| The
Quest for the Holy Grain - Best Beer Bars |
| Maryland |
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For Bars in Baltimore and Annapolis, please see these pages.
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Blob's Park 8024 Blob's Park Road Blob's Park is a cavernous dining, dancing, and beer hall located between Baltimore and Washington. It was started by Max Blob in the 1930's as a place for his German beer-drinking buddies to congregate. Blob's is not really a "bar" in that it is only open Thursday-Sunday and charges a cover since there is music. But they do have about 80 kinds of beers with about 5 German drafts. |
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Always Ron's
Always Ron's motto has always been, "Where good friends and good food meet." They are going to have to add a line about the beer. |
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Roast House Pub The Roast House Pub opened in July 2011, as the only real beer bar in Frederick. It is a small joint with about 12 tables/booths to choose from. |
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Mount Airy Inn You wouldn't expect to find a vibrant beer bar in Mount Airy, just about halfway between Ellicott City and Frederick. And yet here's the Mount Airy Inn, sporting 11 very well-selected taps and maybe 40 bottles, including a "rare and obscure" list. They also keep an updated draft list on their website, which is helpful for Questors and like-minded enthusiasts. The bar seats about 12 or so, and the barroom and dining area contain numerous tables and booths. At the time of our visit, the place had only been open for about a year, but they are quickly putting themselves on the beer map by hosting events like tonight...an evening with Colossus, a 21% glass of potent potable made by DuClaw Brewing Company. The brawny brew is out for a limited time on an exclusive tour. |
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RIVER HILL SPORTS GRILLE River Hill Sports Grille is nestled in an upscale shopping center along the 108 corridor in the River Hill/Clarksville metropolis. The long L-shaped bar seats about 14. There are tables in the barroom, and a separate dining area. The taps numbered 20, with 12 dedicated to a rotating selection of mostly American microbrews. Not in the mood for any of these? The Sports Grille offers nigh on to 80 bottled selections. The clientele at our end of the bar were mature, and interested in discussing the beers with the bartenders, who were knowledgeable about the products. A curious beer-drinker could also try a flight of 4 5-oz. beers for $10.95. The walls were adorned with numerous TV screens of all sizes, tuned to everything from the royal wedding to rodeo, as would befit a sports grille, but no one seemed to watching anything until baseball came on at 7:00. |
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Kloby's Smokehouse In a strip mall in the village of Maple Lawn just south of Columbia you'll find Kloby's. OK...so it may be a restaurant in search of an identity; is it a sports bar, smokehouse, beer bar, or can it be all three? You decide. And while you're deciding, have a couple of craft beers from their choice of 30 taps and about 40 bottles. |
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Frisco Tap & Brew House The Frisco Grill in Columbia has become |
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Judge's Bench If you haven't checked out the Judge's Bench in Old Ellicott City lately, it's time to do so. Mike, the new owner, has a vision of making this a "local pub version of beer drinkers' Nirvina." He is well on his way. The 17 taps are carefully chosen and the beer seems very well cared for. The chef creates some great dishes, and there is live music every night. Judge's Bench is one more reason to visit Ellicott City. |
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Victoria Gastro Pub
8201 Snowden River Parkway A gastropub is a public house serving food that is a step above your average pub fare. This would be true of Victoria. Of course, we were there for the beer. Victoria offers 24 taps, which seem to be carefully selected and cared for. Additionally, they have about 100 bottled beers. The staff was helpful with suggestions and explanations. The drafts were expensive, but big, and the food that we ordered was very tasty. So if you've never visited a gastro pub, Victoria would be a great one with which to start. |
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T-Bonz Grille & Pub T-Bonz Grille & Pub is described as a "neighborhood hideaway" and that serves as an apt description. Tucked behind a strip center in a nouveau rural part of Ellicott City, T-Bonz proved a dark, cool respite on a 100-degree day. T-Bonz has 40 taps, all of which were microbrews with a large proportion being local offerings. They also offered about a dozen macro bottles. The L-shaped bar seats about 15, and there are a large number of booths and tables. Ambitious beer drinkers can order a 120-ounce beer tube for $22. The patron next to us explained how he had recently consumed one by himself in less than two minutes. Ouch. |
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Lure's Bar & Grille Located on the way to Annapolis in Crownsville, the Gateway to Southern Maryland, is hidden Lures...a gem of a beer bar. |
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Olney Ale House 2000 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd. About 45 minutes from Baltimore, the Olney Ale House used to be a rural roadhouse. Although the suburbs have infringed upon the pastoral setting, a more knowledgeable and affluent spirits crowd may have allowed the Ale House to become Montgomery County's best beer bar. They feature 21 taps, several of which rotate, and maybe 100 different bottles. The selection was diverse with micros, macros, Belgians, & other imports readily being dispensed. Warsteiner is a favorite here. The bartender was affable and knew his trade, and willing to provide samples. It's still a beautiful drive through the country to get there, and the beer makes it all the more worthwhile. |
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Phoenix Emporium For a nice selection of over 100 bottled beers with a modest rotation rate consider the Phoenix Emporium in Historic Ellicott City. The proprietors have also started a "100 Beer Club" whereby a client can earn recognition and prizes by consuming 100 different bottled beers. A Questor's name is entered in the Big Book and tally is kept...no time limit. Phoenix also has events such as Firkin Friday's. |
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Quarry House Tavern
8401 Georgia Avenue Doesn't look like much from the outside, eh? But walk down the steps, and you'll find yourself in the Quarry House, established just after the repeal of Prohibition. It has been called "a German beer garden in a basement." One of the few beer bars in a wide area, QH offers a well-chosen 9 taps and maybe 100 bottles. |
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Royal Mile Pub Just off the main drag of Georgia Avenue in Wheaton, MD, lies the Royal Mile Pub. Friendly and unpretentious, Royal Mile offers 10 taps and about 60 bottles of beer. Although they offer delicious and interesting Scottish food and other pub fare, they are very serious about the beer here. The selection is well-chosen to reflect the best in German, British, and Scottish beers, and American microbrews as well. The staff was friendly and helpful, and, very importantly, the beers were served in their correct glasses. Royal Mile is also a haven for lovers of single malt scotch, but that would be a topic for another website. |
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