Wow, we had a great time at Black Flag Brewing in Columbia this Wednesday. I personally had 2 delicious beers, Friends with Benefits and  Churro En Fuego. Churro is a chocolate beer with chilis, vanilla, and spices – very nice. The mango infused Friends was so fantastic I came back the next day and bought a 4-pack. 

We always share sips of beers for Columbia Pint Night. At  Black Flag, I tasted the Currant Season Saison – nice and fruity with a sort of tart taste (I guess that’s currant) and the funk of a Saison.  Hopefully, I’ll get to order one of those myself the next time. Other beers sipped were the Amber Lager ( a solid beer), Crush (a nice pale ale) and Brunch (I think it was barrel-aged). All were really good!

Looking around the Black Flag taproom,  we noticed people drinking from their own mugs. It turns out it was Bring Your Own Mug night. You can bring your own drinking vessel (size within reason), fill it up, take a pic to post on social media (Twitter, Instagram and/or FB), and Black Flag will pick the best mug. The winner gets a free refill. April 11th is the next monthly BYOM night.

I ran across Brian Gaylor, Black Flag’s owner, in Annapolis, MD for the hearing for HB 518. That encounter reminded me of this neglected (at least by me) brewery right in my own neighborhood. I am so lucky to have re-discovered Black Flag.

The Judges Bench

Another beer adventure this week happened after the Howard County Budget Hearing.  100 bicycle advocates showed up, ringing bike bells and flashing bike lights, to show support for funding the BikeWay/BikeHoward Express  – we’re happy for the county’s support, but we think we can do better. Afterward, a few of us headed over to the Judges Bench on Main Street in historic Ellicott City.

The Judges Bench is a nice neighborhood pub. Service is a bit chaotic – you must order at the bar – but the beer selection makes it worth the extra effort. I savored the always wonderful Troeg’s Nugget Nectar, then the sweet and boozy bourbon barrel-aged scotch ale, Trip in the Woods by Sierra Nevada. At 9.3%, it was good to have a ride home.

Cheers!

Warren