Brewer's is the Best

Esquire magazine is running a contest for the Best Bars around the country, and guess who is currently number one? Not some swanky place in New York or Chicago, but The Brewer's Art in Mt. Vernon. The magazine acknowledges that "Belgian-style home brews are always on tap" and recommends a pint of Resurrection for your visit. I guess they thought it was a little too dangerous to recommend a Delirium.

Besides Baltimore being number one, other locations in the the top-five are as unlikely as Missoula, Montana; Tacoma, Washington; and Shepardstown, West Virginia. In true Esquire form, the rankings all are very macho-centric, recommending various IPAs or shots of bourbon.

I had the chance to meet Esquire's editor-in-chief David Granger when I was a magazine intern in New York City a few years ago. A quintessential guy's guy with a lot of class, Granger could easily be seen munching on one of Brewer's small plates while enjoying an Ozzy pint and overlooking the sidewalk traffic on Charles Street. Not sure if I could really see him hanging out in the cavernous basement back in its smoky days, though.

But I no doubt want to congratulate Brewer's Art and its very talented staff. Now the rest of the country can learn what we already knew: Brewer's is an awesome place to drink.

[Image: courtesy of classiccitybrew.com]