History Comes Alive During Baltimore Beer Week Walking Tour
Steve Fogleman, Baltimore Beer Baron

It’s a Baltimore tour I’ll never miss and it’s right outside my front door, and sometimes, my back door. It’s Beers Through the Years, and it’s back for a sixth year.

Starting at Highlandtown’s Venice Tavern at 9:30 am a week from Saturday, you’ll step back in time as you see people who have already been drinking for a solid hour and a half. Put more diplomatically, Venice Tavern “is a goldmine in and of itself,” Baltimore Beer Week co-founder Dominic Cantalupo said. Dominic DeSantis, whose family owns the Venice (October 15, 339 S. Conkling Street, 9:30am-1:00pm, $5), has been a big supporter of Beer Week. And only at the Venice Tavern will you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a display of Baltimore bottle history, so get up early.

A little less traversing the neighborhood this year is expected, according to Cantalupo, but the tour will wind through three neighborhoods, including a row house backyard (mine?) with Natty Bohs and Esskay Dogs. The group of 50-60 history hounds will wind up at Huck’s American Craft (3728 Hudson Street, hucksamericancraft.com in Brewer’s Hill at the conclusion of the tour. Brewing in Baltimore Author Maureen O’Prey will co-host the event for the fourth straight year.

“The tour is always fun, because Maureen and I always have different stories. A few other special guests might show up along the way”, Cantalupo said. “There’s always a bar and a church on every corner so you can sin on one and pray in the other. Sometimes I regurgitate the stories but they’re always true. In fact, the nuns beat me even harder than I tell the story, and the people drank even more than I say.”

Last year, people from five different states showed up to learn about the rich history of Baltimore brewing. Join in!