Baltimore Bistros & Beer on Facebook

We're only three months away from 2016 so you know what that means! I'm 8 years behind the rest of the world in creating a Facebook page for my blog! Oh well, what are you gonna do? I've got one now and I just wanted to take a few minutes to let you know. If you follow me there you can expect some discussion about other articles on the internet that peek my interest, the latest and greatest news about Baltimore's food and beer scene, mini beer reviews, and other cool ideas that I plan on thinking up in the future. So please, follow Baltimore Bistros & Beer on Facebook. And for those of you that aren't inclined to use Facebook, you can always catch me on Twitter. 

Thanks for following, and thank you even more for reading. Cheers!

What is a Grisette?

When I find a topic interesting there is a part of my brain that turns on and drives me to consume every piece of information possible about that subject. As a kid it wasn’t enough for me to know that Michael Jordan, my favorite athlete, once had to wear a number 12 jersey after his 23 was taken before a game. No, I had to know the team they were playing against (Orlando Magic) that game, and later learn which basketball card MJ showed up on wearing the 12 jersey (Sam Vincent). It’s why I can tell you (even though I’m sure you’ll never ask) that Elgin Baylor was hired by the Clippers as GM the day before the Bulls started their 1986 series with the Celtics in which Jordan famously scored 63 points during Game 2. I tell you this not to impress you with how much time I spent as kid reading about MJ, but to illustrate what should now be pretty obvious.  I need to know everything related to the topic of my obsession, tangential and pointless though it may be.

As I've grown older my adolescent obsession with MJ has been replaced with beer. For health reasons and due to my aforementioned tendency to consume information, I now consume beer knowledge at a frequency that greatly outpaces my actual beer consumption.  I read as much as I can stand, and while I don’t consider myself an expert by any means, I do like to think I know the basics. In other words, if I see a beer listing on a menu I don’t expect to see a style I don’t recognize.

Well, that happened to me recently and it made me quite happy because of the opportunity it provided. Tasty beers find their way to me fairly often, but it’s not common for them to be paired with the chance to learn something new. A collaboration Strawberry Rhubarb Grisette brewed by QuestBrewing and Burial Beer Co. provided such an opportunity. I’m familiar with Strawberry and Rhubarb, but a Grisette? That was a new one for me.  What is it? Naturally, I googled as soon as I had an opportunity but I was let down as there was almost no information available on the web. About the only detail I could find was the fact that a grisette is considered a miner’s version of the saisons famously brewed for farmhands. Not satisfied with so little information, I decided to reach out to the people at Quest Brewing and Sly Fox (another brewer of grisette) to see if they could help me fill in the details. Here is what I learned.

In the late 1800’s, the Hainaut province in Belgium started transforming into a mining region. Brewers, eager to satiate the locals, began producing recipes of a light gold ale aimed to quench the thirst of the miners. At the end of a shift, women adorning gray dresses commonly referred to as grisettes, greeted the miners with trays of the ale. At the peak of the Belgian mining industry there were upwards of 30 different grisettes made in the region. Today, only one brewery in Belgium, Brasserie Fraiart, markets a grisette. However, according to Phil Markowski, author of Farmhouse Ales, this is more of a pseudo brand name used for marketing than an actual representation of grisette as a traditional style.

The recipe of a grisette, much like their cousin the saison, is difficult to nail down traditionally speaking. When asked for specifics about the style, Sly Fox’s brewmaster Brian O’Reilly, thought that trying to throw grisette into a style was similar to attempting to classify free form jazz music inside a specific genre. Hard though it may be for the modern beer connoisseur to accept, Belgians by nature aren’t typically into defining styles in the same neat and tidy way an American or German brewer would. What I can tell you is that grisettes were most likely somewhere between 3-5% ABV, light bodied saisonesque beers, gold/blonde in color, and intended to be dry and refreshing.

As you can see, there isn't a ton of information available but even the short description of grisette I was able to hunt down makes me thirsty for one. Are the grisettes you'll run across traditional? Maybe, maybe not. But I can confirm that the quest the original brewers of grisette set out on, to deliver a thirst quenching ale, is alive and well even if it's a parched traveler and not tired miner on the receiving end of the pint.  

A special thanks goes to Brian O’Reilly from Sly Fox and Joe Burriss of Quest Brewing for taking the time to satisfy not only my thirst for good beer, but more importantly my thirst for beer knowledge. Cheers! Now to find a job where trays of beer are waiting for me at the end of the day.

Asheville, NC and Aspiring to become Beer City, USA

In 2009 Charlie Papazian started the Beer City USA Poll, a popular vote allowing beer drinkers to express their collective voice via an html radio button on a webpage long since gone. The goal of the poll was basic, simply giving beer drinkers an easy way to let the world know which city they thought represented craft beer the best. Asheville, North Carolina came out on top, winning or sharing the title from 2009-2012 before finally being unseated in 2013 by Grand Rapids, Michigan in what turned out to be the final running of the Beer City USA poll.

Knowing how well regarded Asheville is amongst beer drinkers, I bet it wouldn’t surprise you to hear I was ecstatic upon hearing the Beer Bloggers Conference would be held there in 2015. I was determined to attend no matter where it was located, but knowing I would get a chance to visit Asheville was icing on the cake. To call upon my inner Yoda, disappointed, I was not, and the trip down south for the conference this past July was one to remember. Rather than tell you all of the gory details of the beers I tried at each brewery and how great it was, I’m going to attempt to put together a list of key elements I saw in Asheville that helped make them Beer City USA.  And since I’m from Baltimore it only makes sense to do a little compare and contrast to see where we’re holding our own or dropping the ball in our own effort to become a countrywide beer lover’s destination. We’ll start with the proximity of breweries.

Proximity of Breweries

Wakeup in your hotel in downtown Asheville, roll out of bed, and find yourself surrounded by dozens of brewpubs and breweries. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen. There are so many options, in fact, that within 20 minutes of my initial venture into the city I found myself starting to feel guilty about walking by multiple breweries simply because I had another destination in mind.  What kind of beer fan does that? I guess one lucky enough to find themselves in Asheville.

All of these small breweries and brewpubs clustered in such a small area is what truly separates Asheville from the average beer scene in most parts of the country. Variety is the spice of life and you just can’t put a price on knowing you have the opportunity to taste high quality beers everywhere you go. And you know what? It’s pretty damn nice knowing you can get your fill without worrying about you or your cohorts operating a vehicle.

How does Baltimore measure up?

We simply don’t have this. No two breweries are within a reasonable walking distance from one another. In fact, Baltimore City doesn’t have the biggest brewery representation in general. If we ever wanted to be considered a beer lovers destination, getting a few more breweries should be goal number one and ideally a fair number of them should be accessible by foot.

Quality & Variety

It goes without saying (SO NOW I MUST SAY IT), but without a wide variety of local beer for customers to pick from a city will never legitimately be considered a beer destination. Even more important than having any array of beer, though, is the quality with which it’s made.  Asheville had both of these facets on lock. I’ve already alluded to all of the breweries within city limits, but it’s the quality that really matters. Breweries with Belgian backgrounds, sour programs, or what I’m calling “American craft style breweries” are sprinkled about town as far as the eye can see. And what’s most impressive is how they all come together to function as a unit while still maintaining a healthy competitive individual presence.

