Two local bars make national list

Draft magazine just came out with its 6th annual list of "America's 100 Best Beer Bars" and two local favorites made the cut. Not surprisingly, Mt. Vernon brewhouse The Brewer's Art and Fells Point standby Max's Taphouse were on the national list.

According to Draft, a "good beer bar no longer equals a zillion taps," but rather "thoughtfully selected beer with an eye toward variety, trends, and tradition, in the kind of place you'd want to stay awhile, delivered by someone who knows their stuff."

Though both Max's and Brewer's Art fall into that category, we hope that next time the magazine can dig a little deeper. There are so many great beer bars in Baltimore that went unrecognized, including (but certainly not limited to) Of Love and Regret, Mahaffey's Pub, Pratt Street Ale House, Brewers Cask, Racers Cafe, Frisco Taphouse & Brewery, and Alewife.

A lot of these places don't fall in the "zillion taps" category, but I consider them all thoughtful and knowledgeable spots that really care about the beer experience.