Heading down to Baltimore from NY for work. Will get to hit the good bars (Max's & Alewife), but I'm looking at bottle shops to bring back stuff. Is Wine Source my best bet? I'm not interested in trekking too far off the path and I'm looking for local Maryland stuff that I wouldn't see back home. Cheers!
Any idea what kind of local beer you're looking for? IMO Wine Source is the best beer store in the city (definitely has the best crowler station). Lighthouse Liquors and Pinehurst Wine Shoppe, and Canton Crossing Wine and Spirits all usually also have a good selection.
Canton crossing to Lighthouse Liquors to maxs is a solid afternoon. Check the bottle list at Max's, they sell bottles to go. You could also hit Of Love and Regret after canton crossing for some interesting drafts and bottles. I'd pass on Alewife personally.
I have to say that I am not looking for anything specifically. We do get DuClaw and Flying Dog in the NYC area. If there are local bottles that are worth seeking out, I'm open to suggestions. I'm not specific to a style, and would likely look for anything that I know I won't see back home.
There is a fresh batch of Union Double Duckpin out right now. It should be relatively easy to find in Bmore proper.
Are you driving down? If so just hit Stateline Liquors in Elkton, MD. It is within sight of I-95 right at the MD-DE border. If you're not driving then the suggestions above are great.
Hit The Wine Source in Hampden. For my buck it's the best bottle shop around. Growler and crowler fills too. It's a cute area to walk around as well. If you're heading north, try for Shawan Liquors. Seconding the suggestion to hit State Line in Elkton if you're driving. a) you can sign up for their membership on the spot. Membership is free, and you save 10% on their already good prices. b) Probably the best selection in the state. c) If you follow the road around from the store you can avoid the toll at the Delaware border on I-95. It's a win-win-win!
Wine source is awesome. Canton crossing if you wanna spend more money but want rare shit. Lighthouse, wine source, and canton crossing both do crowlers and should have some of the newer RAR, Burley, Manor Hill, and Diamondback on tap. Also Manor Hill probably still has the newest Hidden Hopyard 8 at the brewery for to go sales.
Max's bottle list is pretty awesome no matter where you're from. Bar prices of course, but if you settle in for a bit, get to know your bartender, let them know your into beer and from out of town, interested in purchasing some bottles to take home and maybe you can get a bit off. That being said, hit The Wine Source first for bottles, then Max's.
Seconding wine source and Max's. Brook the beer manager at wine source is an awesome guy and is usually manning the growler station. They get in some pretty rare stuff that doesn't get put out on the shelves (a ton of prairie variants recently and multiple cases of Madagascar for example). Strike up a conversation and ask if they got anything good in recently or ask for specific bottles and you never know what you might get.
Thanks all. Had a great week last week. Was able to get over to Max's (and enjoy the Craft Beer Week draft lists). Also Brewer's Cask was just down the street from the hotel and had a solid list. Made a trip to Wine Source and stopped at Stateline Liquors on the drive back. There were some stuff from Brewer's Art, Union, Port City, and other locals that I picked up. The suggestions were spot on.