Of course, all breweries want to stand out individually and do the best business they can, but understanding that the Asheville beer product is just as important as anything else, established brewers have been known to offer the new guys in town a helping hand to make sure the quality level stays as high as it currently is. That’s impressive and one of the biggest things I took away from the weekend I spent there. Everyone is in business for themselves, but there is strength in numbers and you’re only as strong as your weakest link. It might be cliché but it’s also true in this case.

How does Baltimore measure up?

Baltimore has some work to do if it hopes to find itself with a starring role in the major leagues of good beer. There’s obvious promise here. Union Craft Brewing owns a couple impressive medals and there are a few other breweries consistently pushing the envelope locally, but in my estimation there are few options that are standouts nationally to draw out of towners to our great city. If you’re a beer fan travelling through Asheville, you’d be absolutely crazy to leave without visiting the Wicked Weed Funkatorium. After all, stacks upon stacks of barrels aging and souring can’t be found just anywhere. Regrettably, there is no such place in Baltimore with that kind of appeal but that doesn’t mean there never will be.

Price

So you’ve got a plethora of beers to select from and a surfeit of breweries in which to visit. The hotel leaves only a short walk to the good stuff and nobody is driving which leaves only one question; how much money is it going to cost to get a good feel for the beer scene with only a short time in this city? And the answer is, if you’re in Asheville, not very much.

I was blown away by the cheap price of beer during my visit. I’m used to paying anywhere from $6 - $8 for a typical beer, but in Asheville the average was running around $4 for a full pint. In fact, the only time I paid more than $5 for a beer was when I visited the Wicked Weed Funkatorium and got a sour beer for $6. These types of price points found everywhere in Asheville make beer approachable for any type of budget.

As great as the affordable price of beer was, my absolute favorite part of the Asheville beer scene was the availability of half pints at nearly every establishment. Yes, I know “taster flights” are pretty prevalent, but let’s be honest, those little sample glasses suck. I don’t want to taste a beer; I want to drink a beer. Half pints give you just enough to make you feel like you’re truly enjoying a beer and at $2 -$2.50 it’s easy to try a variety but still get value for your dollar. I wholeheartedly believe half pints should become a staple in every American bar/brewpub/brewery.

How does Baltimore measure up?

As I hinted at above, we don’t measure up here. It’s as simple as that. Prices for pints in Baltimore, whether at the bar or the brewery itself can be somewhat prohibitive depending upon your budget. There are reasons for that I won’t get into here, but I’ve got to think there is something that can change to allow local beer fans a little more bang for their buck.  And half pints? Make them available. If you make good beer and you’re proud it, let me have a drink because a sample just won’t do. As far as I know Pratt Street Alehouse is the only place offering half pints and I’d love it if we could have them on offer at more establishments across the area.

Food

We all want to taste as many types of beer as we can, but at some point you’re going to need eat. Every brewpub I ate at on our trip showed the same care with food as they did with beer. That’s the way it should be. People that like good beer and care enough to travel for it are going to care about their food in the same way. Don’t just throw together a menu for the sake of having food. Wow us with your culinary skills and people will remember. Great food and great beer coming together is just smart business.

How does Baltimore measure up?

Ehh, our local food and beer options are okay. A few places such as Of Love and Regret really get it, a few miss the mark completely, and most fall somewhere in between. If we step up our food game, the beer scene becomes that much better by default. It’s a simple but often overlooked part of the beer experience and I’d like to see Baltimore do better.

Attractions Outside of Beer

What? You mean there are things to do for fun that don’t revolve around stainless steel fermentation tanks? I guess if you look hard enough you can find a few. In the case of Asheville you’ve got an excellent “shop local” small boutique kind of vibe to take in while you’re meandering from one bar to the next brewpub. You’ve also got the world famous Biltmore to check out where a day can easily be lost taking in the magnificent house and gardens. And, uh, I know I’m supposed to be talking about non-alcohol related entertainment but the Biltmore does boast their own wine and beer on the property as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to take in the outdoor activities found throughout the area but seeing people tubing down the river while on a bus ride to Sierra Nevada (oh yeah, they have a world class brewery a short drive away too) and Oskar Blues, I know exactly what I’ll be making time for should I return to in Asheville during the warm months in the future.

How does Baltimore measure up?

This is where Baltimore can stand toe to toe with Asheville. It’s beautiful here. We’ve got the Harbor, professional sports teams, different neighborhoods with their own individual personalities, history for the history buffs, and a city that makes it easy to just enjoy being outside. The draw is there. We’ve got a great city and with a few tweaks to the beer landscape Baltimore could be a huge draw.

Now it may seem as if I was bit hard on Baltimore in various parts of this post, but that’s only because I care. I want to see our beer scene expand, improve, and ultimately become a beer lover’s destination. The foundation is here for us to become Beer City USA, but it's going to take a strong desire to keep moving the ball forward. A lot of collaboration among the beer community is going to be needed.  Most importantly, breweries need to come to a realization that selling beer and representing your own brand becomes much easier when you combine great beer with the power of selling the beautiful city of Baltimore. Cheers to Baltimore – Beer City USA in the making.  And Cheers to Asheville for showing me what all other beer loving cities should aspire to become.

Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference 2015 and Inspiration for Tomorrow

I love beer. And I relish the peace writing brings to my life. So why have I had such a difficult time putting these two things together the past few months? In the early days of this blog I felt like I could write three posts a week on the subject and read thirty others, but just like an IPA that sits on the shelf a little too long, slowly losing its’ hoppy potency, I’m not the blogger I once was.

I’m content with the change, but before I decided which direction to take on my blogging journey I decided to make a trip to Asheville, NC for the Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference hoping to discover anew that which made me want to write about beer in the first place.

Debates about Macro vs Craft, discussing metaphorical bubbles, tracking brewery growth…all of these things intrigue me in their own way, but they are dreadfully boring to talk about on a weekly basis and only serve to take me further away from what I truly love about beer. I found myself trying to write popular posts I’d find elsewhere on the web. You know the posts I’m talking about. The ever more popular amateur hour analysis of marketing in beer, artwork dissection of labels, or market saturation of certain beer styles (select IPA if you’re seeking out the hot take). And why not? It makes sense to insert myself in the hot and relevant conversations. I’m just a blogger looking for page views like the next guy or gal. However, focusing on the business side of things, I forgot what I loved about beer and began trying to fit my circle into the larger beer blogging square.

And you know what?  I can’t trick myself into having fun writing about these tangential topics and it shows in my work when I’ve tried. You guys deserve better than that and I owe it to myself to stay true to what makes me tick. Beer isn’t the label on the bottle, ingredients (okay, maybe it is), market share, or philosophical argument about the appropriate size of a company for me. Beer is the rocket ship that takes me to places I’ve yet to discover and helps me get to the places I want to go. I might have taken a trip to Germany once upon a time in hopes of finding Heaven at the bottom of a Helles, but sitting next to Lake Titisee in the Black Forest witnessing the world’s most perfect sunset is the experience I’ll never forget.  And yes, the Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference was filled with awesome trips to Oskar Blues and an Oktoberfest in July at Sierra Nevada. I could break down a brewery tour for you or describe the flavors in Sierra Nevada’s Oktoberfest, but it was furthering friendships and starting a few more that made the trip worth it in the end. The beer got me to Asheville. My friends will take me into tomorrow.

These are the things that matter to me and the stories I want to tell the most. I know that now thanks to the Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference. When you visit Baltimore Bistros & Beer in the future, you might not always walk away with a technical understanding of what beer is or where the industry could be going, but I hope that every once in a while you’ll find a story here that will help you slow down and remember why we all love beer in the first place.

