10 years old! Max's Belgian Beer Fest this weekend.

It's hard to believe, but Max's Belgian Beer Fest is 10 years old this year: an annual three-day bacchanalia of Belgian beers on draft, in bottles, and in cask.

Max isn't a person. It's Max's Taphouse, a long-time resident of Fells Point, in Baltimore, Maryland, often selected as one of the best beer bars in the U.S.

Here're some details:

FEB 14-17, 2014
11am-2am each day

Yes, it our 10th Anniversary of the Belgian this year. So, we will be pulling out all the stops for this one. We will have over 160 Belgian beers on draft, over 200 Belgian beers in bottles, and a full Belgian inspired food menu.

NO ENTRANCE FEE

Feb 14-16 will be our traditional Belgian Beer Fest, and Feb 17 will be our 2nd Annual Sour/Wild Ale Day.

In honor of the 10th anniversary, Baltimore's Stillwater Artisanal Ales has created Decade, a "Crimson Farmhouse Ale", at 7.4% alcohol-by-volume. Only a small amount was brewed and bottled; it'll be available at the festival.

This is a drinking event; pours of different sizes, but no effete stick-your-hipster-pinkie-in-the-air-2-ounce tasting soiree. As it should be: good beer deserves to be tasted, not hinted at. And, since Belgian beer tends to be of relatively high alcohol, the festival will quickly become a don't-drive-home affair. Max's website lists a couple of local hotel options.

So, now, without further adieu, here's the draft line-up, as it stands today.

Achouffe La Chouffe
Alvinne Cuvee Freddy Zymatore
Alvinne Wild West
Alvinne Wild Undressed
Blaugies Darbyste
Bockor Cuvee Jacobins Rouge
Bockor Vanderghinste Oud Bruin
BOM Heaven
BOM Hell
Boon Kriek
Bosteel Pauwel Kwak
Bosteel Triple Karmeliet
Brugse Zot Unfiltered
Cantillon Iris
Cantillon Fou Foune
Cazeau Tournay Triple
De Dolle Dulle Teve
De Dolle Arabier
De Dolle Stille Nacht
De Glazen Toren Saison De Epre Mere
De La Senne Brussels Calling
De La Senne Taras Boulba
De La Senne Jambe De Bois
De La Senne Zinnebir
De Ranke XX Bitter
De Ranke XXX Bitter
De Ranke Saison De Dottiginies
Huyghe DeliriumTremens
Huyghe la Gullontine
Dupont Sasion Dry Hopped
Dupont Redor Pils
Dupont Biere De Boliel
Dupont Posca Rustica
Duvel Single
Ellezelloise Quintine Blonde
Geants Goliath
Gouden Carolus Cuvee De keizer Baluw
Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor
Gouden Carolus Noel
Het Nest Dead Man Bourbon
Het Nest Dead Man Red Wine
Het Nest Oak Klevertien
Het Nest Klevertien
Het Nest Schuppenboer
Het Nest Turnhouste Patriot
Het Anker Lucifer
Hof Ten Dormaal BA Blonde Bruichladdich
Hof Ten Dormaal BA Blonde Mustcal
Hof Ten Dormaal BA Port
Hof Ten Dormaal BA Sauternes
Hof Ten Dormaal BA Sherry
Jandrian 1V
Jandrian V Cense
Jandrian V1
Kerkom Bink Blonde
Kerkom Hopverdomme
La Rulles Cuvee Meilleurs Vouex
La Rulles Triple
La Rulles Esvitale
Leifmans Goudenband
Leifmans Cuvee Brut
Lefebvre Blanche De Brussels
Lefebvre Barbar
Lefebvre Barbar Bok
Lefebvre Manneken Pils
Lefebvre Hopus
Lupus Wolf 7
Malhuer 10
Malhuer 12
Palm
Palm Estimate
Palm Royale
Primus Haacht
Prearis Quadrupel
Prearis Saison
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Rodenbach Classic
Silly Sour
Silly Double Enghien Blonde
Smisje Kerst
Smisje Catherine the Great
St Bernardus Wit
St Bernardus Abt 12
Steenbrugge Triple
Straffe Hendrick Quad
Straffe Hendrick Triple
Struise AA Blonde
Struise Black Berry Albert
Struise Black Albert
Struise Black Damnation Black Mes
Struise Black Damnation Mocha Bomb
Struise Cuvee Delphine
Struise O.N.E
Struise Pannepot Reserva 2009
Struise Rio Reserva 2007
Struise Rokporter
Struise Roste Jeanne
Struise Rye Triple Reserva
Struise Shark pants
Struise SMONK
Struise T.H.R.E.E
Struise Tjeeses Reserva 2012
Struise Verdomme
Struise Weltmerz
Struise Yario
Struise Yreps
T Gaverhopke Koerseklakske
Ter Dolen Kriek
Tilquin Gueuze
Timmermans Pumpkin lambicus
Timmermans Bourgogne De Flanders
Timmermans Blanche Lambicus
Timmermans Strawberry
Timmermans Framboise
Troubadour Magma Galaxy 2013
Troubadour Westkust
Van Honsebrouck Gueuze Fond Tradtion
Van Honsebrouck Gueuze Fond Tradtion kriek
Van Honsebrouck Kasteel Donker
Van Honsebrouck Kasteel triple
Van Honsebrouck Kasteel Winter
Van Honsebrouck Kasteel Cuvee Chateau
Vapeur Saison De Pipaix

ON CASK (via beer engine):
Freys Backwwoods Brigade
Freys Pussy Pilot Prade
Milkhouse Petite Farmhouse
Milkhouse Farmhouse Stout
Brewers Art Resurrection

ON THE BAR CASKS:
De Dolle Stille nacht
Strubbe Ichtegems Grand Cru
De Glazen Toren Ondinke aged in JW Lees Harvest Ale lagavulin barrels
Smisje Catherine the Great aged in JW Lees Harvest Ale, aged in Lagavulin barrels

The Belgian Beer Fest logo in 2009

SOUR DAY 

This years marks the second time that Max's has extended the fun into Monday with Sour Day, 16 February, beginning at 11 am. Here's that lineup.

