On The Way To "Paradise"
I had never been to Maryland before. Honestly it wasn’t on my radar before my trip to Puerto Rico. Planes freakin' suck, man! Travel is a big part of my life but I have always hated flying on airplanes. I am usually nauseous and out of sorts for far too long after the flight and I am deathly afraid of heights… go figure. Driving though? I love driving! The long trips, the random sights and the 100’s of gas station hot dogs make the hours on the road worth it. There are some places you just can’t drive though.
Puerto Rico is one of them! I was invited on a trip as an extra with no real reason to be there other than to make flights and hotel fare more affordable. This amazing opportunity also came with flights… so many flights. I flew from St. Louis to Dallas, Dallas To Denver, Denver to Maryland, Maryland to Florida and Finally Florida to Puerto Rico. I wasn't super chill about it but I had no choice. It was either suffer though a bunch of time at the air port or miss out on island paradise. I obviously chose the paradise.
Coordinating flights is a hassle. I learned this week that one little slip up can send your plans spiraling. A three hour delay on my red eye from Denver to Baltimore did just that. I had missed all of my connecting flights and was forced to reschedule all of them. The only issue was that the next available flight to Florida was at 5:45 the following day.
24 Hours In Maryland
With this new found time I needed to get a hotel and rent a car for the night. I figured if I was going to be stuck in Maryland I may as well make a beer tour out of it. Before my unintentional time in Maryland the only brewery on my radar was Flying Dog. I unfortunately didn't visit it because I wanted to stay closer to the Baltimore area and flying dog was 45 mins- an hour outside the city. I did visit some other great spots though. Here are some i think you should check out when you visit Maryland. Intentionally or otherwise!
| Brewery: Union Craft Brewing |
| Beer I Loved: Balt (Amber Ale) |
| Address: 1700 W 41st St #420, Baltimore, MD 21211 |
| Similar to in STL: 4 Hands |
|
Description: An impressive warehouse brewery with lots of seating both communal and private. Stylized wall art all around. They featured beers of all styles to please the mass appeal drinker and the hardcore beer nerds alike. |
| Brewery: Suspended Brewing Company |
| Beer I Loved: Tears & Toil (Session Porter) |
| Address: 912 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21230 |
| Similar to in STL: Wellspent |
|
Description: A smaller brewery that really maximizes the space that they have. Beers were a bit on the trendier side but all excellent. The bar staff was super friendly and eager to tell you where to eat in town. Parking was a bit tough in this neighborhood but the atmosphere was worth it. P.S: There may have been mention of a possible Earthbound Collaboration?? |
| Brewery: Jailbreak Brewery |
| Beer I Loved: Czech the Technique (Pilsner) |
| Address: 9445 Washington Boulevard North F, Laurel, MD 20723 |
| Similar to in STL: 2nd Shift |
|
Description: This industrial brewery sits in a polished warehouse complex. Beers of all styles were flowing behind a long bar. A second area sits to the left of the bar offering food options (much like Urban Chestnut & 2nd Shift). The bar staff was quick on their feet and ready to fill glasses despite the tons of seats and butts within them. |
| Brewery: Waverly Brewery |
| Beer I Loved: Horni-Isaac (New England IPA) |
| Address: 1625 Union Ave, Baltimore, MD 21211 |
| Similar to in STL: Modern |
|
Description: Tucked away almost under a bridge this brewery is small, dark, and roaring with chatter. The beers are clean, easy and accessible and the vibe is somewhere between skate culture and controlled chaos. There was a food truck outside and decent parking (if the building next door is closed). |
| Brewery: Diamondback Brewing Company |
| Beer I Loved: Atmospheric Changes (Kolsch) |
| Address: 1215 E Fort Ave #008, Baltimore, MD 21230 |
| Similar to in STL: Earthbound |
|
Description: This brewery had a large chimney as both a centerpiece and it's tap system. This brewery sits in between workspace complexes and offers fantastic beer. The bar tender was very hospitable and a big fan of St. Louis, especially Earthbound and Perennial. Empty bottles and cans of sought after beers from all over the world sat on the rafters above the bar. |
So there you have it! A post that was originally meant for the Puerto Rican beer scene ended up being about Maryland. No lie…Baltimore is a super cool, industrious and creative place and should probably be on every beer travelers list of places to check out.
Manny
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