Time to crack a beer and see where we’ll take off to next.

The Remington Chop

This past weekend I was invited to attend The Remington Chop. Held in Millers Court, this event aimed to bring chefs and brewers from the local neighborhoods together to showcase what goes on under the hood during the day to to day operations of the various businesses. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in classes that included lamb butchery, sausage making, oyster shucking, mezcal tasting, beer brewing, and gazpacho making.

All of the classes sounded interesting, but considering I purchased a Kitchen Aid mixer with the sole aim of making sausage, I figured it made most sense for me to finally learn the art of sausage making. And learn I did. The class was taught by employees of Pen and Quill and on this day we focused on what goes in to making a North African sausage known as Merguez. They took us from the beginning where you're cutting up a mixture of lamb and pork fat to be marinated with a mix of spices including cumin, fennel, coriander, and cayenne followed by what to look for when you're grinding the meat and finally forming the sausages you'll ultimately be cooking and enjoying.

The class was fun in that it was informative and not something visitors to a restaurant get to see on a regular basis. It was also interactive as the leaders of the class took questions throughout and even allowed anyone who wanted to get their hands dirty to try and form a few sausages of their own. I didn't take them up on that, but I did enjoy the sausages they cooked for us (and a few more that they sent us home with a little later) and now have the confidence that with the purchase of a few extra kitchen aid add-ons and a little patience I can reproduce this delicious Merguez sausage for myself.

Outside of the class we were able entertain ourselves  in the courtyard with a glass of mead from Charm City Mead (the basil lemongrass was delicious), a beer from Monument City, and snack on some munchies from a variety of local businesses. I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I'm used to always being packed in amongst a mass of humanity when I'm attending events like this but I never felt that way at The Remington Chop. The class sizes were 20-30 people large and there was plenty of room to spread your legs when you were ready to enjoy a drink after all of the learning was done. I'm not sure if The Remington Chop has anything like this planned for the future, but let me just say that I'd love to see this event continue on. Not only do you get to enjoy the delicious offerings of local business but you're learning along the way and that's something very few events can claim.

My Beer Mount Rushmore

You’re in your house at 7PM on Thursday night, ready to unwind after a long day of work.  Normally, you’d turn the TV on and get ready to watch the local team play, but on this night your only goal is a night of relaxing in your recliner, legs kicked up, and a beer in your right hand to keep you company while you bask in your silence.  Once settled into the chair your hand brings a pint towards your mouth where you contentedly take your first swig of the night and let out the clichéd “ahhhhh”.

We've all had that night, and we've all shared that beer even if the particulars are varying from story to story.  And most likely when we've had encounters with a beer as satisfying as the one described we feel the urge to thank someone for that beer.  Perhaps you want to thank the individual who brewed the beer you’re drinking. Maybe you want to thank the individual responsible for coming up with a style of beer altogether.

It’s these thoughts I kept in mind when I was asked to come up with my list for a personal Beer Mount Rushmore.  Where do I get the most satisfaction out of beer? And whose face should I turn to stone for creating such excellence?

Jim Koch, Founder of Boston Brewing Company

I selected Jim Koch with quite a bit of hesitation. It’s not that I think he’s lacking credentials; I simply didn't want to go the obvious route. Well, that and I didn't want to perpetuate the idea that beer fans my age only see the beer world within the vacuum of the past 30 years. But when it comes to Mount Rushmore the faces displayed on the mountain should be obvious and there are none more obvious than Jim Koch. For without him, there is a 99% chance my interest in beer wouldn't be what it is and this post wouldn't even exist. Small breweries, beer with more flavor, and the variety we’re surrounded by might not be possible without his influence on beer these past few decades. For that, I’m turning his face into a big rock.

Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria responsible for German Beer Purity Law

The name Albert IV may not be as familiar as Jim Koch within the modern beer world, but I’m sure you've heard of the phrase Reinheitsgebot a time or two. Also known as the German Beer Purity Law, Albert IV helped make this law a thing way back in 1487. For those unfamiliar with this law, the Reinhetsgebot states that beer can only be made with water, barely, hops, and yeast.  Now I’m sure there are detractors of the Beer Purity Law, claiming that it reduces brewer’s creativity, and while that may be true, it’s the sense of history associated with the beer I’m drinking that makes me appreciate Albert IV and the Reinheitsgebot he created. There’s something satisfying in tasting a beer and knowing that what I’m experiencing is vaguely familiar to something people were drinking hundreds of years ago. Most impressively, today, over 500 hundred years later many German brewers still adhere to the law. That’s impact, and that earns Albert IV a mountain face.

Josef Groll, creator of Pilsner beer.

The last face to be etched in the Baltimore Bistros and Beer Mountain is none other than Josef Groll. One word.  One beer. Pilsner.  And Josef Groll was responsible for it’s creation in 1842 when he brewed the first batch of Urquell at Bürgerliches Brauhaus in Pilsen, Bohemia. People loved it and we haven’t stopped drinking Pilsner the world over ever since.  When I think beer, I think Pilsner, and when I think Pilsner I think Josef Groll.  For that, his head shall reign in rock.

So there you have it. These are the names that come to mind when I think of those that have had the biggest impact on how I interact with beer today. Yes, there are only 3 names and Mount Rushmore has four faces, but I didn't want to force a fourth and come to regret it later. Etching faces in mountain sides is tough work so you better mean it. Whose face makes your Beer Mount Rushmore?

This post is part of multiple essays from Mid-Atlantic beer bloggers discussing those they believe should be remembered for all time thanks to the influence they've made on the beer drinking world. 

Make sure to check out these posts, too:

• Bryan Roth - This is Why I'm Drunk
• Andrew Enzy - Das Ale Haus
• Ed Morgan - The Dogs of Beer
• Oliver Gray - Literature & Libation
• Josh Short - Short on Beer

Samos: Home to My Favorite Sandwich in Baltimore

Long before this blog was in existence you could find me perusing the internet looking for ideas of places to visit, hoping I could find a bite of food that might be considered a step above the usual. And on one such occasion I was fortunate enough to have discovered a restaurant that has become one of my all time favorites. This restaurant is small, a little off the beaten path, and home to my favorite sandwich (is a wrap a sandwich?) in all of Baltimore. I’m talking about Samos of Greektown.

In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.
-Benjamin Franklin 

With all due respect to Mr. Franklin, I’m going to need to modify this famous quote to represent one of my own universal truths. In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and Baltimore’s favorite food blogger ordering Hummus and Pita with a Grilled Chicken Pita Wrap at Samos.

One of my pet peeve’s in life is the type of person who only ever orders the same exact thing at restaurants, visit after visit. How boring, right? But if you try to get in the way of my Hummus and Grilled Chicken Wrap while at Samos, we’re going to have a serious problem. It’s just that good. And when you come across something as delicious as this wrap, you just leave well enough alone and savor one of the best parts about living in our city.

What makes the wrap great is the simplicity of the ingredients involved. There’s pita, grilled chicken, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce. You can’t get much more straight forward than that, but every ingredient is cooked and served perfectly. The pita is served hot which helps keep biting through easy since it’s so tender. Inside the pita is OVERFLOWING with tender chunks of chicken, onion and tomato, and the best tzatziki sauce I’ve ever come across. The sauce is so thick and tangy, full of fresh cucumbers and herbs, and served cool. The drastic temperature difference between the hot pita and chicken versus the cool tzatziki is a fun contrast to experience. Most importantly, the wrap boasts one of the most important traits every truly inspired sandwich must have…it’s a dripping, sloppy, mess.

