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In Our Cups

The City Paper I-Team on the Coldest Beer In Baltimore.

Sam Holden
HERE'S TO YA: Ruth Kirkland hoists a really cold one at Sportmans Spot, this year's winner.

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In Our Cups The City Paper I-Team on the Coldest Beer In Baltimore.

Wetlands Exploring the Shrinking, Sinking Islands of the Chesapeake Bay | By Van Smith

Posted 5/23/2007

Every year when the weather gets warm and the humidity rises to hair-frizzing levels, our intrepid I-Team hits the streets of Baltimore in search of the coldest, most ice-cream-headache-inducing draft beer in the city. Our intrepid investigators scour the town from bar havens like Fells Point and Federal Hill to the far reaches of the city line, hitting dive bars, neighborhood haunts, and industrial wastelands along the way.

And yes, we know that beer isn't really supposed to be served ice cold. Beer connoisseurs and British people love to explain to us, at length, the joys of tepid beer-- some even recommend tippling at 50 degrees--but when Baltimore is so hot and sticky that sitting outdoors motionless makes you sweat, we don't want to hear it. We want our beer mouth-numbing cold.

Last year we reached a new high in low temperatures with our coldest beer ever--Down the Hatch served up a beer at 29.6 Fahrenheit. This year we can boast a new record, the warmest beer we've ever tested, with a 61.2-degree Budweiser at Bob's Oldies Café. And as evidence to support our love of a cold brew, the nicest thing our tester had to say about this pint was that it was a bit colder than the stifling temperature of the bar itself. This year's coldest beer came to us from Sportman's Spot in Greektown, which, along with Joe's Bar in Northwest Baltimore, is one of only two establishments that can boast placing in our top 25 all five years. If there was a Cold Beer Hall of Fame, these two bars would get our nod.

So enjoy the list, and to all those bars gearing up to leave us nasty voice-mail messages: We try our best to be fair, ordering cheap pale drafts and letting each thermometer hit its lowest possible temp before imbibing, but we freely admit that sending a bunch of lushes to test beers isn't going to be an exact science.

