Derek Waters is not a bartender, but he’s an expert at getting people tipsy. The comedian and writer created Drunk History, which reenacts true stories from the past, as told by inebriated narrators. The hilarious program started off as a series of online shorts but was picked up by Comedy Central in 2013. It has since been nominated for two Emmys and is now in production for its fifth season. Waters is also a prolific actor, with roles in an array of TV shows and movies, including Christopher Guest’s For Your Consideration, New Girl, and the new Netflix series the Santa Clarita Diet.
When he’s not on camera, Waters spends a lot of time in his hometown of Baltimore, where he prefers to do his drinking in classic local taverns and dives. Here are his three favorite drinks to order in Charm City.
Old Fashioned at The Horse You Came In On Saloon
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Waters likes the Old Fashioned at The Horse You Came In On Saloon because, he says, “to me, that’s what Baltimore is, in a good way. (Plus, the orange on the rim reminds me of the Orioles.)” This spot is certainly old-fashioned: Founded in 1775, it claims to be the oldest continually operating saloon in the U.S. And in a Drunk History-appropriate twist, it’s also where Edgar Allen Poe had his last drink before his mysterious death in 1849.
Orange Crush at The Rec Room
The Orange Crush is a Maryland original and calls for a citrusy mix of orange vodka, triple sec, orange juice, and lemon-lime soda. It can be found served at crab shacks and bars throughout the state. (It’s the cocktail Waters is holding in the photo above, in fact.) “Baltimore is where it originated, and I like anything born in Baltimore,” he says of the concoction. And there’s no better place to have one than on The Rec Room’s patio with a steaming plate of crabs. The establishment is incidentally where Waters had his first legal drink when he turned 21.
Natural Bohemian Beer at Ocean Pride
Like Lone Star in Texas and Old Style in Chicago, “Natty Boh” is Baltimore’s beloved, neighborhood, dirt-cheap beer of choice. “It’s a perfect complement to fresh crabs—and of course, Old Bay spice,” Waters says. Ocean Pride’s been an institution for almost half a century, and Waters always makes a point to stop in for crabs and a pint every time he’s in town.
Check out our complete Three Drinks travel guide to cocktails.