If you've never been to Samos or perhaps permitted a little too much time slide by between visits, be sure to hunt down a parking spot in Greektown, hop in line, and order a wrap. You've no longer got an excuse for letting such an awesome spot go without your business any longer.

Bald, Beerded, and Burrito'd Tour: First Stop La Tolteca

When you've maintained a food and beer blog a few years you reach a point where you need a little excitement to keep you going. I've been thinking long and hard about what I could do at Baltimore Bistros and Beer to keep the ball rolling, and with the help of fellow blogger I think I've finally got something we can all get excited about. In an effort to keep beer fun, Jake (Hipster Brewfus) and I will be taking you on the Bald, Beerded, and Burrito’d Tour.

The premise is simple. Find a restaurant that serves burritos, take a drive, eat the burrito, pull the cheese out of our beard, chug a beer, and then do our best to let you know how we feel about the overall beer and burrito experience so that your future Mexican endeavors are happy ones.  What are the rules for the tour? There are no rules. Really, our sole goal for the series is to have fun with friends over a burrito and beer.  Keep in mind that the tour will take place in alternating posts, hopping between this blog and Hipster Brewfus. Be sure to keep an eye out at both sites for all your burrito needs.

Our first stop landed us in Bel Air, MD at La Tolteca. After a morning spent tasting beers across the MD/PA border at South County Brewery our stomachs were in serious need of filling.  Fortunately, the burrito selection was pretty vast at La Tolteca. So much so that all 3 of us in attendance (my beard free wife attended) were able to order something different.

I surprised myself and ordered the Gordo Burrito.  It’s not surprising that I wanted the biggest burrito on the menu, but it is a bit shocking that I made my selection knowing chicken was the main protein. Chicken cut up in those small bits tends to be dry and boring, but what convinced me that this was the burrito I wanted to spend the next 25 minutes with was the fact that it’s completely covered in queso dip. In addition to chicken the burrito was also filled with chorizo, fried beans, rice, and pico.

I loved that fat little burrito and ate every bit of the Gordo with gusto. Maybe it was the fact that this was my first taste of meat in 30 days but more than likely I came away satisfied because it was a burrito filled to the brim with meat and smothered in cheese. Food drowned beneath cheese? I’d probably eat a cardboard burrito if you threw enough cheese on it.  The chicken gets a little lost with everything else going on, but when you evaluate the burrito based on the sum of all the parts you've got a winner with the Gordo. It’s big, meaty, a little smoky thanks to the chorizo, and between the smooth beans and queso you don’t have to worry about dry chicken at all. And La Tolteca doesn't call it the Gordo Burrito for nothing. It was so big and filling that I skipped dinner that night….and breakfast the next day. Gordo, indeed.

Jake went a different route and ordered the Burro Grande, but instead of me telling you what he thought, let’s hear from the man himself.

Jake here! Many moons ago when Doug proposed the idea for the Bald, Beerded, and Burrito’d Tour, I knew I couldn't say no. Some of you may know who I am and realize "Oh, It's that Hipster Brewfus guy who says a lot of dumb stuff, and also talks about burritos more than is probably normal (or healthy)." Well, you're right, it is I. I love burritos; From an aesthetic view, from a carnivorous view, from an engineering view. They are perfect. So for the foreseeable future, at least once a month Douglas and I are going to bring you the latest in our "local" burrito findings. And by "local" we mean, as reasonably far as our wives will let us drive for a burrito on a weekend. And you know what? Sometimes our wives will even be joining us. Both for the indulging of burritos, and the writing.

Now, I'm no stranger to La Tolteca. My wife and I frequent the one in Salisbury each time we make the drive out to the Eastern Shore, so I was pretty excited. On this day, I ordered the Burro Grande (or the Big Donkey) and I was beyond excited. What arrived at my table was a gigantic plate, with a burrito hidden under a mess of iceberg lettuce, sour cream, and guacamole. Oh, and one crappy little tomato. I could have done without the massive amounts of lettuce, but with a burrito full of marinated steak, and grilled vegetables (onions, bell peppers, and tomato), I wasn't about to complain. On the side I had a pile of fried beans, and rice. It had everything.  Each bite was a perfect measure of meaty and vegetably goodness.

Best part? I couldn't even finish the damn thing. It was as big as my head, and for a little over $11, I was ecstatic with the replay value on this particular burrito later that night.

So with all that said, I am excited about the future of this particular series. It speaks to my SOUL! And now I pass the mic back to Doug.

I think it's pretty clear that Bald and Beerded of the group were quite pleased with their burritos. As for my smooth faced wife, she went with the Burrito Deluxe option and also left a stuffed and happy camper. The Burrito Deluxe is essentially two smaller burritos, one with chicken/beans and one with beef, both topped with all of the same items as the Burro Grande. So as you can see, if you're looking for a burrito La Tolteca has an option for almost everyone.

And what did two beer bloggers think of the beer selection? Was their anything to be "fussed" over? Not really. The options consisted mostly of American Lite Lagers and a selection of Mexican Cerveza , but that didn't derail our lunch at all. In fact, when you're eating something with the bold spices of a burrito, a Tecate with a lime shoved inside is just the ticket to cleanse your palate and have you ready for the next bite.

All in all, the Bald, Beerded, and Burrito'd Tour got off to a stellar start with our visit to La Tolteca. Is it the best burrito around? Only time will tell, but I'll guarantee you (and Jake will back me up on this) if you give them a shot you're going to be one happy, stuffed, burrito eating fool.

*Disclaimer* 

Enjoyment of Burritos and Beer is best experienced accompanied by male pattern baldness and a bearded face. However, this is not a requirement. Please consult your doctor before growing a beard and eating burritos to ensure your safety.  

My Role in The Beer Scene as a Beer Blogger

Earlier this week I discussed a bit about how my relationship with beer has been affected by blogging. Today, I'm going to take the topic a little bit further and focus on where I see my blog fitting within the greater world of beer.

Baltimore Bistros & Beer didn't initially start off with a heavy focus on beer. I knew I wanted to work in that direction over time, but I wasn't quite sure how I should position myself as beer blogger. When I did start writing about beer I decided I wanted to use this space as a way to learn more about what was going on locally. If there was something going on with beer around Baltimore, I wanted to talk about it here. That was the only role I was looking for initially, mainly because it felt manageable.

But like most beer drinkers I drink a lot more than just local beer and found myself wanting to talk about beer made both far and wide. Opening my blog up like that led to me looking at not just beer the drink, but beer the industry and I started noticing a lot of things that grated on my nerves. And I wrote about those topics. I didn't want to be a cheerleader blogger, the kind that only says nice things so they can get retweets from the breweries they're glowing about. I wanted to use my voice to say "Hey, I see a problem. Let's fix that". I felt good about doing that and I thought that was going to be my role in beer as blogger going forward.

But you know what? That role wore me down. I started to see myself becoming very cynical about the beer scene and noticed that my eagerness to run to the keyboard to write was happening less and less. It even got to the point where I wondered if I should even blog about beer anymore. Why focus on something that annoys me to much?

The reason I continued writing about beer was the same reason that got me started. I really do love beer. I love talking, thinking, and drinking beer. Most of all, I appreciate the relationships beer and this blog has fostered over the past 2+ years. So where does that leave my role in blogging now and moving forward?