1 Sportman's Spot 501 S. Lehigh St.
(410) 276-9376		 Budweiser 30.8
2 Marshal's Banshee 2351 Washington Blvd.
(410) 646-0133		 Budweiser 30.9
3 Backstretch Saloon 1301 W. Old Cold Spring Lane
(410) 889-3003		 Budweiser 31.6
4 Open Hearth Inn 6591 St. Helena Ave.
(410) 633-9111		 Budweiser 32.1
5 Hippo 1 W. Eager St.
(410) 547-0069		 Miller Lite 32.5
6 Enrico's Sports Bar 200 S. Haven St.
(410) 327-6752		 Budweiser 33.0
7 Down the Hatch 1157 Haubert St.
(410) 727-4707		 Budweiser 33.2
8 Joe's Bar 6200 Reisterstown Road
(410) 358-5833		 Yuengling 33.2
9 Kooper's Tavern 1702 Thames St.
(410) 563-5423		 Yuengling 33.2
10 Thumpers 4600 Curtis Ave.
(410) 355-9715		 Budweiser 33.4
11 Huckas Sports Bar 2324 Boston St.
(410) 522-7770		 Yuengling 34.3
12 Bud and Patt's Fillin' Station 2501 Washington Blvd.
(410) 525-8360		 Budweiser 34.6
13 Downtown Sports Exchange 200 W. Pratt St.
(410) 659-5844		 Yuengling 34.9
14 L.P. Docks 1476 Reynolds St.
(410) 539-1110		 Budweiser 34.9
15 Rave Inn 4507 Pennington Ave.
(410) 354-6737		 Yuengling 34.9
16 Kibby's Restaurant and Lounge 3450 Wilkens Ave.
(410) 644-8716		 Coors Light 35.4
17 Hon Bar 1000 W. 36th St.
(410) 243-3001		 Yuengling 35.5
18 Playbook Sports Bar 6700 German Hill Road
(410) 633-2665		 Budweiser 35.8
19 Park Avenue CafŽ 8 Park Ave.
(410) 637-3262		 Budweiser 36.1
20 Koco's Pub 4301 Harford Road
(410) 426-3519		 Yuengling 37.3
21 Super Star Inn 5603 Pulaski Highway
(410) 483-2575		 Budweiser 37.3
22 Peter's Pourhouse 111 Mercer St.
(410) 539-5818		 Miller Lite 37.6
23 Rocket to Venus 3360 Chestnut Ave.
(410) 235-7887		 Yuengling 37.8
24 Swallow at the Hollow 5921 York Road
(410) 532-7542		 Budweiser 37.9
25 Hubcap Inn 6001 Belair Road
(410) 325-3450		 Yuengling 38.0
26 Arcos Restaurant 129 S. Broadway
(410) 522-4777		 Dos Equis 38.1
27 Bedrock 401 W. Baltimore St.
(410) 685-7665		 Yuengling 38.5
28 Lithuanian Hall 851-53 Hollins St.
(410) 685-5787		 Yuengling 38.6
29 Pickled Parrot 3020 Elliott St.
(410) 342-1344		 Miller Lite 38.6
30 Venice Tavern 339 S. Conkling St.
(410) 732-3045		 Budweiser 38.6
31 Pisces 300 Light St.
(410) 605-2835		 Yuengling 38.8
32 Spirits Tavern 1901 Bank St.
(410) 563-1612		 Yuengling 38.8
33 Brewers Hill Pub & Grill 3734 Fleet St.
(410) 558-1620		 Bud Light 38.9
34 Rendezvous Lounge 134 W. 25th St.
(410) 467-3860		 Budweiser 38.9
35 Sliders Bar and Grill 504 Washington Blvd
(410) 547-8891		 Stella Artois 38.9
36 PJ's Pub 3333 N. Charles St.
(410) 243-8844		 Yuengling 39.2
37 Islander II Bar and Grille 1928 Fleet St.
(410) 342-8718 		Yuengling 39.4
38 Charles Village Pub 3107 St. Paul St.
(410) 243-1611		 Yuengling 39.6
39 O'Hara's Irish Pub 6505 Belair Road
(410) 444-7400		 Yuengling 39.6
40 Little Havana Restaurante y Cantina 1325 Key Highway
(410) 837-9903		 Coors Light 40.1
41 Coconuts CafŽ 311 W. Madison St.
(410) 383-6064		 Miller Lite 40.4
42 Magerk's Pub 1061 S. Charles St.
(410) 576-9230		 Miller Lite 40.4
43 The Den 3327 St. Paul St.
(410) 243-7077		 Yuengling 40.5
44 Laughing Pint 3531 Gough St.
(410) 342-6544		 Yuengling 40.6
45 Fields Old Trail Tavern 5723 York Road
(410) 433-1220		 Budweiser 40.8
46 Camden Pub 647 W. Pratt St.
(410) 547-1280		 Yuengling 40.9
47 Flips at Clipper Mill 1601 Union Ave.
(443) 874-4469		 Yuengling 40.9
48 Long John's Pub 398 W. 29th St.
(410) 235-2426		 Miller light 41.3
49 Canton Station 1028 S. Conkling St.
(410) 327-2004		 Miller Lite 41.4
50 Mount Washington Tavern 5700 Newbury St.
(410) 367-6903		 Miller Lite 41.4
51 Drifters Raw Bar and Grill 1024 S. Charles St.
(410) 962-1355		 Yuengling 41.5
52 Finish Line, Pimlico Race Course 5201 Park Heights Ave.
(410) 542-9400		 Budweiser 41.5
53 Mount Vernon Stable and Saloon 909 N. Charles St.
(410) 685-7427		 Yuengling 41.5
54 Curb Shoppe 5736 Falls Road
(410) 433-8299		 Budweiser 41.6
55 Holy Frijoles! 908 W. 36th St.
(410) 235-2326		 Stella Artois 41.6
56 Mad River Bar & Grill 1110 S. Charles St.
(410) 727-2333		 Yuengling 41.6
57 Blue Parrot 5680 Belair Road,
(443) 622-5347		 Budweiser 41.7
58 Patrick's of Pratt Street 131 S. Schroeder St.
(410) 244-5000		 Yuengling 41.8
59 Dead Freddies 7209 Harford Road
(410) 254-8373		 Yuengling 42.1
60 No Idea Tavern 1649 S. Hanover St.
(410) 685-4332		 Miller Lite 42.5
61 Midtown Yacht Club 15 E. Centre St.
(410) 837-1300		 Yuengling 42.7
62 Full Moon Saloon 1710 Aliceanna St.
(410) 276-6388		 Bass 43.0
63 Looney's Pub 2900 O'Donnell St.
(410) 675-9235 		Budweiser 43.2
64 Mount Royal Tavern 1204 W. Mount Royal Ave.
(410) 669-6686		 Yuengling 43.2
65 Ryan's Daughter 600 E. Belvedere Ave.
(410) 464-1000		 Blue Moon 43.4
66 Cat's Eye Pub 1730 Thames St.
(410) 276-9866		 Yuengling 43.5
67 Carlos O'Charlie's

