Beginner’s Guide to Max’s Massive Belgian Beer Festival in Baltimore

Max’s Belgian Beer Festival is an annual event held annually every Presidents’ Day Weekend in the Fell’s Point neighborhood of Baltimore. It is one of the largest Belgian beer festivals in the U.S. offering access to hundreds of Belgian beers. Max’s Belgian Beer Festival runs Friday through Sunday and hours go from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. each day. 

The BEST thing about this popular Baltimore festival is the incredible number of imported beers available to sample! Max’s Belgian Beer Festival features as many as 200 Belgian beers on tap plus another couple hundred rare Belgian imports in bottles.

There used to be a separate sour Belgian beer day on Mondays. However, that event has grown so popular that they have made it a separate, expanded festival. The Belgian sour beer festival is now typically held in June.

Drafts will be available in several sizes plus cans to go. On the day of the festival, you can typically order online and pick up your purchase too if you prefer to enjoy the festival without the crowds.

Each year, there are special beer events planned for each day with different brewers. You can preview the keg list on Max’s Belgian Beer Festival Facebook Page.

Max’s also has a special mini bar under the stars. Past events have been hosted by a specific brewer with a small selection of special drafts on tap plus beer-to-go options. Beer-inspired clothing, glassware, and other gifts will also be available for purchase.

Beer choices range from popular wheat and blondes to dark beers, fruit-flavored framboise, and even sour beers for those with rare taste. Serious Eats has a great quick study Beginner’s Guide to Belgian Beer Styles if you are new to this type of beer. BeerAdvocate is also a great resource for Belgian beer ratings if you need help narrowing down your selections. This is also helpful in reviewing the alcohol percentage.

About Max’s Taphouse

Max’s Taphouse has been around for many years and is known as Baltimore’s biggest beer bar. It has added on to the main bar over time and now has a sprawling main bar area, a sidebar with televisions and seating space, a dart room, and an upstairs known as the Mobtown Lounge.

The main bar has pretty much every beer on the list. The sidebar has a decent selection of the most popular beers. The upstairs has a more limited selection and there is also a little bar under the stairs that tends to offer different choices than the other menu.

Max’s Taphouse is also a top-ranked restaurant on TripAdvisor and has been cited with a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. The charming bar sits on the corner of Lancaster Street and South Broadway just one block from the Fells Point waterfront.

This bar attracts patrons from around the world. Max’s Belgian Beer Festival is heavily attended by beer critics and vendors across the nation.

Our Experience at Max’s Belgian Beer Festival

We randomly discovered Max’s Belgian Beer Festival over a decade ago and got a seat right at the bar on Saturday night! Nowadays, as soon as they open in the morning, you need to be someone important to get a seat at the bar!

One thing is for sure though, their bartenders are hardworking long-timers that are well educated about the beer they serve and care about your happiness no matter how busy they are! Do you believe the SAME bartenders are still working the Belgian Beer Festival that served us over a decade ago?! That is dedication!

Know Before You Go

Here are my hard and fast rules for doing Max’s Belgian Beer Festival right!

1. Be patient. Expect a line. There is no cover charge and this festival gets more popular every year!

2. Do your homework. Check out the beer list in advance. There are usually some copies circulating through the line or you can just go in with a game plan for the type of beer you are looking for so when you get inside, you can order quickly.

3. Trust the system! It works! Use the postcards to communicate beer needs, food orders, and whether you want to close out the tab. It’s loud in there and your bartenders appreciate clear written instructions!

4. Be ready to order. Have your postcard filled out completely along with a back-up plan in case any kegs are out. Have your money ready or start a tab. Bartenders REALLY appreciate being able to help you quickly so they can move on to the next thirsty customer.

5. Stay connected. While wifi is slow when it’s jam-packed with drunks, Mobtown1 is the internet password.

6. Have fun, but pace yourself! Belgian beers can be pretty high in alcohol content! Many Belgian beers have a higher alcohol percentage than your typical U.S. beer. The menu lists alcohol percentage, so make sure you pay attention if you are new to this type of beer!

Max’s Belgian Beer Festival is just a short, chilly walk from the Fells Point Water Taxi stop. The free Charm City Circulator bus also services Fells Point on the Green and Purple lines. There is also plenty of metered parking available or you can pay a flat fee at a nearby parking garage. The parking garage is your best bet if you plan to drive since those Belgian beers pack quite a punch and you may be surprised how quickly the time flies when you’re having fun! 

Know where the bathrooms are! I mean, you ARE drinking beer after all! In the main bar, head back towards the Ravens bus. This is a multi-stall bathroom. In the sidebar and upstairs in Mobtown Lounge, there are single-stall bathrooms.

Make notes for next time! Untappd is a great app for keeping track of what you like and don’t like. I always like to pick a few samples at a time to sip on. I mix up some favorites along with some new brews that I have not tried before.

Order some food to nosh on. There is a special Belgian food menu that includes some exotic cheeses, sandwiches, and classic Belgian frites (crispy thin french fries). Order early and expect a bit of a wait because in the blink of an eye the bar will get crazy busy! If the wait is too long or if you’ve had enough of the noise, check out our tips below for other places to continue your party in Fells Point!

Max’s Belgian Beer Festival Weekend Getaway

This festival draws people from all over the world. It can be a fantastic getaway over President’s Day weekend. There are three separate places to stay right in Fells Point – all within walking distance to Max’s Taphouse:

• Admiral Fell Inn is the best place to stay within walking distance. This pet-friendly, historic inn offers an authentic Fells Point experience. This is the best bet for the event!
• The Inn at Henderson’s Wharf is a small boutique hotel located under a half of a mile from the beer festival. They offer plush rooms with beautiful harbor views.
• Sagamore Pendry pier-front property is a historic landmark building that once welcomed immigrants to Baltimore and was later featured in the television show Homicide: Life on the Street. Ranked #1 in Conde Naste Readers Choice Top U.S. Hotels list, this luxury hotel has 128 rooms and suites and plenty of upscale amenities.

Other Places to Party in Fells Point During Max’s Belgian Beer Festival Weekend

If the crowds or beers become overwhelming, there are several other great places to go in Fells Point to continue the party!

The Horse You Came In On Saloon may not look like much from the outside, but it is rumored to be haunted and is known to be the last place Edgar Allen Poe had a drink. The drink of choice here is flavor-infused Jack Daniels. They serve up some good food too!

Alexander’s Tavern offers a gluten-free menu, several creative styles of tater tots (over 3MM sold), and my favorite mac and cheese pizza with Nino’s locally made dough.

One-Eyed Mike’s is a more cozy bar just a few blocks off from the main Fells Point strip! It is the first and largest Grand Marnier Club, with signature cocktails and food options.

Other Fun Events at Max’s Taphouse

If you can’t make it to Max’s Belgian Beerfest this year, mark your calendar for President’s Weekend the following year or attend one of their other popular events throughout the year. They hold several other beer festivals including Oktoberfest, American Craft Beer Week, and an Italian Beer Festival.

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