More Good Beer Trip-Saving

On the heels of the last post on going to Max's instead of a DuClaw outlet:

Max's has Olivers 18, the anniversary smoked porter, on draft, which may save you a trip downtown.....

Metropolitan will tap a firkin of White Marsh/Red Brick Station Octopus' Pajamas, their Scottish ale, on Thursday at 6 PM........

DuClaw's Euphoria is also listed on Mahaffey's draft list...........

DuClaw returns to Baltimore--sort of.......

Baltimore-dwelling enthusiasts of DuClaw Brewing's beers who have had to go to a beer store selling their bottled beers or travel to Bel Air, Arundel Mills, or BWI Airport to satisfy their cravings since the chain's Fells Point outlet closed at the end of 2009 will take some delight in the announcement for tomorrow's Tuesday Beer Social at Max's Taphouse:

This Tuesday we will be serving 5 great beers from the DuClaw Brewery. We will have some great stuff from them and the brewers Bo & Kurt will be here . These guys make some great beers that you do not want to miss.
SERVING ON DRAFT:
Du Claw Naked Fish- Raspberry Chocolate Coffee Stout
Du Claw Serum- Imperial IPA
Du Claw Black Jack Stout-Imperial Stout
Du Claw Old Flame- Old Ale
Du Claw Exile 4- Macchiato Milk Stout

Also on hand: four new-to-this-market drafts from Washington State's Old Schoolhouse Brewery: Rendezvous Porter, Epiphany Pale Ale, Hooligan Stout, and Uncle Big's Brown.

Santé returns April 2nd at B&O Railroad Museum

Following up on last year's June fundraiser at the American Visionary Arts Museum, the National Kidney Foundation of Md. is holding its second annual Santé fund-raising extravaganza, this time on April 2nd at the B&O Railroad Museum.  Quoting the press release:

The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland (NKF-MD) will hold its 2nd annual Santé: Spoil Your Palate celebration, sponsored by the Charles T. Bauer Foundation, Saturday, Apr. 2, from 7 to 10 p.m., at the B&O Railroad Museum (901 W. Pratt St.) in downtown Baltimore. 

Approximately 400 guests are expected to gather for what is being planned as one of the region’s premier food and beverage pairing events. The business/casual fête will feature food from Baltimore’s Best restaurants and caterers, complimented by American and European craft beer; wine and spirits. Adding to the excitement will be interactive presentations, a silent auction and live jazz.

Honorary Chairs are Brendan Dorr (head bartender at B&O American Brasserie), Sarah O'Herron (proprietor, Black Ankle Vineyards) Hugh Sisson (proprietor, Heavy Seas Beer) and David Wells (proprietor, The Wine Source).

In addition to their roles as honorary chairs, Sisson will present, “Successfully Pairing Craft Beer with Cheeses,” and Dorr will present, “Eggs Are Not Taboo in Cocktails.” Additionally, Monyka Berrocosa, food and wine educator, author, founder of The Women’s Wine & Dine® and CEO of MyCity4Her.com™ will present, “Demystifying Pairing Food and Wine,” and Chef Apple, a Disney-trained executive chef, restaurant consultant, cookbook author and creator of iamchefapple.com, will present, “Chef Apple: I Heart Sushi.”

Participating food and beverage providers secured to date include B&O American Brasserie, Bistro Rx, Black Ankle Vineyards, Boston Beer Company, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Charles Levine Caterers, Chesapeake Food Works, Ciao Bella Restaurant, Clementine, Cooking With Catherine Culinary Events, Dogfish Head Brewery, 5 Points Tavern, Flying Dog Brewery, Heavy Seas Brewery, Looney’s, Lucid Absinthe Supérieure, Olé Imports (Spanish wine), Pirate Cupcakes, RA Sushi, Ron Abuelo (rum), Rum Jumbie, Sambuca Molinari, Select Confections, Van Gogh Vodka and The Wine Source.

