October 8, 2014 (BALTIMORE, MD) — What’s the key ingredient in a frosty mug of Baltimore-brewed beer? It is all about the water, hon! Fresh, pure Baltimore water.

“Each bottle of beer produced in the Baltimore area begins by turning the tap to a City of Baltimore water line. When local brewers turn on the water tap, they generate jobs and economic activity for the City,” Baltimore City Department of Public Works Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E., said.

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works will join with local brewers to kick off the sixth year of Baltimore Beer Week, celebrating the City’s distinguished history as a major beer producer.

The 2014 Baltimore Beer Week Opening Tap Celebration will take place, Saturday, Oct. 11, and coincide with Das Best Oktoberfest festival, which will be held at Rash Field – Inner Harbor, 610 Light Street. During this event, DPW will tap its own keg to serve samples of Baltimore’s finest water. The DPW booth and water keg will be open from noon to 6 p.m.

Clean, consistent, good-tasting water is how great beer is made in Baltimore. City-produced water has just the right amount of ions in the water — calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, sulfate, sodium, and chloride.

DPW serves 1.8 million residential and commercial customers, including award-winning breweries, global soda brands, nationally known bakeries, and world-class restaurants.

“The water produced by Baltimore City is the key ingredient for commercial enterprises throughout the City and County, ranging from bakeries to microbreweries. Business owners know when they turn on the tap that they are getting a clean, fresh, pure product,” Director Chow said.

Baltimore has both high-quality raw water supplies and dedicated professionals who work around-the-clock to ensure that the water provided to households and businesses is safe. The City performs 150,000 water quality tests annually and produces an average of 225 million gallons of drinking water daily.