Tell me about Baltimore

This used to be true but unfortunately new management has taken over and Alewife is a shell of its former self.

@Newport_beerguy if you like the Woodberry area, you could also check out La Cuchara for dinner. It's a nice-but-not-too-nice place very close to Woodberry Kitchen. In addition to Union, Waverly Brewing is also just down the street.

If you're in town on Friday night and looking for a good spot to eat, I highly recommend Water for Chocolate in Upper Fells. It's not super swanky but it has fantastic comfort food. It's within walking distance of Max's, probably less than a mile away.

Oriole Park has gotten better with the beer options. You can get Dogfish, Union, and Flying Dog at several places inside the stadium. Pratt Street Alehouse is probably your best bet for craft around the stadium, but it's just ok IMO.

Also, the place you saw on the food show was probably Chap's Pit Beef, which is good but pretty far away from everything else. Although if you're staying in White Marsh you could stop on the way into town.

 

Parts and Labor is a good choice for a nice dinner without breaking the bank. They have a small but good tap list. It's the same ownership as Woodberry but easier on the wallet.
Metropolitan is walking distance from the ballpark with good food and a good tap list.

 

Wet City is convenient from light rail Cultural Center stop, plus 5-6 minute walk. Interesting tap selection. Be sure to check hours though, as I tried to stop on Opening Day and window indicated open, but locked door indicated closed. Blue Pit BBQ in Woodberry area very good and near Union Craft. Union 5-10 on TH/F, noon -5 on SA/SU. Metropolitan is a cool place in Federal Hill, about a 8-10 minute walk from Hamburg St light rail (Ravens Stadium).

 

This is a good suggestion, I visited MD this past Saturday and enjoyed Parts and Labor for dinner after hitting up Diamondback. Diamondback seems like a place with a lot of promise. They only had three beers on tap, but all were solid and I would go there again next time I come up.

 

The area around Diamondback is a generally safe place to walk, right? For instance, if i'm walking from the Fell's point side of the harbor to Diamonback, i would be fine?

 

It's a safe walk from Fell's to Diamondback around the harbor but it's about 3 miles. If that's more walking than you want look into the water taxi. That's a good option for areas around the harbor.
http://www.baltimorewatertaxi.com/
As far as safety in Fell's Point I always recommend to tourists to stay between the harbor and Eastern ave. Realistically all the real tough neighborhoods are a ways from the tourist areas.

 

I Do NOT recommend walking from Hamburg Street Light Rail to Federal Hill, especially at night, too many things have happened unless there is a game at the stadium.

 

The two best spots inside the Yard for local and craft beer are as follows...Free State Pub on first level 3rd base line closure towards home plate. The other spot is a kiosk on the first level on the left field side of the picnic and statue area.

Outside of the Yard I usually go to Sliders right across the street. They usually have something decent on tap and nice craft cans for cheap. I prefer Sliders to Pickles usually better options and better calmer crowd.

Highly recommend Parts and Labor as others have for dinner. If you are into craft cocktails at all and tacos then Clavel is the place to go. My favorite place in the city right now.

I go to about 15-20 games a year. I could go on and on about where to go. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions. Max's gets all the praise but there are some really cool spots around Canton with great but smaller taplists that often get overlooked.

 

Also in the Woodberry/Hampden area is Le Garage which usually has a pretty good draft and bottle list. They're do a decent happy hour and their beers are on their website and beermenus.

If you end up staying in the city, Loch Bar in Harbor East at the Four Seasons does happy hour on Fridays 'til 7. You can sit outside by the water, they usually have a couple RAR drafts on discount, and you can get oysters. From there I usually walk to Pratt St Ale House or Sliders and then go to the stadium.

Brewer's Art does happy hour on Friday and Saturdays, and then from there you could walk to Alewife, Pratt St, and/or Sliders.

 

@Newport_beerguy definitely recommend checking out Diamondback this weekend. they're doing a new release on saturday and it sounds like they will have bands and stuff too so cans should be available. not beer releated, but sagamore spirits is opening up this weekend too and just on the other side of 95 from diamondback. everyone else has given great food suggestions and other brewery/bar choices.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, more than enough especially since we're cutting our trip short (Thursday to Saturday). Hopefully the weather cooperates for getting around. Unfortunately while I'm an adventurous eater my wife is not besides being 5x as tolerant of spicy foods as I am, so we'll probably lean towards the plainer pub food options. Other than one nice meal she is fine with a grilled cheese place, burger bar or wing joint.

 

How do Diamondback releases usually go as far as lines, sell out timing, etc? Last thing I want to do this weekend is wait in line, but if cans typically stick around well past opening I'll swing by later and try some stuff on draft as well. DIPAs can bring out the insane people!

 

I'd guess that they'll last a while. You can find more info on the event here.

This Saturday is also Max's Very Special Bottle/Keg event, which is usually a lot of fun. Information below:

VSB/K EVENT
(Very Special Bottle/Keg Event)

April 22, 2017
11am-2pm (Bottle Sale)
11am-close (Bar is Open)

We will be opening our side bar for a bottle sale on April 22 @11am.The line will start at the outside door of the side bar. We will have over 80 very rare beers in bottles for Sale: to go only , then over 40 very rare drafts at the main bar. There will be limits per person on all bottles to go.