This blog exists for me. Blogs are meant to be personal. You can talk about other subjects, but if you're not exposing a little of your soul while you're writing then I don't want to read that. I'm not writing to better beer. I'm not writing to call out breweries for throwing candy into casks. I don't care about the incorrect labeling of beer styles. I want to talk about me, the beer, and the fun I've had drinking it along the way.

This post was put together for The Session. A once a month gathering of beer bloggers across the world discussing a common theme. 

Beer Blogging and My Relationship With Beer

Over the past few months when I haven't been blogging about beer, I have been thinking about blogging and beer. Specifically, I've been contemplating how the former affects my relationship with the latter. Is my relationship with beer better, worse, perhaps even unchanged now that I've been writing about lagers and ales these many months now? That's the question I've been toiling with. As with most questions, I've been looking for one easy to understand answer. And as with most questions (any question worth asking that is) I can only conclude multiple answers.

Blogging about beer has augmented my relationship with beer because how could it not? How could you not come to a better understanding of what beer is and what it means to you when you're spending most of your free time consumed by that very subject. And I don't simply mean that I can sniff out hops or taste different features of malt when I'm drinking a beer. That stuff is cool, but it's something I would have come around to learn with or without a blog. What I'm talking about is that mystical element of beer nobody can quite put their thumb on. At the most basic level beer is just a drink. But beyond the base I find a drink that eases my soul and takes me to places in my mind I might not have otherwise visited had it not been for the time I set aside to slow down, sip a beer, and breath in the world. And were I not a blogger looking to log my beery experiences for all the world to see, many of those introspective moments might have been lost forever

But blogging about beer has affected my relationship with beer in ways that aren't as positive. In fact, you might say blogging has ruffled my relationship with beer. There are a lot of things about this community that I find to be flat out irritating. Hive mind on the internet has nothing on certain niches of the craft community. If you don't hate what they hate or love what they love prepare to be berated. And details, you better know them all or you don't really love beer. Oh, you think you're into craft beer? Not if you can't walk into a courtroom and argue BJCP Guidelines with the same authority a lawyer argues tax law. These aren't the type of people I typically meet face to face, but if you've spent any amount of time reading about beer on the internet, as a blogger tends to do, it's easy to start questioning what type of scene you're actually apart of. With all of that in mind, I've decided to take what I see as a negative and go the opposite direction when it comes to the words I put out in the ether. The last thing I want is to serve as a source of annoyance for fans of craft beer and so you can expect my writing to shift towards the things I love about beer and less of me focusing on the little irritants that can wear me down by letting myself be overwhelmed.

On the whole, blogging has helped focus my relationship beer. When I got into this thing I inundated myself with as much information as possible. At one point I was checking somewhere between 20-30 websites a day hoping to pick up any new information I could about what was going on in the beer world. And it worked. I learned things about beer past, present and future and really got a feel for the nuts and bolts of the industry and the hops and malt of beer. Simply put, I became better informed and that was always the goal. But I also grew to appreciate the saying "ignorance is bliss" after questionable business practices within the industry started affecting how I thought about breweries and whether or not I could support them in the future. To put it in terms of a baseball fan, I couldn't go to the ballpark and enjoy the simple delights of witnessing a homerun because I was too worried about whether or not the players salary was reasonable. I got away from the game that I loved. But now, thanks to blogging, I know exactly which facets of the beer world I love and want to spend my time with. You won't find me lost in the the numbers and details of the craft beer industry anymore. Look for me in a bar hovering on a laugh shared between two friends over a beer.

This post is part of multiple essays from Mid-Atlantic beer bloggers focusing on how we feel blogging has impacted our relationship with beer. Make sure to check out these posts, too:

• Josh Short of Short On Beer
• Bryan Roth of This is Why I'm Drunk
• Jake Scholan of Hipster Brewfus
• Oliver Gray of Literature & Libation
• Liz Murphy of Naptown Pint

Thank you. Come again!

The rules are simple.  In ten minutes put together a list detailing as many things as can think of that you'd like to show thanks for. It sounds simple but when the pressure is on it’s harder than you’d imagine to come up with a list. So, without any further adieu, here are the beer and blogging related odds and ends I’m thankful for.

• My wife for trekking around with me from brewery to brewery always being willing to try something new.
• Belgium for creating some of the worlds most creative and tasty beers all inside one tiny little country.
• Germany for sticking to the Reinheitsgebot and making this Helles lover happy.
• Friends and Family who encourage me to write.
• Maryland breweries all too happy to welcome tiny bloggers inside their business for a closer look.
• Beers brewed to style.
• Brewers that say style be damned.
• CCMABBD (Continental Congress of Mid-Atlantic Beer Blogger Doctors) for being a great group of trusted beer bloggers and friends
• Oliver Gray for being a level headed thinker and wizards of words.
• Bryan Roth for looking to data to backup andecdotal claims and being the first blogger I noticed doing this thankful game.
• Jake Scholan aka Hipster Brewfus for being funny as hell and having the courage of his convictions.
• My brother Matt for brewing beer with me despite major shortcomings in my brew game. 
• My readers.  Because everyone likes an audience.
• Generous restaurants and breweries who help make doing a blog like this a little extra rewarding
• Union Craft Brewing Old Pro Gose
• Cask Ale without cookies

What are you thankful for? Your time....starts....now.

For more giving of the thanks check out these blogs:

• This Is Why I'm Drunk
• Hipster Brewfus
• Literature & Libation

Little Havana

You may have noticed that restaurant reviews have been popping up less and less on Baltimore Bistros and Beer.  As recently as a few weeks ago, I actually stated out loud to my wife that I thought I was done writing about food. It’s not that I don’t like writing about restaurants, but taking pictures and notes in the middle of nearly every meal has become something I look less and less forward to each time we go out.  I didn’t want to put anymore conversations on hold while I did my blogger due diligence, because quite frankly, it’s not an ideal way to enjoy dinner. I’ve got this thing where I like to be in the moment as much as possible and while I’m definitely at one with the food, I’d rather be focusing on the people sitting across from me at the dinner table. 

And then we ate at Little Havana and tried Ropa Vieja. It was fantastic. In fact, it was so tasty that in the middle of eating their Ropa Vieja I decided to compromise with myself. If I went to dinner and had a truly exceptional experience or tasted something that really went above and beyond the norm, I came to the conclusion that it’s only right that information finds its way on to my blog. The whole point of this blog (from a food/restaurant POV) is to help give people an idea of what’s good around Baltimore and have them try new things and so that's what exactly I'm going to continue to do (just maybe in a slightly different format).

Little Havana’s Ropa Vieja is one of those food items that deserves your special attention. But does that surprise you? Slow cooked meat is a gift from the gods. If it has to sit around cooking for hours on end before it’s ready to eat you know it’s going to be good.  This version of Ropa Vieja lives up to those expectations.  The tender strands of meat are flavored with tomato and cumin and come across as an alternate to texas style chili with a heavier focus on the tomato flavor and less on the spices. But what really sets this Ropa Vieja apart is the yuca it’s nestled all over. I’m not sure if I've had yuca before, but I loved it on this night. The texture of the melt in your mouth meat and firm but creamy yucca was something to write home about (or blog about).  When the last bite was consumed, sadness poured down over me. 

