Moving to Baltimore in Feb

You pretty much got the idea, so you'll have a fun time, Max's is a fantastic place.

Just for the record there are no growler filled bars in DC, you can't go into a bar in DC for a growler fill.

However, breweries and Whole Foods and a few stores for growler fills are no problem in DC.

Have fun!

 

Just want to clarify, Philly is not close to Baltimore. Two hours in the dead of night, but much longer with traffic.

You should look forward to being close-ish to Dogfish Head (2.5 hours) so you can make a day trip to the brewpub and buy stuff at better prices. Still not close, but better.

 

Philly and Baltimore are 100 miles apart, so your definition of close and a quick trip for a growler fill must be a little different than mine. ;-)

 

Welcome to town OP. Baltimore has a great and growing beer scene and a good group of beer lovers. It looks like you've done your research. Where in the city are you moving?
I live here and do day trips to DC and Philly to visit bars and breweries. I don't think either drive is bad.

 

Max's does growler fills. Not sure about other bars.

 

It depends on the bar. Most of the good ones do.

 

Mt. Vernon huh? That would put you in the same neighborhood as The Brewer's Art. Once you get settled in your new abode check them out. The beer is great and the food is excellent.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/997

 

Not just bars, many liquor stores in and around Baltimore now offer growler fills as well.

 

Maybe I'm a crazy fast driver, but I can do Philly to Bmore, downtown to downtown, in an hour and a half in no traffic. Even front-door-to-ass-in-a-stool-at-Max's it's less than 2 hours if parking isn't too horrendous

More OT: If getting growler fills at a brewpub in PA, you will probably be required to have either the brewpub's growler or a generic one. I have had no trouble getting a Whole Foods growler filled, so if you don't want to bother with matching growlers, you can buy your growlers there. They usually have good beers to fill with as well. As for bars, I never get them, but I know some bars will do them. Generic should be fine for this as well.

 

Perfect Pour.

Assuming you cannot afford to live in Inner Harbor or Federal Hill, you need to carefully select where you will live outside the not so great area of the rest of city and county.

I would plan things so that I am close to PP, and commute-able to Inner Harbor. MARC is now on weekends, in addition to light rail. Maps need to be studied.

 

Send me a BM, in Fells Pt. and would happily buy you a beer once you get settled.

 

I would do the exact opposite. Perfect Pour is the most well-known rip-off in the local beer scene. There have been so many examples of Perfect Pour charging INSANE prices that I don't even know where to begin. You either work at Perfect Pour or have more money than brains.

 

Ouch.

I don't work there, but I love beers crammed in so tight I can't read all the labels. They also have a club which is okay.

 

Be prepared for Maryland taxes, which are about 9% - but being from California, you probably are. As for brewers, I would also add DuClaw, Union Craft and heavy Seas.

 

Sure, in no traffic that's about right for 100 miles. But I have had to make the drive with traffic and depending on how many jams you hit, it can take 2.5 - 3+ hours.

That's a very good point. I am originally from the Harrisburg area and know Harrisburg/York/Lancaster well. I am shocked to see how far the beer scene has come there and due to PA's goofy ass laws, they sometimes get limited release beers before we do in the Philly area, and more of it too. The latest batch of Lagunitas Sucks is a great example, where they have had it for days now and we are being told that we may not see it until early-mid Jan. How much sense does this make?!? Oh wait it's PA so NONE!