roll-call votes were read into the transcript; the board signaled approval by saying “aye.”
The board closed the item by congratulating the applicants and reminding them of the quarterly-reporting condition and other routine compliance obligations.
Clarifying details recorded at the hearing included the current sales mix (about 62% alcohol, 37% food, owners’ figure), the board’s 41% minimum food-sales threshold for restaurant-status licensing, and seating/capacity figures discussed during testimony. The board did not change Beer Bath’s hours of operation as part of this action.
