I apologize for how lacking in inspiration my last post was, but I promise Baltimore isn’t all dull and hazy beers overshadowed by a slightly buzzed girl craving a cheeseburger and nothing else. Of course, sometimes Baltimore isn’t enough to satisfying the curious case of beer daze. Sometimes you’ve got to veer from your own sub-format to another sub-sub-format because rules don’t apply here, beyotches! On the third episode of Good Morning Beertimore! Nicole and I leave Baltimore to visit Flying Dog Brewery in Fredrick, Baltimore.

Flying Dog is a brewery that I had read a lot about online. Every list that I perused trying to decide which of Baltimore’s many breweries always said that this was the best one to check out, although they are actually an hour northwest of Baltimore. I tried hard to stick to the true theme of Beertimore, but how do you pass up the brewery that all the other online beer blogs and commentators are constantly raving about? I’m already shitty enough at blogging, I couldn’t also bypass the opportunity of a lifetime*! So Nicole and I drove up after brunch Sunday morning/noon/afternoon.

Let me start by saying that this was by far the wisest choice we made all weekend beer-wise. Upon first driving up to the place, I was nervous because it was in the middle of an industrial park which is always a little off putting, but within that industrial park we found a fun taproom with thee most personable brewery employees we encountered the whole weekend. For example, the women ID-ing us (note: I think this is the only time I got carded the whole weekend because recently I have started to look old as dirt thanks to poor skincare and sunscreen habits my whole life) asked why I was visiting from Wisconsin I said “to see Nicole!” to which the woman looked at Nicole’s ID and was like, “But you’re from Texas?” And her confusion was enough to satisfy my needs right there, and this was even before we had beer in hand.

So we moseyed over for some beer, which is where I done eff’d up and just ordered, you know, a beer. Well, not just any beer from their limited edition Peach Cobbler Ale, which, guys, move in close, I have words to whisper to you. This beer was so good. Like, appallingly, against the laws of nature good. Although I know I should have gotten a flight like a Good Blogger™ would do, I chose so correctly in just blindly ordering a whole pint. It’s a tap room exclusive, I believe, so in order to see if I am being hyperbolic or not, you’ll have to check out Flying Dog yourself.

Nicole, who is a lowkey Good Blogger™, actually ordered a flight. Honestly, Nicole needs to come around more often because she is a legitimately smart and well put together Good Blogger™ and I am just a mess of a human who drinks beer and then has nothing insightful to say about it other than that it may or may not have been good, and some times I don’t even have that much to say. Nicole thinks in terms of what would be good content, what would be the smartest blogging choice, what kind of content do the people want to read! And since I am actually the one blogging and not her, that is why this blog still sucks and no one reads it. Not even my “friends.”

But anyways, her flight included the Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale, The Fear IPA Nitro,Raging St. Eadman Abbey IPA, and the Belgium Red. The Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale was alarming. I understand that Old Bay in an institution in Maryland, they use it in everything, and it’s their go to seasoning. But this beer legitimately had Old Bay and it smelled like Old Bay and it upset me. It felt dirty, and wrong, and uncomfortable. That might be the outsider in me who does not have Old Bay running through her veins, but I could not handle it. It wasn’t like it was impossible to drink, but it was a lot to smell for sure. The nitro was good, I think? If I recall correctly, I enjoyed it and Nicole did not but she did actually kind of enjoy the St. Eadman Abbey IPA, which is a big deal because she does not like IPAs as previously stated. And I think we were pretty equally good on the Belgium Red.

But overall, the place was nice. The taproom was cool and the guys working it were pretty cool. The patio was gorgeous and we got to half-watch a game of bags were the boards were not at a regulation distance and it distressed Nicole just how far apart they were. It really was worth the drive up to Fredrick and the other blogs run by Good Bloggers™ were not wrong in insisting that everyone check it out. Really, truly, guys. Flying Dog was a great place with great beer.

On the final installment of Good Morning Beertimore!, I make Nicole’s dreams come true and there is rattlesnake. 

*citation needed