🍦Hello, World of Beer

Good morning, Annapolis. Here is the hotly anticipated Naptown Scoop Out/In list for 2026.

Out: Getting cut off where 50 meets 97 every morning / In: Being more assertive
Out: Dunkin’ Donuts / In: Sandy Pony Donuts
Out: Pickleball / In: Kidding. . . pickleball’s still so in
Out: Flooding at City Dock / In: Years of construction at City Dock
Out: “Navy can’t play football” / In: Back-to-back ten win seasons
Out: Pancakes for dinner / In: Crab cakes for breakfast
Out: “There’s nothing to do here in the winter” / In: Hopping BWI’s $380 roundtrip nonstop to Reykjavík to see the Northern Lights

In today’s Naptown Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Lauren Burke Meyer, Dylan Roche, Duffy Perkins

When one of the world’s most celebrated sopranos takes the stage in Annapolis to sing Strauss, you clear your calendar. 🗓️

Soprano Christine Goerke joins the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra for music by legendary composers, conducted by José-Luis Novo. Legends brings the sweeping beauty of DeBussy, the passion and power of Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs) and Don Juan, and the unforgettable drama of Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid to the stageat Maryland Hall and Strathmore. Expect sweeping sound and iconic moments of musical mastery. Perfect for a date, a friend meet-up, or for anyone who likes their Strauss bold and unforgettable. 🎟️ Three performances, 1/30 – 2/1 - Tickets start at just $25.

This is my favorite home on Spa Creek, maybe all of Annapolis. And not just because our friend Brad Kappel is listing it, but because this home is extraordinary. It’s got almost 6,000 square feet of space (5 beds, 6 baths), a terrific dock with three boat lifts plus a 70-foot T-head, and of course, spectacular waterfront views (best enjoyed from the pool).

We aren’t going to go into full detail about the construction and yada yada yada because this is an organic (aka unpaid) post so we can write whatever we want. But rest assured, the video tour is worth 90 seconds of your day. If you dream of living in a spectacular house on Spa Creek, we hope you enjoy this little distraction on this fine Tuesday.

Their seasons may be over, but the accolades keep coming. Congrats to the 2025 Capital Gazette Player of the Year and All-County selections!

🏈 Football: South River’s Jaden McDuffie totaled 2,160 all-purpose yards (1,338 receiving), 21 total touchdowns, 31 tackles, and 3 forced fumbles. The Rhodes Trophy winner is committed to Northwestern. See the All-County squad.

⚽️ Girls Soccer: Severna Park’s Emerson Scott wrapped her career with 3 state titles, 52 wins, and 191 goals. Check out the other soccer hot shots.

⚽️ Boys Soccer: Chesapeake’s Byron Klohr tallied 17 goals and 6 assists, plus led his Cougars to the Class 3A state quarterfinals. Don’t miss the All-County team.

🏑 Field Hockey: St. Mary’s Ava Boland notched 19 goals and 8 assists in her final season before playing at the University of Maryland. The ladies who stick out in our county.

🏐 Volleyball: AACS’ freshman Scarlett Netherton ranked fifth statewide with 372 kills, adding 83 aces and 245 digs on her way to an IAAM A conference title. See the All-County team.

⛳️ Golf: Broadneck state champion Ben Coe is the Boys Player of the Year, while Severna Park’s Nicol Chovanec earned the girls honor after finishing as a Class 4A/3A state runner-up. Chovanec chose golf over volleyball after winning the county championship as a freshman. Swing through the All-County team. ($)

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Look, we know plenty of readers are purists and won’t touch a crab until the DNR gives the go-ahead for Maryland’s finest. But hear us out: if the Texans don’t appreciate blue crab, we should eat them as a matter of principle. Starting Wednesday, Stan and Joe’s Riverside is bringing in large #1 male blue crabs from the Lone Star State so we can bang them all year long. They’re priced at $110 per dozen, and are available for dine-in or carry-out. So there’s no reason why crabs can’t surpass wings as the top food choice of Marylanders watching the Super Bowl. Reserve yours now, and we’ll bring the Old Bay. 4851 Riverside Drive, Galesville.

For those participating in Dry January, it may be time to pivot to Damp January. World of Beer officially opens its doors on January 12. If you’ve never visited one of their other locations, imagine Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — but the river of chocolate is actually beer. Think hundreds of brews curated by on-site beer specialists, plus delicious fare that pairs perfectly with beer like burgers and pretzels. And yes, there are salads, too. Find them at the former Applebee’s at Annapolis Mall (2141 Generals Hwy, Annapolis). Cheers! 🍻

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

📖 Compass Rose enrolling for theater classes, January–March/April. Find a variety of performing arts classes for people of all ages, including youth and adults.

📖 Colonial Players presents Other Desert Cities, January 9–31. Family tensions reach a boiling point when a once-promising novelist shares her soon-to-be-published memoir.

Coming soon…

🕳️ Children’s Theatre of Annapolis presents Holes, February 6–22. A wrongly convicted teen seeks to uncover the truth behind the juvenile detention camp where he’s been sent to dig holes.

🏙️ Compass Rose Theater presents Rent, February 6–March 8. Impoverished bohemians in New York’s East Village struggle with love, loss, and life in this popular rock opera.

🎶 Annapolis Opera presents The Alchemist, February 22. This reading of an all-new opera explores a deadly sin in the eras of the Gold Rush and the Great Depression.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

44 🌡️ 41 | ☁️ | 11% | 💨 SE 6 mph (5 knots)

56 🌡️ 35 | 🌤️ | 15% | 💨 WNW 12 mph (10 knots)

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 36ºF
Temperature readings taken from the mouth of the Severn River the night before publication

49 West | Unified Jazz Ensemble | 7–9:30 PM
Brian Boru | PJ & Neal's First Tuesday Hootenanny | 6–9 PM
Captain’s Daughter | TBA | 5–7 PM
The Point | Aidan Ewaldi | 5–8 PM

49 West | Dave Chappell & Friends | 5–7 PM
49 West | The Geckos | 8–10 PM
Brian Boru | Suzy & Shaun | 6–9 PM
Galway Bay | Irish Trad Music Session | 8 PM
Killarney House | Jason Bishop | 6–9 PM
Middleton Tavern | Nate Finn | 6–9 PM
Pirates Cove | Alex Lee | 6–9 PM
The Point | Jordan/Pressing Strings | 5–8 PM
Rams Head Tavern | Skribe | 9 PM
Stan & Joe’s Saloon | Troll Tribe Duo | 9 PM

Women's Basketball (7-6)
1/7 @ Bucknell | 6 PM

Men's Basketball (10-5)
1/7 vs. Bucknell | 7 PM

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Thanks for reading Naptown Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with your neighbor but only if they already took their Christmas lights down.