But the sadness was short lived. After the Ropa Vieja was gone and my carne tacos were inhaled a piece of key lime pie magically appeared in front of me. That pie was some of the best pie I've come across in a restaurant setting. The pie itself had a uniquely creamy texture that can’t be found just anywhere and that alone had me going in for bite after bite despite the fact that I was already stuffed to the gills. And the crust was equally fantastic and almost as half as thick as the pie itself.  Creamy pie, crunchy buttery crust.  It’s not a sentence, but that says it all. Or maybe it doesn't? The flavor of the pie was also stellar. It was tart but not too tart and sweetened just the right amount creating a happy balance between the two dissonant featured flavors.

As the days get colder I can think of few things more ideal to warm me up than a plate of Little Havana’s delicious Ropa Vieja . And if it’s exceptionally cold their Key Lime Pie and the fantasy of eating it on the beach will surely do the trick. Get there soon. Little Havana awaits.

Beer is the Gateway, Not the Destination.

One thing I've learned about beer over the past few years is that beer is the gateway not a destination. When I first started getting into this beer thing I used to travel to breweries just to say I've been there. Tasting the beer wasn't good enough for me, I wanted to be able to say "Yeah, I've been to XXX Brewery. You should get there if you have the chance." I found myself victim of the weird competitive pissing contest that develops within certain hobbies. It was never anything I took too seriously, but I'd be lying if I didn't get some sort of satisfaction when I could point out that I had been somewhere that someone hadn't.

And then I learned that beer is beer, stainless steel is stainless steel, and tours of breweries almost always seem to bleed together (a few shining exceptions exist, of course). I wouldn't say they were boring or not worth the trip, but they weren't necessarily making my beer taste any more enjoyable simply because I was drinking them on site.

The reason I travel for beer is because it opens up a gateway to experience everything else. Recently, I took my honeymoon to France and Belgium. Beer is precisely the reason Belgium made it on our itinerary, but it's not the main reason I fell in love with the country. The people, the art, the architecture, the landscape, the culture....beer brought me there, everything else will bring me back. That's why I travel for beer.

This post was inspired by The Session. The Session takes place on the first Friday of every month with bloggers from all across the world getting together to discuss a single topic. This month's Session was hosted by The Roaming Pint.

One Word of Advice for the Craft Beer Newbie

It's Monday morning, the weekend has plans for the next 5 days, and you're coming down from the high of your first trip to a good beer bar. Sure, there is work to be done, but you can't get the thought of tropical fruit flavored IPA's, tart Berliner Weiss, and Peanut Butter Porters out of your mind. The boss is asking for that report you said you'd have ready for his Monday morning meeting, but you know nothing will get done until you Google "Advice for the Craft Beer Newbie" to learn more about all of the fantastically flavored drinks that rocked your world only two night ago. As fate would have it, you find yourself on this very blog and I'm offering one word of advice to you as you begin your journey into the vast world of beer.

And what is that one word advice I have for you, the craft beer newbie? Well....Craft. But this isn't a word or idea I want you to focus on. Craft is a word you should forget. Craft, in relation to beer, has meant a great many things to a great many people. It could mean a brewery that makes less than 2 million barrels per year (excuse me, 6 million), has recipes that don't include corn (scratch that, corn is just fine), and may or may not be part of a revolution depending on how righteous you want to feel whenever you reach for a beer. It's a word that has meant anything and everything and when that happens you're essentially left with nothing. 

Love beer. Forget the craft. If you really love beer and you plan on making this fermented liquid a part of your life you need to love beer for beer. You should find joy in the history, ingredients, processes, and people that are the world of beer. Or you won't and that's fine as well because it really doesn't matter. Maybe you won't give a damn what Mosiac hops provide in the way of flavor and aroma. And maybe you'll hate sour beers or IPA's and find you're only interested in coffee flavored stouts. That's cool. The point is that beer, boiled down to the basics, is simply an optional drink and you can like as much or as little of that world as you'd like.

Beer is a lot of things but it doesn't (and shouldn't) need to be serious. Don't feel intimated by some silly term like craft that only serves to confuse what really matters. If you're reading this because you're looking to take part in a revolution, looking for an identity, or to be a part of a scene then it's best you just move along. Beer was here long before "craft" and it's going to be here long after the trendy appeal dies down. If you really love this stuff and plan to make it a part of your life, then love beer because it's awesome and forget the fluff that is craft.  

This post is the first part of what will be multiple essays from a variety of Mid-Atlantic bloggers looking to offer one word of advice for those of us who might be new to "craft" beer. Check in with Hipster Brewfus tomorrow to see what he thinks. 

Day 2 - Hipster Brewfus on Patience
Day 3 - Oliver from Literature and Libation with Reciprocate. 
Day 4 - Andrew of Das Ale Haus says Drink
Day 5 - Bryan from This is Why I'm Drunk on Live.
Day 6 - Josh of Short on Beer wants to take you on a Journey.
Day 7 - Liz from Naptown Pint suggest you Relax.
Day 9 - Brewkeep Radio wants you to focus on you.

The Session #90: Beer Fight Club

It’s Session Time and many a Session has passed since I last participated, but with local blogger Jake from Hipster Brewfus throwing down a challenge like the one detailed below I feel a duty to jump back into the Beer Blogging Friday ring.

Have you ever drank a beer that became a battle, more than an enjoyable experience? Maybe a beer that was far bigger than you had anticipated? Something you felt determined to drink, just so you can say you conquered that son of a bitch, and you are all that is powerful. Or perhaps it is something that is just so bad, all you want to do is slap it around a bit. Or maybe you were on the verge of passing out, but you just wanted that one last beer, and the valiant struggle between taste bud fulfillment and the velvety embrace of sleep that ensued.

Three years ago today my emotional pint glass was filled to the brim as I walked into local landmark Max’s on Broadway full of excitement to try a few unknown beers at their Rare & Obscure Event. Not only was I going to be drinking good beer, but I’d be doing so while rooting the US Men’s National Team on to victory as they took on our rivals from Mexico in the Gold Cup Final. Typically, I steer clear of big weekend crowds at the bar, but the chance to witness Rare US soccer achievements and taste Obscure beer was simply too much for even the most dedicated of hermits to ignore.

At the kickoff I decided to order a De Halve Maan Brugse Zot. It was going to be a long 90 minutes and much like the US team, I wanted to pace myself and make sure I had the energy to go the distance.  Smart decisions are essential both on the pitch and at the bar and early on those decisions were paying off. The US team put the ball in the back net twice and I enjoyed the simple pleasures of a well-made Belgian Golden Ale.

But then something happened. Riding high from the early goal two lead and coming to the end of my first beer I got a little over confident with my second beer order. “I’ll have the Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus”. I had never heard of it, couldn’t pronounce it, and quite honestly had no idea that sour beer was even a thing. Side stepping the crowd I gingerly made my way back to our table and sat down just as Mexico cut into the lead by taking advantage of some poor US defense. “Oh well”, I thought to myself and reached to take my first taste of the Rose de Gambrinus.

“Holy god, that’s terrible”, I said.

“They’re still winning 2-1”, Deana my girlfriend at the time replied, assuming I was talking about the game.

“No, taste this” I responded, eager to spread the evil that had just entered my mouth.  Deana took a sip scrunched her face in sour horror and silently handed the glass back shaking her head violently back and forth to let me know she would be have having no more of this Rare & Obscure freak beer.

