Living in the western part of Maryland, I don’t get to visit, nor talk much about, Baltimore. (That is, unless I’m cursing out the Ravens.)

The Washington Post’s free commuter tabloid, Express, has a lengthy feature today on the beer scene in Baltimore, specifically Fell’s Point. The article discusses two notable beer bars and the brewpub the Brewer’s Art.

Explore Baltimore: Hit the Ale Trail

Fell’s Point, traditional drinking ground of sailors in colonial times (and frat boys now), makes an intoxicating starting point for any hophead tour. At Max’s, walls decorated with old Natty Boh signs and dartboards set the scene for a daunting brewski list. Should you guzzle a tart, raspberry-powered Lindenman’s Framboise from Belgium or a heavy Harviestouns Old Engine Oil from England? Pick your poison using a cheat sheet listing each beer’s country of origin and alcohol percentage — higher numbers often mean a stronger-tasting pint, like, say, a chocolatey Avery Czar Imperial Stout. “We’ve got a lot of hopheads,” says Simko, referring to folks who crave such highly flavored, high-octane brews.