The Brewer's Art

We always like to check out local microbreweries while we are on the road. While in Baltimore, we went to The Brewer's Art, a bar and restaurant housed in an old mansion. The bar was packed when we entered for dinner.

While the bar area was bright and contemporary, the dining room was dark (it was hard to read our menus) and old-fashioned.

The Brewer's Art brews its own beer and offers about half a dozen of them on the menu. We could see these beer tanks at the back of the dining room.

Beacon Ale ($4.50, 4.8% ABV): This was definitely a session-style pale ale. It was easy to drink, balanced, and below 5% ABV.

Sluggo ($4.50, 3.8% ABV): Dry and hoppy with a faint touch of sweetness, this was a good summer beer.

Grilled Calamari Ajo Blanco with Gremolata ($8): This was a good light starter. The tangy gremolata sauce went well with the grilled calamari (which at times was a little chewy, but for the most part was properly prepared).

Spiced Duck Turnovers ($7): with dried cherries, pumpkin seeds, and mole rojo. This was our favorite appetizer. The phyllo pastry was nice and flaky. The duck was tasty and the accompaniments were flavorful.

Roasted Pork Belly ($9): with black pepper buttermilk biscuit, fig-spring onion soubise, and strawberry relish. This was a rich starter that was salty and tasty. Though we thought it was slightly overcooked (though others at our table thought it was perfectly cooked), we did enjoy all of the flavors on the plate.

Saison des Mysteres ($4.50, 4.5% ABV): We thought it was light for a farmhouse beer. It did have some nice aromatics in a session-beer style.

Ozzy ($4.50, 7.25% ABV): This was our favorite beer as it was dry with rich flavors.

Grilled Lamb Loin ($28): This came with crispy fingerling potatoes, braised escarole, and green olive tapenade. The escarole was perfectly cooked, with the lamb prepared a little more well done than we had ordered.

Coriander Crusted Tuna and Sugarcane Shrimp ($26): This came with green papaya salad and macadamia nut curry. The tuna was prepared just the way we like it and the shrimp was fun (like a lollipop). The sweet shrimp was nicely balanced with the tart green papaya salad. The macadamia nut curry actually was not spicy and (thankfully) very subtle.

Resurrection-Brined Pork Chop ($24): This came with a black pepper and rhubarb compote, crispy polenta, and wilted spinach. The pork chop was wonderful! It was cut very thick and perfectly cooked (not overdone).

The Brewer's Art is located at 1106 N. Charles St. in Baltmore, MD.