I've been listening to distributors and bar managers talk about this for well over a year now, so I'm hesitant to announce this until I'm actually holding a glass of sculpin or dorado in my hand. However, Max's has listed a "new California brewery debut" event during Baltimore Beer Week, and the brewery listed is Ballast Point. There's no beer list as yet (Casey simply mentions that they'll have a whole bunch of their beers on draft and bottle), but in any event, the date of this event is 10/22, from 5-7 PM at Max's. All I can say is that I hope it's true.
I saw that Max's had posted the event on their website and called out BALLAST POINT/OXBOW specifically so I am with you and can only hope this is true for more then just this one night event. Would love to be able to get sculpin as well as victory at sea on a more regular basis. I unfortunately will be out of town this day and will miss the event
When you get BP you will have all the sculpin your heart desires. I doubt yall see any Dorado, I've only seen it on tap.
Just chatted with a friend in DC who's well connected in the DC beer scene and he says BP is indeed starting to distro in MD, and Oxbow will be coming in the near future. Excellent news
This makes me feel more hopeful. One of the concerns I had, was that Max's appears to be the only place holding a BP event during BBW. Normally, I would expert several places in town to be holding a BP event; when New Belgium arrived (for instance), all kinds of places in town were having special events for NB. Hopefully I'm just being overly paranoid, but after the Bell's and Founder's entry into Maryland all fell through, I can't help it.
I hear ya - your concerns are understandable. He's not the type of guy who would just throw that out there, but still, could always be something that's still in the works. Here's to hoping otherwise. Hopefully we'll find out more soon Let's Go O's!
I spoke to a rep from Founders at Savor in June and he said he would be very surprised if they were not in Maryland within the next year. Nothing definitive, but at least a source of optimism.
John, I was trying to keep that Max's Ballast Point event on the down low. See you there. Hopefully we will get some seasonals in addition to the year round stuff.
Yeah, I overheard one of the distributors talking openly to one of the owners at a prominent store in Baltimore two weeks ago saying Ballast Point should be available by the start of Nov. Victory at Sea was specifically talked about, and the distributor said he didn't see any reason why they wouldn't have all the beers that Ballast Point puts in bottles.
Unfortunately, I guess the rep will have to get used to being surprised. I sent an email to founders last Spring, and they pretty much confirmed that we will not be seeing Founders in Maryland any time soon No matter... I'll be more than happy and satisfied if we start seeing BP in Maryland this fall.