3508 Eastern Ave.
( 410) 675-1485

 Miller Lite 43.6
68 Margaret's Place 349 S. Calhoun St.
(410) 332-8158		 Budweiser 43.7
69 Joe Squared 133 W. North Ave.
(410) 545-0444		 Bass 43.8
70 Starters 3311 Annapolis Road
(410) 355-8514 		Budweiser 44.0
71 Dego Dame's Bar and Grill, 1018 Eastern Ave.
(410) 685-8649		 Miller Lite 44.1
72 Depot 1728 N. Charles St.
(410) 528-0174		 Yuengling 44.2
73 Friends at Fells Point 1634 Aliceanna St.
(410) 732-3885		 Pabst Blue Ribbon 44.2
74 Sharky's Bar and Grill 2819 Eastern Ave.
(410) 534-1051 		yuengling 44.6
75 Ale Mary's 1939 Fleet St.
(410) 276-2044		 Flying Dog Pale Ale 44.9
76 Club Charles 1724 N. Charles St.
(410) 727-8815		 Yuengling 45.2
77 Kisling's Tavern 2100 Fleet St.
(410) 327-5477		 Yuengling 45.2
78 Coach House Inn 6605 Belair Road
(410) 254-5679		 Yuengling 45.5
79 Bartenders 2218 Boston St.
(410) 534-2337		 Yuengling 45.8
80 Brewer's Art 1106 N. Charles St.
(410) 547-6925		 Brewer's Art Pale Ale 46.1
81 Rowan Tree 1633 S. Charles St.
(410) 468-0550		 Yuengling 46.3
82 Waterfront Hotel 1710 Thames St.
(410) 537-5055		 Yuengling 46.5
83 Lime 801 E. Fort Ave.
(410) 685-5463		 Yuengling 46.6
84 Jerry's Belvedere Tavern 5928 York Road
(410) 435-8600		 Budweiser 47.0
85 Charlotte's 1542 S. Light St.
(410) 244-6767		 Blue Moon 47.1
86 Mick O'Shea's 328 N. Charles St.
(410) 539-7504		 Yuengling 47.1
87 Eden's Lounge 15 W. Eager St.
(410) 244-0405		 Yuengling 47.5
88 J. Patrick's Irish Pub 1371 Andre St.
(410) 244-8613		 Yuengling 47.6
89 Mother's Federal Hill Grille 1113 S. Charles St.
(410) 244-8686		 Miller Lite 47.7
90 Max's Taphouse 737 S. Broadway
(410) 675-6297		 Yuengling 48.0
91 Club Zissimos 1023 W 36th St
(410) 467-4707		 Budweiser 48.1
92 Sobo Café 6 W. Cross St.
(410) 752-1518		 Clipper City Pale Ale 48.1
93 Grumpie's Pour House 25 E. Cross St.
(410) 234-0376		 Yuengling 48.7
94 Liam's Pint-Size Pub 911 N. Charles St.
(443) 742-2790		 Bernard Ox 48.9
95 Truman's of Locust Point 1230 E. Fort Ave.
(410) 539-6183 		Budweiser 49.7
96 Kolper's Restaurant and Lounge 1520 Clipper Road
(410) 467-5657		 Yuengling 51.0
97 No Way Jose Café 38 E. Cross St.
(410) 752-2837		 Yuengling 51.9
98 One-Eyed Mike's 708 S. Bond St.
(410) 327-9823		 Yuengling 52.0
99 Survivor's Sports Bar 606-08 Patapsco Ave.
(410) 354-3826		 Budweiser 55.1
100 Bob's Oldies Café 4017 Eastern Ave.
(410) 276-2975		 Budweiser 61.2

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