The Drive Alexander Mitchell Nuts Special

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon with local hops and something about white oak on the beer engine at Frisco Grille

Update: just so we're clear I'm just teasing with this. Mr. Mitchell enjoys teasing me about posts like this, and I'm happy to return a friendly volley.

Monday Beer Madness in HoCo

1)T-Bonz in Ellicott City is debuting its first ever firkin event, featuring Heavy Sea's brand new Siren Noire, a chocolate stout. Scoot on down there and try for yourself Heavy Seas' first offering since the re-branding. You'll hear more about T-Bonz on here very soon. For now, just know they just put Flying Dog's Raging Bitch and the extremely limited Kerberos Tripel on tap.

2)Pratt Street Ale House takes its wares to Victoria Gastro Pub, starting at 5 PM. Brewmaster Stephen Jones will be on hand with the debut of his brand new Biere de Garde on cask. In a departure for PSAH, the beer was fermented with Belgian ale yeast, which should make this a rare treat.

They'll also have The Bishop's Indulgence, Strongman Pale Ale and Coventry Cream Ale on tap. Victoria just added Boulder Mojo Risin' IPA (nitro), Southern Tier Choklat, Duvel Green and Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout on tap.

3)Don't forget about Frisco Grille and The Judges Bench!

Thursday Cask Events

At Max's:

Heavy Seas Winter Storm
Olivers Peeping Tom Porter
BFM Alex Le Rouge
JW Lees Harvest Ale aged in Lagavulin casks
And one more TBA

At Frisco Grille:

Heavy Seas Below Decks OR something from Oliver Ales depending on delivery status

Happy Baltimore Beer Week!

Today's schedule

I was thinking about heading to the Opening Tap Celebration downtown (someone I know has an extra ticket) but will probably go local and try hitting up Victoria Gastro Pub for their North Coast night and Frisco Grille for their first even 'Firkin Thursday' in which they'll pour the awesome Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Cannon from a firkin on the bar.

What will you be up to?

DuClaw Firkin Friday at Arundel Mills

This Friday (April 3rd), 5 PM sharp:

Pre-release 13 Degrees (hef) and Cascade Double Dry Hopped Venom (pale ale)

Firkin Friday at DuClaw

DuClaw will be pouring two firkins at their Fells Point location this Friday (March 20) at 5 PM:

Misfit Red and a blueberry Bare Ass Blonde

Firkin Friday at Bel Air DuClaw

DuClaw Brewing Company is hosting another "Firkin Friday", this time at its Bel Air location. They'll be pouring the following cask-conditioned beers:

Alchemy oatmeal stout with molasses and Mad Bishop, their seasonal Oktoberfest beer.

Here's my recent review of a Firkin Friday event. Map out how to get to DuClaw and many other Maryland breweries/brewpubs with Baltimore Beer Guy's Maryland Beer Google Map. I've also created an ever-growing listing of places to find cask conditioned "real ale" on tap/beer engine in Maryland.

DuClaw Firkin Friday Review

So I went to DuClaw's "Firkin Friday" event at their Arundel Mills location. In brief, at the event they tap a firkin or a cask or "real ale" kegs of particular beers. The casks hold about 85 pours before kicking, and the event started promptly at 5 p.m.

Parking, as usual, was a hassle but I've got a pair of legs and found a spot a few sections over. Once there I was a few minutes early but was able to actually get a seat at the increasingly crowded bar. Two of the kegs were perched atop a counter behind the bar and another one was on the far side of the bar.

The festivities begin with an employee taking hammer to a spigot that punctures the seal of the keg. A little beer sometimes sneaks out as the spigot seals the opening. After that, it's fun time.

They were offering a (cascade) dry-hopped "Hellrazer" pale ale, a casked "Alchemy" oatmeal stout and a raspberry "Misfit Red". I went with the Hellrazer and the Misfit Red. The misfit had a tremendously fresh and refreshing raspberry taste, but it overpowered the more subtle cask flavors. That would be great with or without a cask and I fought it delicious.

Even better was the Hellrazer. The hop flavors really came through (not enough brewers realize just how good pale ales, IPA's, anything freshly hoppy really, taste) and enhanced their pale ale.

Yes there's a tradeoff in carbonation and a cooler temperature, but casked beers are terrific. I'm glad they're not the dominant style here but as a novelty I think we could afford much more than what's offered. Luckily, Baltimore seems to be a hotbed for serving beer in this style that offers a different flavor profile from how a beer tastes when traditionally served.

Firkin Friday at DuClaw

This Friday (October 3) will be another "Firkin Friday" at DuClaw's Arundel Mills location. I've never hit up a Firkin Friday -- anywhere -- so this is intriguing. Basically, at these events a brewery taps one or more available "cask" ales for the public.

Here's how they describe it:

A firkin is actually the name of an eleven-gallon keg that holds cask conditioned ale (real ale). There are three main differences between real ale and conventionally dispensed ale. First, real ale is served unfiltered, whereas the yeast in conventionally served ale has been filtered out to give it a "clear" appearance. Second, real ale is served at "cellar" temperature (50-55°F), unlike conventional ale which is served cooler. Finally, real ale is lightly carbonated so it almost appears "flat" compared to a conventional ale. There are approximately 85 pours for each firkin so don't miss out.

Simple stuff, and oh so good.

They'll put the firkins on at 5 p.m. and at just 85 pours will almost assuredly run out in rapid fashion so get there on time.

They'll have the following available:

Dry Hopped Hellrazer Ale (pale ale)
Alchemy Oatmeal Stout
Raspberry Misfit Red