Some bars might be happy to come in second for Natty Boh sales in Baltimore. Not Frazier’s on the Avenue.

“The sales reps would always say, ‘You’re No. 1′ — which basically is No. 1 in the world because Natty Boh is only sold in this region,” said Frazier’s owner Morgan King. Ten years ago, they got a trophy. King said he wasn’t sure exactly how much Boh the bar sold per year — only that it’s a lot. “One year I did the math, it was 1.5 million ounces,” he said.

But last year was different. Camden Yards-adjacent watering hole Pickles Pub surpassed Frazier’s in Boh sales, a development King blamed on the success of the Orioles, which has led to soaring attendance at the ballpark.

Both Frazier’s and Pickles were honored for their achievements at a party last week hosted by Pabst Brewing Co., the out-of-town firm that bought National Bohemian many years ago. The event was to celebrate the relighting of Mr. Boh, whose oversized visage over Brewers Hill went dark sometime in 2022 (an incident that was oddly cloaked in secrecy).

The reception also served as a sort of covert Academy Awards for the Natty Boh sellers, with plaques handed out to the top 20 leaders in the area. Both Pabst and Chesapeake Beverage Co. have declined repeated requests to release the full list, citing highly sus “legal” reasons, leaving The Baltimore Banner and other curious beer fans to deduce the esteemed cabal through social media, where some bars posted about their winnings.

“I was definitely shocked,” said Erin Roach, bar manager of the 29th Street Tavern, which was No. 3 on the list of winners. “We’re a lot smaller than Pickles and Frazier’s.” But the 60-seat bar in Remington powers through about a keg of Natty Boh each day. Roach said the owner of the 29th Street Tavern also owns the Swallow at the Hollow, which ranked No. 9.

Sleuths on Reddit posted that South Hanover Street dive Mum’s was No. 8, a fact bartender Anna Henderson confirmed on the phone. “I’m very proud of us, for what a small bar we are, that we were able to be eighth,” she said.

Several of the top 20, like Pickles and Peter’s Pour House (No. 10 on the list, according to Facebook), were in the vicinity of Camden Yards, while others were longtime dives like the Charles Village Pub (No. 6, according to Instagram), which opened in the 1980s, and Mount Royal Tavern (No. 7), which has been around since the 1930s.

“I cannot sleep until I find out the full list,” wrote one user on X, expressing the wish to have a pint at each spot in a single day, presumably against the recommendations of health professionals.

While Natty Boh production left Maryland years ago, the severing of geographic ties has done little to dim local affection for the beer. “Even though its not brewed here anymore, it’s still Baltimore,” said bartender Christian Wilkins, who owns Todd Conner’s (No. 5 on the list). “We certainly sell a lot of it here.”

More recently, Pabst has stepped up efforts to market the brand locally. This year, vendors at the Yard began selling Boh at the ballpark for the first time in nearly a decade. “It’s about not only just showing up in the stadium; it’s about showing up in and around the stadium,” said Emily Hoyle, senior marketing director for Pabst, earlier this year. “Mr. Boh is really the emblem of Baltimore pride.”

The recent, secret award ceremony seems to be part of the push.

Back at Frazier’s, King said he and his staff are determined to reclaim their position for 2024. “We have the next three months to up our Boh sales so we can get that No. 1 spot back,” King said, adding that Frazier’s may lower the price of the beverage just to encourage more people to buy it.

Hoping to entice customers, the bar later posted on Facebook about a special guest: Mr. Boh would be coming Wednesday, during the evening Orioles game.

See any other bars on the list? Send ‘em our way. We won’t stop until this needlessly mysterious quest is fully finished.