BOTTLES-To Go Only (11am-2pm)** 99% Done
Allagash Mattina Rossa
Apostelbrau Whiskey barrel aged Dinkelbock
Blackberry Farm Barrel Series: Brett Belgo IPA
Blackberry Farm Native Series: Buckwheat Strawberry
Blackberry Farm/Evil Twin -From Tennessee w/Smoke
Boon Oude Gueuze Vat 74
Brekeriet Lady in Satin
Brekeriet Saaza
Brekeriet Sour in Salt
Brew By Numbers 03/05
Cambridge La Saisoniere
Cantillon Gueuze
Cantillon Lou pepe Gueuze
Cantillon Iris
Cascade Sang Du Chene
Cascade Kentucky Peach
Draai Laag Yoedler Bourbon
Draai Laag Yoedler Laphroaig
Draai Laag Yoedler Port
3 Fontenien Oude Gueuze
3 Fontenien Doesjel
3 Fonteinen Oude Gueuze Cuvee Armand & Gaston
Evil Twin Double Barrel Jesus
Evil Twin Maple Bourbon Imperial Biscotti Break
Evil Twin Maple Bourbon Even More Jesus
Fantome Vetigansse
Fifty Fifty Eclipse Java Coffee 2016
Fifty Fifty Eclipse Woodforde Reserve 2016
Free Will Brown Beard
Free Will Cuvee Ange
Free Will DC Cranberry
Free Will Olly
Green Flash Divine Belgique Tripel
Grimm Sumi Ink
Grimm Double Negative
Jester King Blanc Du Bois
Jester King KVASS
Jester King/Off Color/Side Project-Intersection of Species
Jester King Dichotomous Autumnal 2015
Jester King/Live Oak Kollaborationbier
Jolly Pumpkin/Maui -Sobrehumano
LoverBeer For Fan
Mikkeller barrel aged Skor
Mikkeller/Lileo William Pear
Mystic Field Studies
Mystic Vapor Ray
Omnipollo Shploing Mango Smores
Evil Twin/Omnipollo Old Fashioned Lemonade
Partizan/Wiper Times XK Ale
Partizan 100 Stout Porter
Partisan Porter
Partizan Saison Lemongrass
Prairie Funky Gold Citra
Prairie Funky Gold Mosaic
Prairie Apple Brandy Noir
Prairie Vanilla Noir
Prairie Pirate Bomb
Prairie Coffee Noir
Prairie Bible Belt
Prairie Barrel aged Bible belt
Rappi Bier Factory Absent Swiss Hop IPA
Omnipollo Shploing Mango Smores
Omnipollo/Evil twin Old Fashioned Lemonade
Oxbow Life On Biere De mars
Sesma Albarchico
Siren Barrel aged Caribbean Chocolate Cake
Siren Barrel aged Lemoncello
Stone(Berlin)/Maui-Aloha Berlin
Stone(Berlin)/Dogfish Head/Victory –Imperial Saison Du Buff
Struise BA Rio Reserva (St Emilon/Bourbon)
Tilquin Oude Gueuze Squared
Trois Dames Handle in hand
Trois Dames/Freigeist-Brett Kirsch Gose
Trois dames/Sicpoint-Jalapeno raspberry Double
Virtue Lapinette
Way Beer farmhouse Gabiroba
Way Beer/Jester King- Watermelon Ale
Wild Beer Redwood
Wild Beer Smoke & Barrels Summer
Wild Beer/Burning Sky/Good George -Schoodlepip

ON DRAFT***95% DONE

ON CASK
Union/DC Brau Yonder Cities w/Citra
Union/DC Brau Yonder Cities w/Pommegrante
RAR R&D Series Pale #1
RAR R&D Series Pale #2

ON DRAFT
Against The Grain Jackyale
Against The Grain Naval Glazer
Against The Grain barrel aged Fancy Lawyer Terms
Alvinne Wild West w/Sour Cherries & raspberries
Bells Kal Haven
Blackberry Farm Fenceline
Brekeriet Criss Cross
Brekeriet Wakatu
Buxton Rain Shadow Single barrel aged jalapeno Coffee
Cascade Kentucky Peach
Crooked Stave Colorado Wild Sage
Crooked Stave Hop Savant
Crooked Stave Petite Rose
Crooked Stave St Bretta
Crooked Stave Surette
Crooked Stave Vielle
Dunham Cycople Alpha IPA
Dunham Cycolpe Lota IPA
Elgoods Coolship Dark Sour
Freigeist/Italiano Mammia Mia
Freigiest/Treze-Berlin Mate
Kees Strawberry Fields
Magic Rock/Fork& Brewer-The Upside Down
Marina Vinyahop Marselan
Marina Vinyahop Moscat
Marina Vinyahop Syrah
Marina Vinyahop Viognier
Off Color Coffee Dino Smores
Off Color Myshka
Partizan Saison:kriek
Prairie Bomb
RAR Grapefruit Nectar
Redchurch On Skins
Redchurch Urban farmhouse Cold Brew
Siren Broken Dream Bourbon Coffee
Stillwater/Dugges- Mango Mango Mango
Tilquin Stout Rullquin
Union Older Pro Pineapple
Urban Family Magnifera
Way Beer/Jester King Watermelon Ale
Wild Beer Redwood

 

Wow looks like Saturday could be a pretty nice day to putt around...

 

They're still relatively new with can releases at the brewery so it's tough to say. I haven't made it over there for a can release yet. They have distributed to a couple stores locally for the last few releases and we got them then.

 

FWIW both of the new Diamondback IPAs will be on tap at Max's Saturday as well.

 

Good deal, try before I buy. So I can hit Max's at 11am open and have these along with any of the rare beers we may want, and decide on whether to swing by the brewery and pick up cans afterward.

 

Glad you still enjoyed your trip. You probably noticed but Oliver has also done some rebranding over the past year or two. I think their beer is noticeably better than it used to be, they've shifted away from English styles and more toward the popular American styles (which I prefer).