A little time passed and I went back in for a second taste hoping that my palate might have adjusted enough to make the rest of this beer somewhat enjoyable. But it wasn’t meant to be. Rose de Gambrinus caused shivers, pain face, and much sadness at $12 misspent. This was a sour of proportions I’d never known before and I simply was not worthy. And as fate would have it, neither was the US team as they conceded an equalizer only 5 minutes after the first.

The rest of the night I sat with my glass of Rose de Gambrinus in dismay. Why did a beer like this exist? Why did I, with a list of beers 100 bottles deep, have to stumble across this one? And why was it so off putting to me? Sure, I’ve experienced beers I hadn’t liked before, but none kicked me in the balls like this one had.  I sat there, a beaten man, feeling like a failure for not “getting” what many would consider a gem of a beer. And the US team, well, they provided no solace and took their own beating as they lost a chance at a trophy with a 4-2 loss.

A few weeks later I found myself at another establishment and they just so happened to have a sour beer on tap. A glutton for punishment, I ordered it. Deana sat across from me shocked I’d be willing to put myself through this kind of punishment once again, but I didn’t want my previous experience with sour beer to be my last. The beer was set at our table and I took a sip. “That’s actually not bad”, I said with relief.  By the end of the pint, I found myself actively enjoying a sour beer.

As we drove home that night it hit me that my enjoyment of the second sour beer would never have been possible if I had never experienced my excruciating beer battle with Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus. It made me stronger and took my palate to such an extreme place that almost any sour beer I’ve come in contact with since has paled in comparison. Believe it or not sour beers have become one of the styles I crave the most and every time I take a sip of a sour beer I take a second to both think about Cantillon Rose de Gambrinus, the beer I’ve hated more than any other, and say thank you for making it possible for me to enjoy a myriad of other beer I may never have tried if it weren’t for the ass whipping of a lifetime it gave me three years ago.

Weekend Beerventures from Baltimore Part 3: Monocacy Brewing and Brewers Alley

Part 1 of our Fourth of July Beerventure can be viewed here.
Part 2 of our Fourth of July Beerventure can be viewed here.

We approached the end our Frederick Beerventure with a trip to Monocacy Brewing. Earlier in the spring, while attending the Cask Ale Fest at Pratt Street Alehouse, Deana and I were both quite impressed with the Brewtus Stout Monocacy sent over and we couldn't wait to find out what the rest of their beer portfolio offered.

While seeking out the brewery we ended up driving pastonce or twice due to a lack of signage. Learn from my mistake and trust your GPS. You will end up exactly where you should.  After confirming that we had arrived at the correct destination we entered the tasting room  to a cheerful greeting from the friendly bartender. Being that we arrived shortly after a brewery tour began we were one of only 4 tasters in the room which afforded us the privilege of getting a little more time to pick our bartenders brain for details about the beer.  One thing I learned of particular interest was the fact that Monocacy Brewing and Brewers Alley are one in the same. Apparently, they had to change their name due to some weird legal issues involving moving a brewery more than 1 square mile from the original location.

I wish I would have gotten confirmation while I was there, but from the outside looking in it appears as though Monocacy brand is steered more to “craft beer” offerings whereas the beers brewed under the Brewers Alley  label are much more traditional in style. With that said, all of the beers offered in the taproom are from Monocacy.  The highlights of the day was (not surprisingly) Brewtus, an Imperial Coffee Stout that’s flavored with coffee beans Monocacy gets from a business right across the street from their location. If you like your morning coffee black you'll be happy because that’s exactly how Brewtus comes across. With its bold earthy coffee tones Brewtus leaves no doubt what the star of the show is supposed to be with.

After our tour we thought about killing a little more time with a round of cornhole outside the brewery, but we decided one more trip was in order and headed over to the Brewers Alley Restaurant and Brewpub for an early dinner. Not to pat myself on the back, but I couldn't have asked for a better way to end the day. After all of the hopping around we relished the chance to finally sit down and relax. So, you’ll have to bear with me as I couldn't be bothered to take many pictures of the food at this point.

We started off with Bacon wrapped smoked jalapenos. Dude. This was the best jalapeno focused dish I’ve had in ages. The pepper was fresh, the bacon smokey and crispy, and the chicken and cheese mixture inside added a nice change of pace to the typical jalapeno popper goo usually found on menus.  A cooling cream sauce drizzled on top played the perfect counterpoint to the fairly spicy jalapeno heat.

For our main course we both kept it simple and ordered burgers. Deana went with the house burger known as the Alley Burger and I selected a Weizen Burger. Both were top notch burgers with great grill flavor.  I think I preferred the Weizen burger out of the two but only because the tangy kraut and ham it was topped with made for a somewhat unfamiliar bite when it comes to burgers.

By this point you would think we would've been ready to throw in the towel but when a fresh strawberry pie is available you don’t have a choice but to make room. No description would do justice to the pie, and really, good strawberry shouldn't need one. Flaky crust, fresh berries, whipped cream and your done.

As far as beer was concerned we didn't really go out of our way to try much at the restaurant, but I couldn't help myself when I saw they had a Gose on offer known as Bad Old Man.  It reminded me a lot of a Gose I homebrewed once upon a time as the recipe is much more traditional and not the tart lacto pucker bomb a lot of American interpretations are turning into. If you've found other Gose’s a little off-putting in the past (I love both interpretations) give this one a try. It reminded me much more of a mildly tart and salty Belgian wheat beer and is very approachable for all types of beer drinkers.

With our stomachs full and our minds tired from a full day of touring Frederick we came to the end of our Fourth of July Weekend Beerventure. If you haven’t been to Frederick I highly recommend making a trip. It’s close enough to Baltimore, beautiful and scenic, and full of a wide variety of food and drinking options. Don’t feel like you have to focus only on beer while you’re there because there are also wineries and cideries nearby to help fill your day and keep everyone happy. Frederick, you’re a heck of a place! I’ll be seeing you soon.

Weekend Beerventures from Baltimore Part 2: Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm

Part 1 of our Fourth of July Beerventure can be viewed here.

Our Fourth of July continued as I surprised Deana with a beercentric trip to Frederick.  I grabbed my camera and car keys and we set off for Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm on one of the most beautiful days of the summer. The sun lit up the surroundings in all its glory and the sky was painted as blue as the 1980's Kansas City Royals uniforms Bo Jackson made me love as a kid.

You won’t find me excited about car rides that last longer than 3 minutes but the ride to Milkhouse Brewery, located on the way to Frederick in Mt Airy, was really something to take in and appreciate. A drive with wide open space, blue skies, lush rolling green hills, and a perfectly photogenic brewery waiting at the top of a hill will tend to help with my aversion to cars.

Considering this was our first experience with Milkhouse’s beers, we decided to familiarize ourselves with their offerings by ordering a sampler. On this particular day the sampler included Dollyhyde Summer Farmhouse Ale, Goldie’s Best Bitter, East Coast Pale Ale, 4th Step IPA, and Coppermine Creek Dry Stout. Occasionally they have a cask on hand that’s included in the sampler but we weren’t so lucky. I guess that means we’ll just have to make another drive to Frederick to get the full experience.  All of the beers were well balanced and tasty, but the standouts were the Bitter and Farmhouse Ale for me and the East Coast Pale Ale for Deana. The fact that Deana picked a Pale Ale as the standout beer in a lineup speaks volumes to the balance that Milkhouse displayed with all of their recipes. The East Coast Pale was a 5% Ale bittered to 38 IBU’s with Cascade hops grown on site at Stillpoint Farm and evoked similarities to a British Style Pale Ale.

