Good Beers in Baltimore

For crabs I like this place. http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=12586090&stx=steamers&csz=Baltimore+MD

It's a short drive/cab ride from your hotel, or you can take the water taxi over to that part of town (South Baltimore/Locust Point). Beer selection is mediocre, but they do typically have Samuel Adams and Yuengling on tap there. The place has a distinctive South Baltimore crabhouse vibe, which I think is an attraction.

As for beer, you're probably no more than a 5 or 10 minute walk to Max's on Broadway, which is the preeminent beer bar in Baltimore. Other places that are also nearby that might be of interest to you include Mahaffey's, the Hudson St. Stackhouse, the Pratt Street Alehouse and Brewer's Art. Brewer's Art and PSAH are both brewpubs. BA's focus is on Belgian style beers, while the focus at PSAH is English style ales. BA's offers something of a fine dining menu, while PSAH provides your standard Baltimore pub grub (as do Max's, the stackhouse and Mahaffey's). Max's has a huge selection of bottled beers and draft stuff (over 100 tap handles, with no crap on tap - OK, they sometimes have Stella, but otherwise...), while Mahaffey's offers a locals vibe, with a decent beer selection (roughly 20 beers on tap and a decent size bottle selection). The Stackhouse is somewhere in between Mahaffey's and Max's; it's a bit homier than Max's and has a considerably larger draft list then Mahaffey's. If the caps are still in the Stanley Cup when you arrive, expect a sizeable hockey fan crowd there as well on nights the caps are on TV.

Other places to possibly consider are the Wharf Rat and the new Heavy Seas Alehouse. The former is an English style pub serving mostly Oliver brewing beers on tap (made over at PSAH), but with typically a decent size cask selection of their beers as well. The Alehouse is something of a tied house, serving nothing but Clipper City/Heavy Seas beers on draft. They usually have around 12 different CC/HS beers on tap, including two cask selections. Food is a bit more upscale and expensive, as is the beer ($5.50 for pints of draft; $7.50 for pints of cask). IMHO, there's really no need to visit the alehouse (or for it to even exist), as CC/HS beers are readily available all over town (and for less money then you'll spend at the alehouse).

Have fun.

 

Before this goes any farther.... The place will be called the Love & Regret pub and it will not be a brewpub. They will serve a large selection of Stillwater beers, along with a strong guest draft selection. My understanding is that there will be 23 tap lines, one or two cask beer engines and a large/extensive bottle selection. The plan is to allow both an on premise and take out business. The Stillwater beers will continue to be brewed elsewhere (currently, I believe Brian S. rents space and equipment from DOG brewing in Westminster for most of his brewing needs).

There hasn't been an update in a while, but last I heard, Brian indicated he was shooting for a "late Spring" opening.

 

Depends upon where you're staying, but if you're going to be close to the downtown area, the Wine Source would be your best bet.

 

Well why didn't you say so? :-)

Skip the wine source and go here instead. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/27264/view=beerfly It's pretty much right on the way to Anapolis.

As for Falls Church, there's a dogfishhead alehouse and the Mad Fox brewpub, if you're going to be down there for more than just work. You'll also be fairly close to Rusitico's in Ballston (Arlington), which has one of the better beer selections in the DC area. Not sure how familiar you are with that part of the world (DC), but just keep in mind that it's one of the more expensive places on the planet.

 

Unfortuantely, there's really not a whole lot around there. You can also give the Chesapeak Wine Company a try next time you're in the area (pretty much right acrosss the street in the strip mall next to the Safeway there on Boston St). They have a decent selection, but it really doesn't compare to the better stores in Baltimore (Wine Source, Well's, etc.). If you're up closer to the inner harbor, you can also check out Urban Cellars on N. Charles St. Good luck!

 

"but I’m loving the process of working my way up the learning curve!"

Pretty fun, isn't it?

As others have unkindly noted in other threads, I can be somewhat longwinded at times, so I'll try to keep this relatively brief.

In terms of the selection and amount of inventory one can find, the top stores in the Baltimore area appear to be Well's, the Wine Source, Honeygo, Shawan, Fishpaws and the Perfect Pour. State Line up in Elkton is also outstanding, but it's a hike to get up there. Still, their selection is SOOOOO outstanding, I highly recommend that you make a drive up that way at some point. I confess I haven't gone to Beltway in some time now, though I've heard they have improved their selection over the past few years. Still, I would be surprised if what they have on offer is as extensive as what you'll find at the other places I just mentioned.

In terms of which store is the best of best, I can only give you my subjective opinion. I think the customer service at State Line is outstanding, as is the service at Fishpaws. Both places have staff that are knowledgeable and passionate about what they have on offer. At the other end of the spectrum is the PP. While the staff there are knowledgeable and helpful, they have a pricing stratedgy that is particularly annoying. They tend to be high on most things anyway (5% or 10% higher generally), but they also hit certain "rare" or "limited" release beers with an especially high mark-up. They are legendary/notorious for pricing GI Bourbon County rare for $99 a bottle. As for the other stores, I've pretty much stopped going to Well's, because the customer service is so apathetic and far too often I see old stock languishing on the shelves. The Wine Source is a good spot, but their customer service seems to be more focused on wine (as I guess one might expect). Honeygo and Shawan are both fine stores, but are the sort of places where they tend let you wander around without asking if you need any help.

In terms of prices, I've found that State Line and Fishpaws look to have the best prices. However, their prices really aren't signficantly lower then what you'll pay at the Wine Source, Shawans and Honeygo. Well's seems like they're all over the place with their prices. I always tell people that they need to educate themselves about what things cost before going there, just to make sure you don't buy something that was apparently mis-marked (or just flat out over priced).

Last but not least... the beer selection in Baltimore is pretty good, and it seems to be getting better and better all the time. Still, the craft selection in Maryland doesn't remotely compare to what one can find in SEPA, where one can find beers from Russian River, Hill Farmstead, Bell's, Founders, Sly Fox, Ballast Point, etc. So let me encourage you to occasionally make a pilgrimage up that way as well, from time to time, if you want to further expand your exposure to great beer. IMHO, the import selection in Baltimore is unmatched anywhere else in the country (and I travel all over), but there are still a lot of domestic choices one can find easily in DC and SEPA which we don't get here.

Have fun!