Yeah, horribly innovative, huh? At least it's not a bugle.
Taps Baltimore is the former Fort Charles Pub, which is located in the historic old Craftsmen Club building at the northeast corner of Fort Avenue and Charles St. in Federal Hill. (The Baltimore Craftsmen Club apparently does survive today as the Graphic Arts Professionals of Baltimore.)
The new place opened on Feb. 29th; its stated goal was to have 40 beer taps and a wine tap by mid-April, but by mid-June they had still mustered only 17. The line-up is not so bad, however: among the usual mass-market domestics and imports lurk a few standouts: Fordham Copperhead, Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA, Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard (!), and Ommegang Three Philosophers (!!).
Keep an eye on them. Depending on if/when they get more taps and what they put on, they may be an interesting option.
And while you're in Federal Hill, swing by The Dog Pub. Cross Street is ripped up for much-needed repaving (granted, a LOT of streets in Baltimore are being repaved under Mayor Dixon's "Operation Orange Cone," but far more need repaving critically), and no doubt The Dog Pub is taking a nasty hit in traffic.
1 comment:
Thanks for the background info on Taps. I REALLY enjoyed the irony of the place when Taps only served bottled beer! They are coming along well and have a very unique tap tower at center-bar. I had a ton of optimism for Taps. But, here's my grievance... the staff originally claimed to establish Taps as a reputable, neighborhood beer bar. Conversely, they are catering to a M.B.C. (Miller, Bud, Coors) macro-lager chugging, college crowd. They even offer all-you-can-drink specials! This marketing is driving away any clientele they initially hoped to rein in. As a matter of fact, my bride and I walked in last night to see how things were coming along and we saw that loud, drunk, college crowd and we turned on our heels and went elsewhere. I'm sure those chuggers are paying the bills at Taps, but if Taps want to be taken seriously as a beer bar, they have to grow up.
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