AC Golden Colorado Lambic
Allagash Confluence
Allagash Interlude
Boulevard Foeder Projekt 1
Burley Oak Tart Attack
Burley Oak Sour Trip
Devils Backbone Berliner Metro Weiss
Devils Backbone Vulkaan
Elysian Dark Sour
Evil Twin Justin Blaeber
Evolution Spring Migration
Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere
Jolly Pumpkin Noel Calabaza
Jolly Pumpkin Fuego Del otono
Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela
Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo
Jolly Pumpkin Noel De Calabaza
Local Option Bourbon Kentucky Common
Laughing Dog De Achtse hond
Millstone CherryKriek Cider
Millstone Sour Cider w/ Wild Yeast (cask)
New Belgium La Folie
New Belgium Le Terrior
New Belgium Apple Love
Nebraska Barrel Aged Hop God
Off Color Troublesome
The Bruery Oude Tart
The Bruert Tart of Darkness
The Bruery Rueuze
Perennial Savant Beersel
Perennial La Bohme
Stillwater Debauched
Goose Island Matilda Lambicus
Goose Island Lolita

NON AMERICAN SOURS FEATURED ON DRAFT:
Freigeist Sauer Porter Cherry
Freigeist Sauer Porter raspberry
Freigeist Geisterug Rhubard Gose
Freigeist Geisterug Quince Gose
Mikkeller Spontan Cassis
Mikkeller Spontan Elderflower
Mikkeller Spontan Peche
Mikkeller Spontan Seabuckthorn
Mikkeller Spontan Gooseberry
Mikkeller Spontan Rosehip

SOUR DAY BOTTLES 90% DONE:
Against The Grain/Struise Scorched Monk
Against The Grain Christ Framboise
Allagash Merviellieux
Allagash Mignight Brett
Anchorage Bitter Monk
Anchorage Love Buzz
Anchorage White Out
Blue Mountain Sour Devil
Boulevard Love Child #1
Boulevard Love Child #2
Boulevard Love Child #3
Bouelvard Saison brett
Cisco Lady of the Woods
Cisco Pesche Woods
Evil Twin Femme Fatale Brett
Evil Twin Femme Fatale Noir
Evil Twin Femme Fatale Yuzu
Evolution Noueau Rouge
Goose Island Gillian
Goose Island Halia
Goose Island Juliet
Goose Island Lolita
Mikkeler/Ancharge AK Alive
Mikkeller/Prairie American Style
New Belgium Transatlantic Kriek
Ommegang Aphrodite
Ommegang Wild West
Sierra Nevada Brux
Uinta Birthday Suit
Upright Four
White Birch Berliner Weisse
White Birch CAHB Oud Bruin
White Birch Oak Senex Torva Saison
Plus Many More to come...

SOUR DAY SPECIAL LOVERBEER BOTTLES. 1.5 LITER(SERVED BY THE GLASS)
LoverBeer Renna Glueh 2012
LoverBeer Renna Glueh 2013
LoverBeer BeerBera 2011
LoverBeer BeerBera 2012
LoverBeer BeerBera 2010
LoverBeer BeerBrugna 2010
LoverBeer BeerBrugna 2011
LoverBeer BeerBrugna 2012
LoverBeer D'UvaBeer 2013
LoverBeer D'UvaBeer 2012
LoverBeer D'UvaBeer 2011
LoverBeer Dama Bruna-A 2010
LoverBeer Dama Bruna-A 2011
LoverBeer Dama Bruna-A 2009
LoverBeer Madamin 2012
LoverBeer Madamin 2011
LoverBeer Madamin 2013
LoverBeer Marche Le Re 2009

Max's cellarmaster and General Manager Casey Hard posted the above beer register with two provisos: he's 90% done with it, and things may (and some probably will) change. Many beers will arrive at the pub; some won't. Many will be in fine shape; some won't. Some will be substituted for. Some may make unexepected appearances. But, with such a range of choices, surely only a surly curmudgeon would grumble.

Or someone who can't be there.

-----more-----

• I went for a short time on Saturday. By 11 am, when the doors were opened, the queue extended two blocks down the street, and cold sleet was falling. So as to not overwhelm the situation inside, the staff would allow 30 or so in at a time. No one complained. Once inside (about 40 minutes), the efficient service, considering the packed house, was impressive. (Max's 'does' pub service, meaning that there is no table-side service. You order your beer at the bars, of which there are five, upstairs and down.) Even food came out quickly. Many other pubs would be well served getting a how-to, here. Photos: here.
• Max's Taphouse
  737 South Broadway
  (intersection with Lancaster Street)
  Baltimore (Fells Point), MD 21231
  Phone: 410. 675.6297 | 888.675.6297
  Web: http://maxs.com
  Twitter: @MaxsTaphouse
  Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Maxs-Taphouse/28772849677