Baltimore Beer Week looms on the horizon - October 6-16

 

Or at least I think that's how the quote goes. Whatever the case may be, this unchecked year is swiftly moving us along its swollen course, wiping out bridges left and right. (Too soon?) But the fact is, sometimes you need to take a deep breath and plunge right into the waters, and let them carry you where they may. In this case, the inevitable flow of time is sweeping us toward one of the most exciting swaths on the local calendar: Baltimore Beer Week.

 

Now, I have to raise a brief protest. Can we really use the term "week" to describe a celebration that lasts nearly 11 days? Should we go with "Baltimore Beer Era"? Or perhaps even "Baltimore Beer Fortnight" would be more accurate? No matter. We'll stick with the week, I suppose, since it makes the occasion seem more manageable (and less binge-like). However, we're only lying to ourselves. Almost 2 weeks of pure, ecstatic celebration of every type of ale and lager imagineable can really only be described in one phrase: drunken euphoria.

 

You heard it here... there are so many events - beer-pairing dinners and meet-the-brewer parties, pint nights and outdoor festivals - that it is not only impossible to get to them all (almost 150 and counting), but there will also be some nights where multiple excellent gatherings will have to be missed in order to get to my personal favorites. Still, it's hard to complain, since in the end that will probably save me quite a few bucks. But if you stay tuned, you'll get a taste of exactly what these favorites are.

 

That's right. Every few days for the next 3 weeks, I will be highlighting an event from Baltimore Beer Week. By the time we get to Thursday, October 6th, I should have a pretty bad-ass Top 10. Speaking of October 6th, that's where this lineup will begin, with that initial fest-launching fiesta: the Baltimore Beer Week Opening Tap Celebration. 

 

Kicking off the whole dang thing is this little gathering at Rams Head Live. Starting at 6pm, all the bigwigs of brews in town will congregate to bust open the tap (literally) on Baltimore Beer Week. A special firkin of cask ale from Heavy Seas will be tapped the old fashion way, with a giant hammer known as The Star Spangled Banger. Then, the drinking shall begin and 11 days of blurry mornings and aching heads shall follow. But it's all for a good cause, right?

 

 

That's what I keep telling myself anyway. Educating the average Baltimoron about the joys of craft beer is a favorite hobby of mine, and this week (or whatever) offers a unique opportunity for beer lovers and novices alike (and their livers) to absorb as much as they can in a short time. And that will have to be enough for me to justify all this imbibery.

 

So keep in touch, fair readers, and let me know what events you are looking forward to, as I shall continue to update you on where I will be hanging during this ridiculous collection of beer-related happenings. Just try not to get swept away in the tide...

 

Hope to see you all there! Drink well...

 

Mark Burlet

Drunken Intellectual

Twitter: @DrunkIntellect