Stillwater Artisinal Ales I

1) Stillwater Artisinal Ales brewer and owner Brian Strumke (aka Stillwater) at the Stillwater Artisinal Ales debut event at Max's during Belgian Beer Week. The firkin of his oh so delicious Stateside Saison in the background and a glass of it in the foreground

2) Brian pouring one of his other non-production offerings. He brought several wild ales to the event, I had a taste of one or two and they were spectacular. Brian is an extremely talented brewer.

3) Something funky, and good!

Stillwater Artisinal Ales II

1) The Stateside Saison, Stillwater's first commercial release, up close. Beautiful.

2) Some of Stillwater's other offerings

3) The man of the hour cracks open another of his wild offerings with everyone looking on

4) Picture time: Stillwater Artisinal Ales brewmaster Brian Strumke poses with the firkin of his fantastic first commercial release: Stateside Saison

It's Coming! Max's Belgian Beer Fest

Arguably one of the country's best beer events, Max's Belgian Beer Fest is almost upon us. As with every year they'll supply seemingly endless rare and incredible Belgian beer offerings on tap, cask and in bottle.

It will run Friday February 12th to Sunday February 14th, no cover, everyday from the 11 AM open until close. Full taplist below, but first, two Max's videos I found on YouTube. See if you can spot me in the herd trying to enter on the first day last year.





FRIDAYS DRAFT LIST 100 % DONE:

Achilles Celtic Angel

Achouffe Houblon Chouffe

Achouffe Mc Chouffe

Achouffe La Chouffe

Achouffe N' Ice Chouffe

Alvinne Bathazar

Alvinne Extra

Alvinne Gaspar

Alvinne Melchior

Alvinne Oak Aged Bathazar

Alvinne Oak Aged Podge

Barbar Winterbok

Blaugies La Moneuse Special Winter

Blaugies Saison D Epeautre

Bockor Cuvee Des Jaocbins Rouge

Brugse Zot Dubbel

Cantillon Gueuze

Cantillon Iris

Cantillon Rose De Grambrinus

Cazeau Tournay

Cazeau Tournay Black

Cazeau Tournay De Noel

Cimay Cinq Cents

Contreras Valier Blonde

Contreras Valier Divers

Contreras Valier Extra

De Dochter Van De Korenaar Emblasse

De Dochter Van De Korenaar Noblesse

De Dochter Van De Korenaar Courage

De Glazen Toren Angelique

De Glazen Toren Jan De Lichte

De Glazen Toren Ondinke

De Glazen Toren Saison De Epre Mere

Strubbe Ichtegems Grand Cru

De Proef Van Twee

De Ranke Noir De Dottignies

De Regenboog T' Smisje Triple

De Regenboog Catherine The Great

De Regenboog Guido

De Regenboog T' Smisje Dubbel

De Regenboog T' Smisje Kerst

De Regenboog T' Smisje Plus

De Regenboog T' Smisje Speciale

Delirium Tremens

Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux

Ellezelloise Hercule Stout

Ellezelloise Quintine Blonde

Geants Gouyasse

Geants Urchon

Gulden Draak Vintage

Het Alternatief Eerwaarde Pater

Het Alternatief Piet Agoras

La Rulles Triple

La Trappe Isid Or

Lefebvre Floreffe Dubbel

Lefebvre Floreffe Triple

Silly Enghien Noel

Silly Saison De Silly

Sint Canarus Pere Canard

Sint Canarus Triple

Slaapmutske Dry Hopped Lager

Slaapmutske Kerstmutske

St. Bernardus Christmas

St Feuillien Blanche

St Feuillien Saison

Timmeramns Bourgogne Des Flanders

Van Honsebrouck Bacchus

Van Honsebrouck Gueuze Fond Tradition

Brewers Art Green Pepercorn w/ real Peppercorn (Cask)

The Bruery Two Turtle Doves(Cask)

Regenboog BBBourgondier (Gravity keg)

