Grand Cru - Baltimore, MD Brewery/BrewPub/Beer Bar Reviews

Food

Believe what you read. I just discovered this place about three months ago and I go back quite often. The servers can bet, well, a smidgeon aloof at times. Nonetheless, they are knowledgable and friendly. Casks get tapped every other Wednesday. If Wed. is tough for you, as it is for me, you can usually get there every other Friday to help finish it. It is attached to a nice market, so if what they have on the menu doesn't suit you, get something from the market.

Awesome!

Good

Awesome!

Andy, Baltimore, MD
(03/23/2006)

Food

Hand-pump added, casks tapped twice monthly (if the plans hold up). Good ever-changing selection, quite competent staff.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV, Baltimore, MD
(02/17/2006)

Food

I love the fact that this place is only a mile from my house. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. I have purchased beer and wine for carryout as well as just hung out and had a beer with my wife, friends, or by myself after purchasing a mixed case of wine. Always a pleasant experience and you can't beat the 20% discount on a mixed case of wine anywhere in town.

Both the beer and wine selections are small compared to the impersonal retail behemoth up the road, but what they have is well chosen with some great wine bargains mixed in with the higher priced wines. And the staff recommendations are always on the mark.

As mentioned in other reviews, the opportunity to bring in some great food from the surrounding businesses is a definite plus. And the bartenders have great taste in the music that they play- reminds me a bit of when my roommate and I were regulars at Sisson's in the late 80s/early 90s- a very eclectic and interesting mix music as well as people. All of these elements make this a great place to relax and have a beer or a glass of wine.

One final note: I took a good friend of mine there around the time of our November birthdays and evidently the bartender overheard us mention the occasion since, as he presented us with our beers, he wished us a happy birthday and told us the beers were on the house. And this was on a crowded Saturday evening! We finished our beers, went out for some sushi and some used CD shopping, and then returned to show our appreciation by having a few more beers. What a great place.

Scott J Cooper, Towson, MD
(05/16/2005)

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Food

Dropped in after a couple hours at the Swallow at the Hollow. The wines-by-the-glass selection is excellent, albeit pricey. Tasty wines, knowledgeable servers. Great place to find a gift for a friend.

N/A

Esther King, Elliston, VA
(08/01/2004)

Food

Definitely one of the odder places to make Pubcrawler. It's a wine bar first, beer bar second--with the idea that you can sample from the few (but good) taps, or grab a bottle from the coolers and have it poured for a minor "corkage" fee (which basically prices it at about what a regular beer bar would charge you in markup anyway). The place doesn't serve food itself, but the marketplace it's in surrounds them with probably the best food selection of any beer outlet around--fresh smoked eel or Wensleydale, anyone? It definitely deserves your attention for both retail sales and consumption with great food, but it suffers from being right down the street from one of the nation's best beer retailers.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV, Baltimore, MD
(06/12/2004)

Food

Open since mid-December of 2003, Grand Cru is a wine - and beer - bar in an upscale food market, proximate to Baltimore's historic Senator theater. Per its anme, Grand Cru pours a fascinating and changing daily lineup of wines - 30 by the glass - but additionally, a small yet not insubstantial selection of good beer, bottled and draft.

Good

Recent draft selections were Bitburger, Red Tail Ale, Dogfish Head Brown, Lancaster Milk Stout, Degroen's Rauchbock, and Chimay ... and an artisinal British scrumpy - farmhouse strong cider - Yarlington Mill Cider (7% abv) from a polypin.

Grand Cru doubles as a take-home retail wine, beer, and liquor store with a well-thought-out selection.

For light fare, the shop prepares small platters of artisinal cheeses, smoked foods, and the like. One can also bring in food from the market's fish monger, sushi counter, delis, Italian market, baker, and gourmet food shops.

The bar seats 15 with much additional seating at small high-top tables placed throughout the store and al fresco.

On one visit, manager Otto served me a small wedge of Oka - a Canadian 'Trappist' style cheese - with a wine glass of Yarlington Mill scrumpy. Delightful.

Most recently, I had DeGroen's Rauchbock paired with some smoked tofu from Neopol in the market. Firm malt, freshly smoked wood bouquet. Scantest of a veil. Good head retention. Nice sweet malt backbone and an insistent yet restrained Canadian bacon flavor. What a wonderful afternoon repast. Bartender Nelson also recommended smoked mussels or a hangar steak panino from next door Ceriello as pairings.