We love any opportunity to sample a lot of little things at once—whether that’s tapas, dim sum, a well-crafted charcuterie board, or most recently, some of our favorite spirits. Of course, wine flights had their heyday several years back, but now there are all kinds of things that can be found in flight form, and we’re sure happy the trend is, well, taking off.

Many breweries in town have made their beer available in flights (Oliver, Monument City, and Jailbreak, to name a few), but if your aim is to try a bunch of different breweries under one roof, head to Parts & Labor (2600 N. Howard St.). Though the restaurant recently announced its closing, a pop-up bar will operate Wednesdays through Saturdays through the end of September. Featuring offerings from craft breweries around the region and country—such as Diamondback, Wardaca, and Sly Fox—the oft-rotating draft options are available in three mini snifter classes for $8-11.

There’s an even greater selection at The Brass Tap in Bolton Hill (1205 W. Mt. Royal Ave.), where four samples of their 62-draft selection are often scribbled on a chalkboard, so you can clearly remember your choices no matter how many you’ve had. Sit outside and sample your beers as you watch the Light Rail whiz by.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, look no further than Lane Harlan’s two Remington bars. W.C. Harlan (400 W. 23rd St.) offers flights of the Italian liqueur amaro ($12 for three pours). The liqueur is presented three ways on a beautiful silver serving tray. There’s even one house-made version concocted with local honey.

Just up the street is Harlan’s taqueria Clavel (225 W. 23rd St.), which recently expanded with a private six-seat bar providing special mezcal tastings. For $35 per person, sample four different varieties of the agave treat, while being expertly guided by bar manager Dre Barnhill. The bar offers small bites—nuts, crackers, and traditional orange slices—and a portion of the proceeds goes to the Tequila Interchange Project, an organization that advocates for the preservation of agave-distilled spirit practices.

If you truly can’t decide what kind of flight to try, head to West Madison Craft Beer & Wine Bar in Mt. Vernon (311 W. Madison St.), which offers practically everything in small sizes. There are flights for beer ($12 for 4-ounce drafts), whiskey ($15 for 1-ounce pours of rye, bourbon, and scotch), and wine ($15 for four selections of red and white). And the bar also boasts flight selections for both olives and pickles, which come in a medley of sweet, horseradish, garden, and spicy.

The bar’s vintage telephone booth and open windows overlooking the bustling sidewalk give it a European feel—appropriate for all the “flights” we’ve taken in our travels through Baltimore.

Steady Eddie Wheat IPA from Union Craft
There is a lot to love about this spring release from Union Craft Brewing. Not only is it named after Orioles legend Eddie Murray, but it was just what the doctor ordered after a long, blizzard-filled winter.
A seasonal offering from the Woodberry brewery, Steady Eddie brought a typically heavy IPA into a bright, lemon-filled place with Azacca and Sorachi Ace hops. The result is perfect for warm-weather drinking and even Murray himself, who came by the brewery for a visit, is a big fan.

The Sazerac from Colette
Speaking of the classics, sometimes all you need is a spirit, a sweetener, a bitter, and a rinse. There’s no better example of that than the sazerac at Colette. Bartender Crystal Wack makes her version with either the traditional cognac or regional Melvale Maryland-style Rye. Though both are delicious, I opt for cognac, which she tops with Turbinado sugar, Peychaud’s bitters, and a lemon twist in an Absinthe-rise glass. Trust me, nothing is more tasty in a dark bar on a chilly night.

Local Oyster Stout from Waverly Brewing
In a testament to teamwork, one of this year’s best local beers came from a collaboration between Waverly Brewing Company and The Local Oyster. The two teams spent a fun day brewing an oyster stout and it was everything the style should be—creamy, roasty, with slight chocolate notes and a hint of salt. Plus, it didn’t hurt that, at the beer’s release party, you could pair it with the ideal counterpart: True Chesapeake Skinny Dippers.

Chartreuse from Idle Hour
This wasn’t so much a new drink, as it was a return to an old favorite. After 18 months of being shut down and then painstakingly rebuilding, the beloved Idle Hour in Riverside reopened in June. We were so happy to walk through the sticker-covered door and listen to spinning vinyl again and, we have to say, knocking back that first shot of Chartreuse—the pine flavored liqueur we had come to know and love—felt particularly special this time around.

