FREDERICK, MARYLAND
Family-styled eatery, BARLEY & HOPS GRILL, located in congested mall area, had red brick exterior with green trim, cozy left side deck, and burgundy walled interior, November ‘06. Grain silo welcomes patrons to spacious dining area. Nice wine selection and burgers-ribs-pork glut pub-styled menu.
Glass-encased brew tanks behind ample left side wood bar served generic fare including pale-malted wheat-corned sour-fruited German-styled Catoctin Clear, sterile maize-buttered caramel-cheapened Tuscarora Red, popcorn-like walnut-teased Big Ben Nut Brown, and tame hop-roasted burnt coffee-soured dry Irish-styled Schifferstadt Stout.
Better beer choices were pale ale/ nut brown elixir, Dirty Nerdy (with its minor pine-hopped apple-grapefruit restraint), and bitterly red-fruited, woody Cascade-hopped Annapolis Rocks Pale Ale.