Who Doesn’t Like to ‘Howl at the Moon?’
by Lindsey Warne
Like being a part of the show? Enjoy belting your favorite songs at the top of your lungs, without having anyone give you dirty looks? Bored of the same old bars? Then Howl at the Moon is your go-to bar. Modeled after high-energy entertainment experiences in New Orleans, Howl has been around since 1990, drawing in a unique and diverse crowd ranging from businessmen to party girls to shy quiet types. They say that Howl at the Moon is a place “where you’ll find friends you haven’t met yet,” coming together through music and dance. Sou...
Miami nights: Three stories of pure luxury at Pur
By Summer Discher
A Miami-like feel makes Pür Lounge different from every other club in Baltimore.
The interior is completely white, including a large selection of white leather couches and chairs. Artwork that ranges from tribal statues to vibrant paintings bring color into the lounge.
Pür is in a class of its own in Baltimore, and the clientele is there to prove it. The night I went, I saw a Porsche, a BMW, and a Mercedes parked outside.
Some say the cover is too high, but the ...
How to celebrate Bloomsday like a true Dubliner
By Laura Greenback
Fans of whiskey and dense literature alike celebrate Bloomsday, an official Irish holiday that takes place in bars around the world on June 16. The holiday honors Irish novelist James Joyce and his Magnum opus, Ulysses. Nerds and lushes everywhere gather in Irish Pubs every June 16 to read selections of the book aloud and sip on Guinness and Jameson.
The epic novel takes place on one regular day in Dublin – June 16, 1904. It follows a regular guy named Leopold Bloom, and is based on Homer’s The Odyssey. The book’s stream-of-consciousness form...
Beer & Food Pairings: A Match Made in Heaven
By Kurt Clodfelter
“What would you suggest to pair with the salmon special?”
“The 2008 Loose Cannon from Clipper City. The triple hopping that this beer receives gives it a wonderful, complex aroma with a medium body and crisp finish that accent the richness of the fish nicely.”
Sounds a bit silly at first, doesn’t it? Well believe it or not, conversations like this are taking place all over the Baltimore area. Local residents have long since supported the beer industry, and finally restaurateurs and brewers alike are taking the shame out of suds.
...
Beer Can Be Crunchy, Too - Baltimore Brew Goes Organic
By Kurt Clodfelter
That’s right, organic brew. Why organic brew? Hugh Sisson, the owner of Clipper City Brewing Company says that much like the rest of his career thus far, an organic brew was the next logical step on an ambitious path. Sisson thinks it makes good sense to take care of the earth and the local farmers striving to be good custodians of the planet.
The fact that the Oxford line of brews will stay at the same price as the rest of the Clipper City line of beers is evidence of Sisson’s conviction.
So what makes this beer “organic”? Well, ...
Advice from the Baltimore Beertrekker
By Lynn Williams
Nick Nichols wants you to drink better beer.
A self-described “beer geek,” the native Baltimorean grew up with Natty Boh flowing through his veins. His father was one of a generation of East Baltimore children who toted a bucket to the corner tavern to fetch beer for his family. Young Nick had spent his childhood in a house near Clifton Park, practically in the shadow of the decaying, but imposing and still beautiful American Brewery on Gay Street, and teenage camping trips in Pennsylvania had included plenty of Yuengling.
But it took a post-colle...
36 Years Later, Bertha’s is Still a Bastion of Jazz & Blues
It’s been 36 years since music lovers (and successful classical musicians) Tony and Laura Norris bought a bar on the corner of Lancaster and Broadway in Fells Point.
Since then, Bertha’s has maintained its stake as not only a Baltimore landmark, but also a haven for local music lovers. Today, the bar and restaurant has a steady rotation of eight stellar house acts, which range from jazz to blues to dixieland to rock.
“We have some of the best jazz and blues in the city,” said Bernard Lyons, who works as a bartender and handles Bertha’s music.
How to Pour a Proper Guinness: From Colin Murphy at James Joyce
By Laura Greenback
Colin Murphy has been pouring Guinness since he was 15. The West Cork native has been living in the U.S. for six years, and he has worked at James Joyce Pub for all of them. The bar & restaurant is the leading seller of Guinness in the state, with about 500 kegs poured just last year.
“You really have to have patience to pour a Guinness. I’m 100 percent sure that when Guinness is poured properly, you get a better flavor. We’re very proud of our Guinness at James Joyce.”
“First you need a proper glass �...
Guinness is Good for You: St. Patty’s Day in Baltimore
By Laura Greenback
St. Patty’s Day is all messed up this year, but don’t let that stop your fun. First of all, it falls on a Monday. Then, the Catholic Church realized the drinking day would take place during the Holy Week (a big no-no), and the church is fighting to change the holiday to Friday, March 14 this year. We take all of this confusion as an excuse to party for four days straight. Festivities should begin on Friday, rage through Saturday night, continue through Sunday’s big parade down Charles Street, and finish with a shot of Irish Whiskey on Monday, March 17. You have four days to party in some of Baltimore’s best Irish Pubs. So clear out your work schedule for Tuesday, and make it your goal to stop into all of...
Goodbye, Fletchers. Hello, Vice.
By Katya Stefan
Indie heads, rockabillies and neo-goths have fueled Fletcher’s legend as Baltimore’s outpost of punk. Big name bands, as well as unknowns, have rocked the upstairs stage for nearly two decades.
Over time, the locals—fan and groupie alike—have certified Fletcher’s as the arguable leader of live. A unique underdog venue where music is loud yet intimate, the drinks cheap and the crowd predictably unpredictable, it may come as a surprise to many that Fletcher’s is about to change.
Craig Boarman of Ottorbar has teamed up with Evan Tanne...