Santé proceeds will help NKF-MD to expand its patient services, education and research efforts. Tickets are $65 per person in advance; $75 at the door and $40 for designated drivers (no alcohol). Sponsorships are also available. For tickets, sponsorship or volunteer information, visit www.santebaltimore.com or call 410.494.8545.

I wonder if a couple other local breweries could get in on the fun--perhaps by donating some goods to the silent auction......

More on Max's Belgian Fest

Wanna read more of my writing on the occasion last weekend?

Don't Know Tavern: Latest Craft Beer Bar

The latest entry to the craft-beer-bar scene in Baltimore is not that new a place; Don't Know Tavern has been in business for about three years now.  But owner Jason Zink, who also runs No Idea Tavern several blocks away in too-far-south-to-really-be-Federal-Hill-proper, has upgraded:

"As of March, we'll be at 30 taps,  100% American craft beers," he proclaimed at Don't Know.  As of tonight there are still two outliers on tap, Blue Moon and Miller Lite, but those should vanish within days.  The beer line-up, and even the feel, of both places may well remind one of Racers Cafe--both bars feature gridded chalkboards listing the beers and percentage of alcohol.

Don't Know also rosters a kitchen, with a menu putting itself between the old-fashioned corner taverns and the upscale restaurants, with burgers, sandwiches, appetizers, and a few entrees (meatloaf, steak).  As can be seen in the photo of one of the two beer menu boards, the selection isn't that shabby--everything from Anchor Steam to Weyerbacher Verboten and from Lagunitas Pils to Lancaster Milk Stout, with both Heavy Seas and Flying Dog currently "duking it out" with three beers apiece on side-by-side tap towers.   Happy Hour, like most places, is 4 to 7 Monday-Friday.

No Idea is also going the craft-beer route with twelve mostly-craft taps at this point.

Keep an eye on these places.

Victory 15th Anniv. Pale Ale release at Little Havana March 4th

Cribbed from Victory rep Joe Gold's e-mail:

Victory Brewing Company will be hosting a Victory Headwaters Pale Ale release happy hour on Friday March 4^th starting at 4:30pm at Little Havana’s 1325 Key Highway Baltimore, MD 21230. This newest beer release from Victory was brewed to celebrate the 15^th anniversary of Victory Brewing Company; it is the first production pale ale that has been produced by Victory and it will be joining stalwarts such as Victory Hop Devil, Victory Prima Pils and Victory Golden Monkey in the Victory Brand portfolio as a year round product in all markets.

           

Headwaters Pale Ale – 5.0% abv.  This softly herbal and aromatically arousing pale ale beautifully integrates the natural ingredients of malted barley, whole flower hops and yeast, all orchestrated by pristine water.  Victory Brewing Company is blessed with exceptionally pure water that travels just over a dozen wooded miles to reach the brewery.

Limited logo pint glasses will be available on a first come first serve basis…

Crunch Time on Proposed Md. Alcohol Tax Increases

Both Flying Dog and Heavy Seas, the two largest breweries in Maryland, sent e-mails out today to their fans urging a grass-roots lobbying effort against proposed increases in alcohol taxation in Maryland.

Part of the text of the Heavy Seas letter, signed by founder Hugh Sisson, is below:

This movement is gaining traction because it misrepresents a huge tax increase as if it were an inconsequential "dime a drink".  Many consumers have mistakenly interpreted this increase to mean the tax would only increase their costs in a bar/restaurant by 10 cents a drink. 

Unfortunately, this tax will be levied on all alcoholic beverages at the manufacturer level.  These amounts will be the absolute MINIMUM price increase you will see on the beverages you buy in Maryland!

 If passed this tax will undoubtedly lead to Maryland job losses!  Neighboring states will gladly cater to Maryland residents who will cross state lines to save considerable dollars since 20 of MD's 24 counties border another state.