De Regenboog T' Smisje Calva Reserva (Gravity keg)

De Regenboog T' Smisje Kerst (Gravity Keg)

Allagash Black (Cask)

OTHER DRAFTS FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY:

Allagash Fluxus

Allagash Hugh Malone

Allagash Interlude

Alllgash Odyssey

Barbar

Chimay Cinq Cents

De Dolle Dulle Teve

De Dolle Stille Nacht

De Koninck Winter

De Ranke Pere Noel

De Ranke Guldenberg

Delirium Noel

Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux

Dupont Foret

Dupont Saison

Echt Kriekenbier

Gouden Carolus Cuvee Blauw

Gouden Carolus Noel

Klokke Roeland

La Rulles Estivale

Ommegang Abbey

Ommegang Rare Vos

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

Ommegang Hennepin

Ommegang Pale Ale

Ommegang Rouge

Ommegang Witte

Ommegang Three Philosophers

Petrus Winter

Scaldis

Scaldis Noel

Van Bossche Buffalo Stout

Van Eecke Kapittel Abt

Van Eecke Kapittel Blonde

Van Eecke Kapittel Pater

Van Eecke Kapittel Prior

Van Eecke Poppering Hommelbier

Strubbe Ichtegems Grand Cru

Sint Canarus Potteloereke

Silly Double Enghien Blonde

Silly Enghien Noel

Silly Pink Killer

Silly Saison De Silly

Silly Super 64

Silly Pils

Silly Titje

Kerkom Bink Blosem

Kerkom Bink Blonde

Kerkom Bink Bruin

Kerkom Bink Triple

Het Alternatief Hik Blonde

De Regenboog Vuuve

De Regenboog Wostyntje

St. Bernardus Wit

La Divine Dark Triple

Allagash Cask TBA

Brewers Art Seven Beauties (Cask)

Max's Belgian Beer Fest

This is the big one! I've attended two years in a row and its absolutely fantastic, almost impossible to imagine there's a better Belgian Beer Festival in America.

So, the details:

February 12th-14th
11 AM-2 AM
No entrance fee

They'll have 120+ authentic Belgian beers on draft and another 120+ in bottles plus a full Belgian inspired food menu. The following is a 20% complete list of what lies ahead:

BELGIAN FEST DRAFTS-20% DONE:

Alvinne Bathazaar

Alvinne Gaspar

Alvinne Melchior

Alvinne Oak Aged Bathazaar

Alvinne Oak Aged Podge

Alvinne Podge

Barbar Winterbok

Bockor Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge

Cantillon Gueuze

Cantillon Iris

Cantillon Rose De Grambrinus

Cazeau Tournay Black

Cazeau Tournay

Contreras Valier Divers

Contreras Valier Blonde

Contreras Valier Extra

De Dochter Van de Korenaar Embrasse

De Dochter Van de Korenaar Noblesse

De Dolle Dulle Teve

De Glazen Toren Jan De Lichte

De Glazen Toren Ondineke

De Glazen Toren Saison De Epre Mere

De Koninck Winter Koninck

De Ranke Nior

De Ranke Pere Noel

De Ranke XX Bitter

De Regenboog T' Smisje Triple

De Regenboog Catherine The Great

De Regenboog Guido

De Regenboog T' Smisje Dubbel

De Regenboog T' Smisje Plus

De Regenboog T' Smisje Speciale

De Regenboog Vuuve

De Regenboog Wostijnte

Delirium Noel

Delirium Tremens

Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux

Duvel Green

Ellezelliose Quintine Blonde

Ellezelliose Hercule Stout

Geants Urchon

Geants Gouyasse

Gouden Carolus Noel

Het Alternatief Eewaarde Pater

Het Alternatief Piet Agoras

La Rulles Summer

La Trappe Isdor

Petrus Winter

Sint Canarus Triple

Slaapmutske Dry Hopped Lager

St Bernardus Christmas

St Feuillen Blanche

St Feullien Saison

Struise Tsjeeses

Van Honsebrouck Bacchus

Van Honsebrouck Gueuze Fond Tradtion

N' Ice Chouffe

Off to Max's Belgian Beer Fest

Doors open at 11 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Free Belgian buffet Friday AM.

