Baltimore Beer Week takes shape
George Washington is now among the fans of Baltimore Beer Week.
The organizers of Baltimore Beer Week, a 10-day October festival celebrating all things beery, have unveiled the event's logo, featuring an image of the Washington Monument in downtown Baltimore. Atop the monument, the nation’s original tribute to the First President, is a figure of George Washington holding a mug.
Washington did brew beer, and also rum and whiskey, at his Mount Vernon estate.
Modeled after the recently concluded celebration in Philadelphia that drew thousands of participants, Baltimore Beer Week will sing the praises of the region’s strong brewing culture, said Joe Gold, one of the organizers of the event. "We’ve got a rich history of brewing, a strong crop of brewers, and legions of knowledgeable beer drinkers here," Gold said.
"When it comes to love of beer, Baltimore takes a back seat to no one," added Dominic Cantalupo, a Baltimore Beer Week organizer who as a boy carried a bucket of beer from a neighborhood tavern to his grandmother’s row home.
Ten days of reveling will begin with a keg-tapping ceremony Oct. 8 and wind up Oct. 18. The interval -- what might be called the days of steins and sauerkraut -- will feature beer dinners at Baltimore pubs and restaurants, appearances by noted beers, and tours of the area’s sudsy sites.
Two highlights will be the Brewers Association of Maryland Oktoberfest October 10, when a dozen Maryland breweries pour some 75 beers at the Timonium Fairgrounds, and the Society for Preservation of Beers from the Wood Real Ale Festival Oct. 17, where some 50 cask-conditioned ales will be tapped.
Here is the link for the Baltimore Beer Week web site.
Inquiries can be sent to info@baltimorebeerweek.com
Full disclosure: I am one of the gang that cooked up this event, but I am long way from the head chef.
What do you think of idea of a Beer Week ?
What do you think of the logo?
Comments
When can I get a t-shirt????
Posted by: WillClark4HOF | March 25, 2009 1:28 PM
I'm thirsty already!! This sounds like it should be great!
Posted by: Steve | March 25, 2009 2:08 PM
cool logo!! hope they sell t-shirts with the logo... I'll be there!!!
Posted by: Phil Morrison | March 25, 2009 2:18 PM
I hope you weren't the one in charge of coming up with the logo. I'm not digging it. Doesn't blend well, I guess. Colors just seem off.
Posted by: Hatepaste | March 25, 2009 3:30 PM
What? No Mr. Boh head on the statue?
Posted by: Sam.I.Am | March 25, 2009 10:22 PM
Wow this such a neat event! I have been into craft beer for some time and also go to school in the Philly area. All my friends rave how awesome the beer scene is up here, but score one for Baltimore! It makes me smile when Baltimore can cook up something of their own. (Epic Logo)
Posted by: Andy | March 26, 2009 12:15 AM
Yeah, I'd say go with oranges and tans for where all the green stuff is. Mature hops, I believe, are brown or tan.
Posted by: lea jones | March 26, 2009 5:34 AM
Love the idea! Please just make sure that local breweries remain the focus.
I hate going to Baltimore Food/Drink Festivals that are supposed to be reflective of local cuisine/restaurants only to have everything sponsored by Bud Lite. Blech.
Posted by: Bryan | March 26, 2009 8:45 AM
I think it is awesome and can't wait for the festivities to begin.
Posted by: Cheese | March 26, 2009 8:57 AM
It's ok, but very amateur.
Posted by: jc | March 26, 2009 9:23 AM
The logo is horrible. Terrible, from the color choice, to the clip art and photo use. I hope you didn't pay for it. I would feel like I took advantage of a client letting that out of my studio.
Aside from that, I can dig the idea of B-more Beer Week. Any excuse to celebrate small businesses, and local brewers in particular, I'm there.
Posted by: J. | March 26, 2009 9:41 AM
I love the idea, but the logo not so much; too cartoonish. I may need to disconnect the mug from George's hand, in my mind. But hey, let's drink beer!
Posted by: Dave | March 26, 2009 10:21 AM
Logo comments:
SUPER generic!! While I like the inclusion of the MD flag, having a screen of it washes out the colors. Now the flag is pink, light yellow, and gray. Odd perspective...wouldn't the beer be spilling? Type give the feeling of sports...not beer...but is this a competition?? Why not craft the logo to give it a feel of National Bohemian? Do some research. Look at some old cans and advertisements / Baltimore beer ephemera!! The city has beer history!! Better yet, "Oh BOY, what a festival!"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thundercheese/1174545357/in/set-72157594436413553/
SF Beer Fest logo: http://www.sfbeerfest.com/
Best suggestion: contact a graphic designer!
Posted by: Adam | March 26, 2009 10:26 AM
Yeah the green is just a no-no. It's not a St. Patrick's Day fest. It's an October beer fest. Why so much green?! Let's hope it gets changed...
Posted by: BeerInBaltimore.com | March 26, 2009 10:46 AM
awesome idea. count me in. (and a slew of beer loving friends)
Posted by: ryan97ou | March 26, 2009 11:15 AM
The logo is ok, just too much green. The festival sounds like a great idea!! Anytime you can help support the LOCAL Breweries is great. Could the festival have a section for homebrewers trying to see how there product stacks up against the big boys??
Posted by: Steve | March 26, 2009 11:39 AM
great idea for an event. Awful logo... please hire a graphic designer to help you with this.
Posted by: adam | March 26, 2009 11:53 AM
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin
Posted by: NewPatriot | March 26, 2009 1:18 PM
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy"
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG, NewPatriot. Ben Franklin did NOT make that statement. He made a similar, but not identical, statement about WINE in a satire-filled letter to an associate of his in France, André Morellet, about 1779:
"Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine, a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy."
Posted by: Alexander D. Mitchell IV | March 26, 2009 6:36 PM
It's sounds like the start of something good.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 26, 2009 6:45 PM
BBW sounds wunderbar! But hey -- "Natty" Boh or any reference thereto no more belongs at Baltimore Beer Week than a Clydesdale. Get over it. It's not local anymore. And besides, the logo is trademarked and "any use without expressed written consent is prohibited." In other words, the Beer Week folks would have to pay a royalty to the owner for use of the logo.
As to the logo..."Opinions are like noses, everybody has one." With that, if this is Baltimore Beer Week, why then the Maryland flag? The backdrop should contain only the black and gold Calvert coat of arms of Baltimore City. And what does Washington have to do with Baltimore, other than the monument?The lettering style looks like something from a college sweatshirt (maybe that was the point?) Not original, but a stylized, UNSTEAMED crab clenching a mug and beer bottle in his claws would send a message that this is a BALTIMORE event. Maybe have a contest next year for a logo design.
Posted by: no_foh_boh | March 26, 2009 8:40 PM
1) There is no historical evidence that Ben Franklin actually said that.
2) I don't care if the logo was drawn in MS Paint... this is a great idea.
Baltimore already has a very good beer scene. From Max's yearly Belgian fest to the SPBW cask ale fest at the (ex) Wharf Rat, there are plenty of great events. Add to that the decent availablity of US microbrews in the state and the fantastic selection of imports from our local distributors and you have a winning combo. The beer week should draw attention to this and hopefully increased popularity will bring even more great beer to Baltimore.
Posted by: Chris S | March 26, 2009 9:49 PM