  

We are looking at an economy that is just getting back on its feet, gas and food prices are rapidly increasing, and unemployment is just beginning to improve.  This is not the time to raise this tax!

  

We need you to help us fight back!

Both breweries are referring fans to a website, set up the the Md. Alliance for Hospitality Jobs, that offers, among other things, to automatically generate a letter of opposition to be forwarded to your legislator.

Ladder 15/Bond Street Social to take over former DuClaw Fells Point location

Midnight Sun reports on a new tenant for the former Fells Point Duclaw Brewing outlet closed for over a year--a business long rumored to be setting up shop in the neighborhood.  Local craft beers promised. 

For the love of all that is holy, WHY?!?!?

Various times during the Belgian Fest @ Max's..........

Sing along, kids:
Three of these things belong together
Three of the things are kind of the same
But one of these things just doesn't belong here
Now it's time to play our game... it's time to play our game!


Now which of these things just doesn't belong here
Come on, can you tell which one
Can you guess which thing just doesn't belong here 
Guess before my song is done.......  and now my song is done!

Sunday's Best

After an 8:30 departure last night and some emergency work below the city for this morning and early afternoon, I'm back to the scene of the crimes.  I walk up in line outside at 3:30 behind Volker Stewart of The Brewer's Art.  We have a half-hour wait before they let more folks in despite a few obvious departures; meanwhile the line expands from 4 to perhaps 50. It takes me 15 minutes to cop a seat--luckily, my "usual" upstairs seat at the window end of the bar.  The wi-fi is down, so I'm bogartting The Whistling Oyster's, which is coming in at dial-up speeds.......

De Glazen Toren Canaster winter Scotch ale 9.5% full serving: nice deep amber/mahagony, a delicious blend of sweet, spice, malt, and a white-wine/Belgian yeast finish.  Not classically "Scotch" per se, but would appeal to those who prefer the malty Scottish styles.

Oud Beersel Bersalis Tripel 330ml bottle 9.5% split with Mr. Stewart: blond and bright, but oddly packing an almost syrupy, heavy mouthfeel.  LOTS of body to this, but still not that sweet.  Sweet as you should expect for a tripel, but with a dry and yeasty finish.

Deca Westoek 330ml 6%, ordered strictly because I have no idea what it is, which makes it now unique in the upstairs bottle list:  hazy maerzen/amber color, rich head and retention.  Bottle notched Best before 11-2014.  Interesting--think a peppery, semi-sweet saison. easy-drinking but with lots of flavor.  A decided change-up at this stage of the weekend, like hitting a weizen amidst a week of IPAs. 

Struise Black Albert 330ml 13%(!) "Royal Stout":  Wow.  WOW. A rich mix of stout, fruit, and sherry/port character; 100 IBUs says the label.  Comparable to Brewdog Tokyo or DFH WWS, notes of figs, raisins, black cherries--fruitiness without being cloying.  A little smoke in the finish.  Someone order up the ski chalet and fireplace.  Bottom of the bottle is almost "chunky" with yeast.  A luxury, but what a treat.

De Dochter Embrasse Whisky Barrel 9%:  a nice nose, but this is subdued, too subdued for many hardcore beer-geek types, but a nicer beer than the thin body and more subtle barrel flavors indicate.  A rich Scotch whisky character floating at the bottom of a strong stout.  Sort of easy-drinking at first, but gets rougher as the glass and bottle empty.  Notes of burnt coffee and peat in finish at end of glass.  Card with bottle suggests "Try. . . hot, maybe with a dash of whipped cream."  The hot, maybe not, but the whipped cream, I'd definitely try--REAL whipped cream, not the spray stuff.

Chuck Cook comes up and shares out Embrasse, and lets us sip his hoppy beer.  "I went up and asked them to give me a hoppy beer.  Sometimes you just need that palate cleanser after all those sweet and sour beers."  He has a point.  He REALLY has a point.