Miscellaneous Stuff

Regulations

Maryland is pretty cool when it comes to beer availability. We don't have any of those stupid labeling laws like California has where a a malt liquor might be a fine dopplebock or it might be cheap rotgut to get drunk on, nor do we have any of those stupid laws limiting alcohol levels to 3.2%, like some southern states have, nor do we have ridiculous state stores that rip you off, like Utah has.

In Maryland, beer is beer, bock is bock, ale is ale, and alcohol levels and labels are normal. Malt liquor means malt liquor here, and not beer of another style that just happens to be strong. We don't have any dry counties (thank you Lord!)

Bars are open until 2 a.m., 7 days a week. Most retail shops close around 9 p.m., but they too can be open until 2. Retail shops are usually closed on Sunday, though some suburban counties (especially Anne Arundel) have liquor stores open 7 days a week. If you travel further afield, you may find some counties that are not too cool about beer sales (namely, Allegheny).

As is the case everywhere in the U.S., the drinking age is 21. Most places will ask for ID if you look younger than 25---especially if they cater to a younger crowd.

Photos and Maps

Throughout this beer guide, I provide photos of bars, breweries, etc. and maps to brewpubs and other places. These are my own work and I retain all rights to them. Many of these images are very large and I don't recommend that users with slow links try retrieving them.

Credit

I would like to acknowledge the help of John Lock, developer of the Atlanta Beer Guide, which served as the model for this guide.

Special thanks to Keith Hooker who has been helping me drink good beer in Baltimore for over 20 years (yes, I am still in my 30s...). Keith visited almost every place in this guide with me at one time or another. Thanks Keith!

I would also like to thank the many folks who've sent me e-mail providing feedback & ideas for improving this guide and adding new sources in the area for good quality beer.

Copyright © 1994-97 by Mark A. Stevens. All rights reserved. This document may be freely distributed throughout cyberspace in its entirety provided this copyright notice is not removed. It may not be sold for profit nor incorporated in commmercial products without the author's written permission.

Comments?

If you know of any information in this guide that is incorrect, please let me know via e-mail to Mark Stevens (stevens@burp.org).
Thanks!
----Mark

This section was last updated: 2/12/97