SYKESVILLE, Md. — Though the business might be exactly what you think it is, a new spa concept in a Sykesville strip mall promises a totally unique experience.
“Any time you have a great idea that's pretty neat or new, there's a big risk,” said Katie Barton, co-owner of Bierbath. “We'd rather regret what we did instead of regretting that we never were brave enough to take the leap.”
Bierbath is part bar, part spa, where the main attraction is a long soak in a bathtub full of beer—sort of.
“A lot of people have the misconception that you're actually sitting in a bathtub full of Miller Lite or something like that. It's not like that at all,” said Barton, who opened the business in December with her husband and two business partners. “It's actually just all the ingredients: hops, barley, Epsom salts, essential oils. It's the essence of beer.”
One of those partners, Hector Enriquez, has been dreaming of the idea ever since his work as a travel photographer immersed him in the centuries-old concept of beer-bathing.
“This is from the Vikings in Western Europe,” he explained. “They bathed in beer for many years, because in the past they didn’t have good water.”
Now, there’s even medical research documenting the potential health benefits and anti-inflammatory properties of a good soak in these beer ingredients.
“And the same time that you're drinking beer, so you're having fun,” said Enriquez.
Though there’s no alcohol in the bathwater itself, the experience, which can be enjoyed solo or in groups up to four, comes with samplings of beer and wine from the Bierbath menu. The front area is a family friendly neighborhood watering hole with darts, a “mug club,” and eventually, live music.
"What I kind of jokingly call this is like the reverse mullet experience. So we actually have business in the back party up front," said Barton. “People come on in for a beer just to relax with their friends and we say, hey, come on, you want to come see the spa? They're like, oh, I gotta check this out. This is something I've got to do.”
What should someone expect from their first beer bath?
"Expect to be relaxed, I think to be surprised and shocked about how lovely it really is," said Barton. "It is just a unique experience. So I think you're just going to really have fun and you'll want to come back."
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