tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6760958785336796611.post5211877969191991165..comments2024-01-17T03:50:26.727-05:00Comments on Beer in Baltimore: A Call for No More Big Multi-Tap Houses?Alexander D. Mitchell IVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16063927891723178579noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6760958785336796611.post-48718605197749203442010-03-04T09:54:39.118-05:002010-03-04T09:54:39.118-05:00I'm inclined to agree here. I love being able...I'm inclined to agree here. I love being able to access a variety of beers, but, frankly, I don't need 15 choices of stouts, 12 IPAs, and 13 pale ales to accomplish that. 25 seems to be a reasonable higher end, except for maybe one or two places in a given city. 10-15 staples (predominantly locals, please) and then 10-15 guest beers that rotate based on the season, special events, and what's been getting a lot of publicity lately. Any place that offered even 15 craft beers would more than meet my definition of a "great beer bar."The Oriole Wayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16483309131692836436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6760958785336796611.post-74016543879300578742010-03-02T15:25:29.109-05:002010-03-02T15:25:29.109-05:00I don't disagree with you at all on your comme...I don't disagree with you at all on your comments on Churchkey not needing to worry. Heck, I don't even fault Max's too much for it - I just had a couple bad beers, and that happens.<br /><br />I was mostly commenting on the fact that in some of these larger places, that does happen. I should have including my RFD thoughts in the first comment. I would be interested to see if there is a higher occurrence of beer quality issues (either age, cleanliness, or otherwise) at the places with more taps, and how much a factor "popularity" plays. CK is never not crowded... I haven't been to RFD's recently to see how busy it's been over the past year.... intriguing. <br /><br />I know whenever I poke my head into the DC beer list, I see mentions of RFD... but then again, until recently, I generally wasn't paying too much attention (I just got my filtering set so it's easier to keep up). I was involved in the Brickskeller negative service conversation, actually. Beer quality... I agree, that would be an interesting discussion.tfols1https://www.blogger.com/profile/16878427166288852238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6760958785336796611.post-4313271364542199592010-03-02T15:20:43.797-05:002010-03-02T15:20:43.797-05:00Tfols1:
RFD actually doesn't get talked about...Tfols1:<br /><br />RFD actually doesn't get talked about much on the DC-Beer e-mail listserv. And some of the recent discussion about the Bricks wasn't exactly 100% positive (but revolved more around service than beer quality.... though I wonder what would happen if someone started a round with <i>that</i> topic?).<br /><br />Right now, Church Key doesn't have to fret too much about serving lines and beer age, because 1) it's a new place with new lines, and 2) being the "hot new place" in town, it's got a crowd that will eagerly empty every keg, sixtel, or firkin tapped before them, even a "lawnmower light" as long as it's the "latest new" brewery or brand.Alexander D. Mitchell IVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16063927891723178579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6760958785336796611.post-60669528509262963282010-03-02T14:32:36.753-05:002010-03-02T14:32:36.753-05:00I, too, have had to return a beer at Max's. O...I, too, have had to return a beer at Max's. Once. I make a weekly trip there, and for the past 3.5 years returned one beer. I will take those odds everyday.Jay Zeishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06420745158411547253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6760958785336796611.post-67555987768400036142010-03-02T14:07:29.692-05:002010-03-02T14:07:29.692-05:00We aside from the biting comments on DC.. *shrugs*...We aside from the biting comments on DC.. *shrugs* Time will tell with Churchkey. I know RFD's and Brikskeller are still talked about regularly on the DC-Beer mailing list. <br /><br />RFD's has had similar tap freshness and cleanliness issues in the past.tfols1https://www.blogger.com/profile/16878427166288852238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6760958785336796611.post-14292085278916327642010-03-02T14:03:47.578-05:002010-03-02T14:03:47.578-05:00Somehow, I have the impression that it also wouldn...Somehow, I have the impression that it also wouldn't be an issue at Max's if Max's had just opened in Harbor East or whatever hot, trendy new part of Baltimore was "in" at the moment..... AND Baltimore's economy were similarly able to immunize itself from the current economic depression in a manner that Washington finds itself able to do by being largely dependent upon "other people's money".....<br /><br />Let's see just how well Church Key is doing in, say, two or three years. We don't hear much about R.F.D. anymore in D.C. now, do we?Alexander D. Mitchell IVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16063927891723178579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6760958785336796611.post-83694631834217918802010-03-02T13:57:48.875-05:002010-03-02T13:57:48.875-05:00I have on two occasions (out of the three times I&...I have on two occasions (out of the three times I've been at Max's), had to return a beer due to it clearly being old/tired, and one case of a tapline not being cleaned out.<br /><br />Somehow, never had this issue at Churchkey, but their turnover of stuff is huge.tfols1https://www.blogger.com/profile/16878427166288852238noreply@blogger.com