Baltimore Bound 8/18/08

If you know my wife, you know that she’s a big Red Sox fan. When I was unable to get tickets to Fenway last spring, I searched and was able to get tickets to a game at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Since my in-laws consider themselves part of Red Sox nation, we took them along as a birthday present since my parents offered to watch the kids.

We decided to go early and make a day of it. The harbor front area has a really convenient water taxi that will take you all over the harbor, whether it is waterside, Fort McHenry or Fell’s Point. We chose Fell’s Point for the shops and the restaurants, and while Jenn and mom went to a seafood place, dad and I went to Max’s. Max’s is a great neighborhood beer bar with an awesome draft and bottle selection. I had their nachos, and washed it down with a Brewer’s Art Green Peppercorn Triple. The pepperiness of the beer was a great compliment to the nachos. We then went around the corner and found the Wharf Rat at Fell’s Point. We planned to go to dinner at their location near the ballpark, but it never hurts to check the beer selection at the alternate location. I liked this location since it was smaller and quieter, and it did have different beers. I particularly enjoyed their Manchester Cream Ale and their Bishop’s Breakfast. Dad had a good time, and then we met up with our better halves.

Dinner was great, and what I’m most impressed with the Wharf Rat at Camden Yards is their cask beer selection. Not only did they have 12 beers on draft, they had 4 of their own beers on cask. I had the fish and chips and had their Old Habit on cask. We enjoyed our meals and then made it over to the ballpark. Our seats were okay, and there were more Red Sox fans than Oriole fans. We watched batting practice and warm-ups, and were treated to an awesome game. I got a Clipper City Gold Ale, we saw John Lester get a win in a 6-3 game, and watched newly acquired Jason Bay hit two home runs. The crowd broke out into a chant of, “Manny who?”

A couple of Orioles fans had the right perspective in that although they felt like the visiting team in their own stadium, it is such an awesome ballpark that it was exciting to be there when the crowd was rocking. I’d be happy to catch any game there, especially if I could return to Max’s and the Wharf Rat. - 4732

"There is only one game at the heart of America and that is baseball, and only one beverage to be found sloshing at the depths of our national soul, and that is beer." – Peter Richmond