Mid-way through the sampler Deana wisely suggested we get something to eat. We had a few more stops planned and with no breakfast in either of our stomachs food was going to be essential. As fate would have it, Milkhouse had us covered with a wide variety of cheeses and crackers available for purchase in the taproom.  Because I'm not the best at pairing beer with food I decided to trust their handy suggested pairing list. Deana ordered a full pint of Pale Ale and I was looking for more Bitter so we went with fantastic garlic cheddar trusting it would pair well with both.

As we lounged on the patio enjoying the beer and our snack something dawned on me. Most people consider beer to be a combination of 4 simple ingredients consisting of water, malt, hops, and yeast. But that overlooks what might be the most important ingredient of all when it comes to enjoying a beer. Place. Place is a special ingredient that not every beer is lucky enough to have and Milkhouse provides it like no other Maryland brewery I've visited can.  With gorgeous hills of green as far as they can see, hops growing nearby, and the big blue sky above I could have spent all day sitting with a beer reminding myself how lucky I was to sip that beer with Deana by my side.  Our trip to Milkhouse Brewery ended far too quickly, but it definitely won’t be our last. I can’t wait to head back in the fall to enjoy the crisp air and changing leaves.

Click to Read Part 3

Weekend Beerventures from Baltimore Part 1: Union Craft Brewing and Blue Pit BBQ

It’s been awhile since I've had a Weekend Beerventure. I've been looking for a good time to hit the road again and with a 3-Day Independence Day weekend in front of us Deana and I decided to hop in the car and seek out the local suds.

The weekend started off with a trip to Union Craft Brewing. Not really a Beerventure from Baltimore, but it's how the weekend began so that's where we'll start. Depending on your disposition you might see the glass as half full or half empty, but one thing we can all agree on is that your Union growler should always be completely full. That’s especially true when Old Pro Gose is flowing through the tap system. Old Pro is tart, slightly salty, and the most satisfying local beer around during the summer months. If you've yet to get your hands on a pint of Old Pro it sounds like you need to schedule a beerventure of your own and rectify the situation.

With our growler filled to the brim and a couple pints of Union Anthem patriotically chugged Deana decided we needed to kick our Fourth of July celebration into high gear and find some BBQ. While discussing our dinner options the rain was starting to come down hard and since I've been hearing about Blue Pit BBQ located just seconds up the street from Union we decided to race through the rain and head for the BBQ. Only one problem existed with the plan. Blue Pit BBQ isn't scheduled to start serving BBQ until later in the summer. Safe from the rain and surrounded by a myriad of whiskey we decided to stick around anyway. And besides, we weren't completely left without any food options. There was a limited but enticing menu of Binkerts sausages and a cheese plate on offer.  Deana chose a Weisswurst in hopes of reliving our travels in Germany, but we both agreed that I won the Sausage Selection Extravaganza when I decided to try the Debreziner. The word debreziner was new for me, but it’s essentially a delicious mix of pork and beef meat. In other words, it’s a damn fine hot dog. Though, topped with deli mustard and a stunningly intense green atomic relish there is a reason you won’t ever confuse the debreziner at Blue Pit with an everyday hot dog. The atomic relish really lightened up an otherwise salty and savory bite and while freshness isn't a word that always comes to mind when thinking of sausages it makes for one of the more interesting condiments you’ll come across.

Surprisingly (as far as my own preferences are concerned), an expertly crafted Old Fashioned served as the highlight of the night. Blue Pit has a fair amount of craft beer on hand, but since I already visited Union and I was in a whiskey bar it only made sense to order the libation they’re known for. Knowing next to nothing about whiskey I relied on the advice of the bartender as to which variety I should select to create the quintessential Old Fashioned flavor. I went with his recommendation of Elijah Craig and waited anxiously as he went about mixing the classic cocktail. What I received was a sublime amalgamation of smooth vanilla, citrus, and smoke flavors equally doing their part to take some but not all of the whiskey burn away. In no way do I consider myself a whiskey aficionado, but I would definitely order this drink again.

Blue Pit BBQ might not have a fully functioning kitchen just yet but our visit showed enough promise to convince me that there is a lot to look forward to from them in the near future. Be on the lookout for the smoke and the meantime there are worse things you can do besides grabbing a sausage and sipping on premium whiskey.

Click to Read Part 2
Click to Read Part 3

A Huge Thanks to The Ale House Columbia

There are few times in life when all of the most important people in your life are gathered together to celebrate the marriage of you and the most important person in your world. When those times do come about all we can hope for is that those moments go off without a hitch and that everyone has a good time. 

That’s exactly what happened a little over a month ago when Deana and I started our Wedding Weekend off with a rehearsal dinner at The Ale House Columbia. Grandma’s, Grandpa’s, Sisters, Brothers, Parents, and friends all came together to have a good time, share a great meal, and celebrate the awesome that is Deana and myself. It didn't hurt that Oliver’s Ales are always on tap at Pratt Street’s sister restaurant either. 

The night was fantastic and one I won’t soon forget no matter how much the 10% ABV of Williams Sour Winter tried to convince me otherwise.  Laughs were shared between my brother and me as we traded beer tasting notes. Kisses were shared in between bites of delicious Prime Rib and Crab cakes The Ale House prepared for us. And maybe most enjoyable of all, I got to share my love for craft beer with my Grandpap as I had him try just about every beer that was put in front of me. 

The night was perfect, but it couldn't have been without the superior professionalism the staff displayed all night long. When our party showed up 30 minutes earlier than planned they didn't bat an eye lash. If a glass of wine wasn't enough they were quick to find a bottle. If your Coventry Cream was looking a little low they were right behind you with a Draft Punk. All night long they were on their game and Deana and I can’t thank them enough. 

It was a great meal shared with the most important people in our lives and it went off perfectly thanks to the staff. If you ever find yourself planning a big meal don't hesitate to consider The Ale House. They won’t let you down.

Chaps Pit Beef Revisited

It's been almost two years since my original review of Chaps Pit Beef went up. The post wasn't a bad review, per se, but it definitely wasn't as glowing as it might have been given all of the accolades Chaps has received over the years.

To sum up the original review, I stated that the sandwiches I tried up to that point weren't bad, but that I simply didn't understand why they roused up so much fanfare. And for the longest time my attitude didn't change in regards to Chaps. I never outright stopped visiting them, but it was one of those situations where visits only took place if it was absolutely convenient for me.

But then one day a light bulb switched on for me. I can't say what it was for sure that changed other than to say the meats seemed extra juicy and perfectly smoked. It was almost like visiting a new restaurant despite having been to Chaps numerous times through the years. My change in opinion was so profound that I went from visiting Chaps once or twice year to finding myself fantasizing about trips to Chaps on an almost weekly basis. One week I'd be counting down the minutes until I could sink myself into the overflowing mound of meat appropriately known as The Habbit and the following week I'd be excited to try something new such as a Reuben. Deana and I are now to the point where suggesting Chaps for dinner is met with a "didn't we just eat there".

So, what's the moral of this story? Why did I feel compelled to come full circle and make an amendment to my original review? It's as simple as this. There aren't many people out there who don't already love Chaps, but if you happen to be on the fence like I originally was let this post serve as a reminder to give them another try. They really do put out a product that is high quality and it's only a matter of finding the right menu item for your taste buds before you realize what the rest of us have already learned. Chaps Pit Beef is awesome.