The Spirit World

My first full day in Baltimore was beautiful. The sky was clear; the sun was warm. It was an ideal day to grab a seat outside of a pub and have a few relaxing pints. That’s exactly what I did. Across the street from the Baltimore Convention Center downtown in a 19th century building is The Wharf Rat at Camden Yards (206 West Pratt Street) home of Oliver Breweries Ltd. There’s a second location in Fell’s Point (801 S. Ann Street), but I didn’t make it to that one.

When I sat down the waitress handed me a beer menu listing seventeen different beers. Truly a beer paradise. The available beers were mostly British styles: bitters, ESBs, stouts, etc. But there was a very nice Biere de Garde. I had to start with the Biere de Garde since I don’t see many examples of this style available in brewpubs. In fact the only other place I’ve seen a Biere de Garde is at Southampton Publick House on Long Island.

Three of the beers, the Best Bitter, the Extra Special Bitter (ESB), and the 3 Lions Ale, were dispensed with a hand pump and served at the proper temperature, 54°F. The 3 Lions was cask conditioned. I had a pint of the Blackfriar Stout. It was served nitrogenated and had some sour notes (reminiscent of Guinness). The stout had a strong coffee flavor and finished dry.

Inside, the bar was separate from the dining room, bar on the right, dining room on the left. Between was a flight of stairs and an elevator leading up to the second floor. The wooden bar was comfortable and staffed with some friendly and attentive bartenders.

You’ll want to try all seventeen beers (or more), but drinking that many pints in one sitting isn’t wise. You can get three tastings for $4 (except on game days). That’s the best way to get the most tasting mileage without getting wasted. I’d recommend at least two separate visits to the Wharf Rat so that you can enjoy more of their excellent beers. In addition to the Oliver brews, there were a number of guest draughts and bottles consisting of the usual big beer players.