I know several of the regulars at Frisco Grille will be there in the AM. This really is one of the beer events of the year in the U.S. Max's will be hopping but its fun and lively and some great beer is available all three days. I advise going for taster glasses the entire way, as chalices will limit just how much you can "try" unless there's something you just absolutely love or are ordering bottles.

The tap list is available online, with the bottle list printed on the beer lists at the event. I've done a decent amount of homework, enough to know almost everything there is special or close to it, while marking a good 20 or so beers most desired. The tap list is very heavy with Belgian Dark/BSDA's, tons of winter/Christmas beers among those, spicy and potent.

Personally I've always favored pale malts and yeast/hops for flavor, so the Belgian Pales, Tripels and Saisons are much higher on my list, maybe mixing in a malty Dubbel somewhere. Oh and Belgium's famous, puckery, fierce lambics, fruit beers and Flanders style ales. So much to choose from!

As always be safe if you make your way there, man is not equipped to handle so much potent brew, and I'll certainly be pacing myself, however frustrating that is at least the fest runs several days, enough to derive immense enjoyment even if I can't try everything I've targeted.

Whatever "reporting" is to be had, I'll try and provide. Basically: lots and lots of people drinking great beer, shoulder-to-shoulder, for three days straight.

Update: Pretty darn cool, was able to procure a bar seat at opening and meet some regulars from Beer Advocate's Mid-Atlantic forums. I'll post what I drank on another entry maybe, add my one picture I took and whatever other details come to mind. Doubt I'll go back Saturday, was able to hit a LOT of what I had targeted and its been a week of solid drinking, the body needs a rest. Sunday sounds tempting though.

Feel free to comment with your experience. Today wasn't too bad until right around when I was leaving at 2 PM when things started getting more crowded. Saturday is likely to be a zoo though, good luck if you're going.

Introduction

First entries are always difficult in blogs.

Where to begin?

Let's just call this a beer adventure. I don't pretend to know a whole lot about beer, I simply enjoy the taste and the variety of flavors and, yes, the effect. In another life, I spent time in Illinois, Southern California and Florida's Gulf Coast. Now in my mid-20's, I currently call Baltimore, Maryland my home. To be more precise, I live in the Baltimore suburbs, in Howard County.

In my brief time in Maryland, I've quickly realized this is a place that loves beer!

Please don't laugh at the simplicity and innocence of that statement. I loved the Florida Gulf Coast, but when it comes to beers that's a Bud and Miller place. No thanks. Until convinced otherwise, I consider Southern California beer capital, USA. It's where I was first introduced to microbrews, and where I first developed a healthy appetite for actual flavor and variety in beer. Everything else has since been held to that standard.

Fear not people of Baltimore, you're doing great when it comes to beer. In fact, I'm itching to try more and more of what you have to offer.

My Baltimore beer experience is limited to date, but I've tried some of what Clipper City has to offer. I've been to Max's in Fell's Point (for the Belgian Beer Fest!). I've heard of Natty Bo, but have yet to try it (heresy?). I've been to some other places as well, and we'll address all of that in time. Point being: this is a good beer place, I'm happy to be here, and this blog is my (limited) record of that experience. Thank you.

So, where do we go from here?

Off the top of my head, this should be a documentation of my beer experience. Where I'm grabbing a pint. What I'm drinking. What's good. What's bad. What I'm doing right. What I'm doing wrong. And where I should be going.

If I'm fortunate to have a bright reader (or two, or ten), you can help me make this experience more diverse and worthwhile. I would love that. This entry is bordering on narcissism with so many "I"'s, so let us conclude with this:

Thank you for stopping by. Please please please contribute either in comments or email. Baltimore Beer Guy doesn't bite. Promise.