Improvements to your local scene

Nobody will agree with me on this, but I'd like to see less use of social media by bars to advertise what they have available.

 

I'd like to see better lighting focused on the chalkboard, and to discontinue the use of dark chalk on the dark board.

 

If we're going to focus on beer boards - NYC bars - please stop writing on f**king mirrors

 

Easy one for me- someplace to drink closer to home. I either have to drive 20-30 minutes minimum, or take a bus into the city. Having a local hangout has always been a big hole in the scene around here, no matter how great the distribution tends to be at the NJ/NY border.

 

As someone who's colorblind, I'd like to see bars/breweries use white chalk on their chalkboars. I simply can't read it when they write in most colors.

 

My post in the, "Represent your local brewing scene," pretty much sums it up.

I realize that a lot of places won't use beermenus (at least bottleshops), but it would be nice. A B'moreTapFinder would be sweet. "Also, I feel that all the breweries in MD ignore each other and act like each of them are the one and only brewery in MD (except Burley Oak); so, I would like to see them acknowledge each other and do some kind of collaboration." For the most part, Maryland just doesn't have anything really exciting going on from the viewpoint of outsiders (only Evolution's sour program and Burley Oak's occasional bottle releases).

There are other good bars outside of Max's, but you would be hard-pressed to argue that the Baltimore Beer Scene doesn't revolve around it. Without it, Baltimore Beer Week would be a boring one. The events that they put in are the highlight of my beer calendar, outside of bottleshares. Hell, I met the people I bottleshare with at Max's.

I don't really know what Maryland could do in the short-term. It would be nice to be able to buy craft at Wegman's and Trader Joe's, but that isn't gonna happen any time soon (but I've heard that Wegman's is fighting for it). I don't see it happening, because it would upset the entire balance of stores here (or at least I think it would). New distribution would be nice, but there are only whispers and rumors at this time (come on Founders and Bell's). Alcohol sales on Sunday could happen, but to be honest that is just for convenience and doesn't really change anything.

We got DuClaw, Flying Dog, Evolution, and Brewer's Art. They all put out good beer, but they don't have series like any of the other big guys. I guess you could say we got Retribution, but that's about it. Flying Dog has their Brewhouse Rarities, but it is only for the locals and is akin to DFH's brewpub-only release except they release these in six-packs, which I love. I guess our guys take a more New Glarus approach to their beer in that they release special stuff, but it is more just experimental stuff meant only for the home state even though a little of it gets out. We don't have a Backstage Series or Proprietor's Vintage.

I mean the hype threads we get in MD are for beers we get in our distribution from out-of-state: Firestone Walker's Boxed Beers and OTWOA. People don't even talk about the Brewhouse Rarities. The Mid-Atlantic forum, despite having the 2nd most Discussions and 3rd most Posts, has very few threads concerning MD.

I don't even think MD even submitted a proposal for Stone's East Coast brewery location, which I think says a lot. Craft beer just doesn't seem to be a huge priority in MD, outside of the bubble that is Max's and the handful of other good craft bars. However, Woodberry Kitchen's Parts & Labor is doing a good job highlighting those Western Maryland farmhouse breweries, that almost no one knows about and is not available near the city (at least to my knowledge). There are some people (Flying Dog for one) fighting to change the beer laws in MD, like the recent introduction of growler laws (which are good because now we allow growlers, but require you to have a growler for each store that does fills). Millstone and their ciders are probably the most hyped thing right now, but that is because ciders are blowing up. Also, if you are into kombucha we got Hex Ferments (best damn tasting stuff I've ever had). I just got a culture to start brewing my own.

If I brewed, I'd love to start a brewery in Dundalk to bring some life to this town. I would like to take over the old Seagrams distillery here, but it is across the street from the Dundalk High School, housing, a church and a funeral home; so, I doubt that would work out.

p.s. I wrote a lot for this.
p.s.s. I just really want a job in the craft beer industry.

 

I'd personally just like a local growler bar that allowed me to fill up and go. Nothing big just 10 or 12 rotating taps with a solid selection from all over.

 

I wish all the drugstores and gas stations with growler fill stations in Seattle had better selections.

 

This is an easy one... wish everyone filled blank growlers.

 

Interesting... how many colors do you see in your avatar? Half joking and half curious.

 

I wish Orlando had a good production brewery. We have Orlando brewing and Hourglass (both HORRIBLE). We have the very small Cask & Larder but its a restaurant not a brewery. One would think that Orlando would make a great place for a good brewery. Lots of people, lots of open real estate, a pure hunger for good beer. But alas Orlando is the vast beer wasteland between Jacksonville and Tampa.

At least we do have an ABC liquor store that has a growler fill station.

 

Yep. The growler laws are terrible in MA.

 

I see the colors in my avatar just fine. The ones in your avatar not so much. Red, green and brown look alike. Blue, purple, and black look alike. So when a place writes on their black chalkboard with blue, purple, brown or red chalk I'm not going to be able to read it. Hell, there have been times when I've been informed that something was written on the chalkboard when I thought nothing was there at all.

 

I've got precious little to complain about. I guess I'd like to see more locally produced, world-class Belgians, sours, etc.
I would also move my favorite bottle shop from its current location, 20 minutes away in good traffic (and more than an hour in bad), much closer to my neighborhood.

 

same here! plenty of great craft beer bars if I'm willing to travel 20-30+ minutes by train or car, but living in a dense place like Central NJ I'm a bit surprised that the local bar scene here has not even one craft beer available. I envy those who can stay close to home to get to a great craft bar.

 

IL needs more wild/sour beer makers.

 

In my area (greater Philadelphia), craft beer on tap is pretty much standard in most bars and restaurants now. If I go out with my less craft-beer minded friends, I don't concern myself if the place we're going to will have a decent beer like I did 5+ years ago. Even chain restaurants, which are typically beer wastelands, near me usually have something good on tap. Higher-end restaurants have also got the hint and now have a couple good taps and/or decent bottle list, as opposed to a few years ago where they would have huge wine lists, and the "best" beer they had was an overpriced bottle of Heineken [or similar].