I have read Short Course in Beer: An Introduction to Tasting and Talking about the World's Most Civilized Beverage more than once and a chapter I have studied is where the author lists some on the best beer places in the USA. Of course there is Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia and it also mentioned Max's Taphouse in Baltimore. It has been on the road trip short list ever since. I tried to direct a night out with some other couples in that direction but with no success. So over the Christmas holiday my wife and I had some time and would be near Baltimore so the opportunity was presented.

It was all in was reported to be. The beer menu was excellent with many (too many for the limited time available) beers I wanted to experience. Ah, what's a beer geek to do? And I had to get some work done that afternoon so none of the big barley wines or bourbon barrel stouts. I decided on an interesting drink rather than an intentional one. Intentional in that I have been purposefully seeking out beer styles that I have yet to try. Max's had a flounders red ale that I have been seeking out but today was not the day. So I settled on a normal ABV wild ale from England - Bliss from Wild Ales. It was excellent, and went very well with the bison sliders that I had ordered for my lunch.

So my first journey to Max's was a short one and quite memorable. But like MacArther, I shall return.