Brooklyn at Wet City
We’ve touted the virtues of Wet City before—the Scandinavian-style bar that replaced Dougherty’s this past summer. It’s hard to decide the bar’s best attribute: the food is as strong as the beer list is as strong as the cocktails. We’ve had amazing sours and black IPAs at this place, but what’s always consistent is co-owner Josh Sullivan’s take on a Manhattan, or, as they call it, the Brooklyn. Familiar flavors of Pikesville Rye, cola-flavored Del Capo Amaro, and dry vermouth. Simple, sweet, and hits the spot every time.

Charles Street Apple Brandy from Baltimore Whiskey Company
Rye and bourbon get a lot of play as the traditional American spirits, but the boys at Remington-based Baltimore Whiskey Company make a point that apple brandy was what the colonists were actually drinking. So this summer, they released a rendition with locally sourced apples, peels, and seeds smoked with cherry and oak, which was all aged in rye whiskey barrels. The low-proof spirit is great with a little squeeze of lime or simply on its own. (Fun fact: It even got a writeup in Playboy.)

Albariño from Old Westminster Winery
There’s a movement in Maryland wine going on. Enter Old Westminster Winery, about a hour’s drive west of the city, which produces sustainably farmed wine at an elevation of 800 feet. For blissful summer drinking, pop open a bottle of Old Westminster’s Pét-Nat Albariño, a cirtusy, sparkly white that has been getting rave reviews from national wine publications. If you can’t make the trek, look for their products at these local restaurants.

Nanticoke Nectar IPA from RaR Brewery
Another product that might involve a road trip, Nanticoke Nectar IPA comes from RaR Brewery in Cambridge. The Nanticoke Nectar is its very popular flagship beer, and for good reason. The Nectar is a West Coast-style IPA to be sure, but notes of mango and grapefruit zest make it dynamic and well-balanced. I tried to have just one can at Johnny Rad’s this year—emphasis on tried.

Sweet potato Old Fashioned from R. Bar
Not quite sure if this one’s on the menu yet, but the newly opened R. Bar inside of Remington food hall R. House is turning out some stellar cocktails including the Sweet Potato Old Fashioned. Bar manager Aaron Joseph conceived of this fall-in-a-glass concoction: bourbon, sweet potato syrup (which was honestly tasty on its own), black walnut bitters, and charred cinnamon. It’s impossible not to feel cozy sipping this inside the sleek food hall as the temperatures continue to dip outside.

We tend to lump September in with fall, but most if its days are still summer. As the summer weather train prepares to pull out of Penn Station, let’s celebrate the last of these sultry days with three refreshing libations.

Southern Right
Sauvignon Blanc 2015
($17, Bacchus Importers, Ltd.)
The label might remind you of Nantucket, but this refreshing white wine actually hails from Walker Bay in South Africa. It’s a more subtle version of Sauvignon Blanc than what you might be used to from New Zealand, with cool lemon-zest notes and lovely herbal accents. A natural match for grilled shrimp and light seafood, it’s also perfect for catching a few more sunsets in lawn chairs before autumn’s cool tendrils creep into our nights.

Green Hat Gin
($35, The Country Vintner)
Green Hat began operations in our nation’s capital in 2011 and has already been recognized as one of the best gin distillers in the country. Named for the signature headwear of Prohibition-era D.C. bootlegger George Cassiday, this gin is all about the juniper, with lovely citrus and floral notes playing supporting roles.

Juniper berry is the defining characteristic of gin as a category. The flavor differences among gins has to do with the combination of botanicals and other flavor elements that a distiller chooses to use. Often this is a carefully guarded house recipe that defines an individual gin’s style.

Boulevard Brewing Co. Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
($11 750 ml, Bond Distributing Co.)
Missouri’s Boulevard Brewing Co. makes some of craft beer’s most interesting brews. But imbiber beware: Do not let the chunky bottle fool you. This is a medium-weight beer that’s perfect for the end of the season. The straw-colored ale leads with aromas of grapefruit zest and fresh yeast, then delights with a thirst-quenching crispness and pronounced peppery hop finish. Crack one open while the leaves are still green.