Its Baseball Season officially now. All the clubs are playing in their home fields, and not down in Florida or Arizona (except for the clubs that belong there), and things are starting to happen. Boston is off to a horrible start, people are breaking arms, Manny retired because he didn’t want to face the humiliation of another steroid scandal, Berry Bonds is under House arrest, and my beloved Brewers are of to a rousing 6 and 5 record! Its here, the Boys of Summer are definitely back in the swing.
So what are you drinking? As a Brewer fan, my options are pretty much limited inside Miller Field to basically MGD. I do like the plastic bottles however because they have screw on lids and you can keep the bees and flies away from your brew. Also there are several full on restaurants inside the new ball park, so if I want I can always go grab a Knob Creek and watch from the upper deck inside the Applebees or whatever chain thing is in there. So while my options are limited, it doesn’t mean that yours are. What are you drinking at the ball park this season?…
I have a buddy that is a huge Chicago Cubs fan, and he tries to get back to Chicago a couple times a year to watch his beloved Cubbies. He is a craft beer nerd like the rest of us, but when he goes to the ball park for some reason he craves Old Style. Yes, the beer of choice when I was in college, and a fizzy yellow lager. But he grew up going to Wrigley Field and getting a hot dog and a couple of cold Old Styles. So what the heck, that fits him, and makes his experience complete. A guilty pleasure to be sure, but a pleasure none the less.
So how about you? Do you switch to fizzy yellow lagers when watching a game in the seats or on your couch? Is there a macro that you identify with? Has your stadium switched to some better beers? What is your guilty pleasure? Play Ball!
-Don
Beer & Whiskey Brothers 
You saying it’s beer season is like a girl saying it’s Fashion Week. In both cases, I couldn’t care less.
When does football start again? 😦
Dude, its always Beer season, and just because you don’t identify with the finer points of Abner Doubleday’s fine game, doesn’t mean that we all can’t enjoy going to the ball park. Football will get here soon (if they ever figure out the lock out thing) and you can be happy, but until then, it’s Baseball all the way!
Also, the post makes it sound like you live near Miller Park in Milwaukee. You haven’t been to Milwaukee in years, have you?
Took Dad to a game last season. It was awesome, and I hope to get back there this year too.
this shows me who the good son is.
Last time I went to Miller Field, our dad treated me and my family to a game. I guess the only way he’ll go with Don is if Don is paying. That makes perfect sense to me.
It was special because I paid. Also got a Trevor Hoffman Bobblehead doll! It was a great day!
Bell’s brews Oberon for baseball season, but I’d be hard-pressed to actually find it in a park around here.
That would be a great brew to sip along the third base line! It will happen eventually that you will have better choices in the park. Of course if the Macros keep buying up the parks, it may take a little longer…
Also, the local A team is a Red Sox farm team and the stadium is a mini-Fenway. It’s in walking distance from my place and Thursdays are dollar drink nights. I’ll slam a few $1 PBRs in the name of a good time to see a game with Dominican’s finest 18-year-olds on the diamond.
Sounds like a blast Daniel. Cant think of a better way to spend a Thursday evening.
Come down south. General admission tix are around $6 and I usually get sloshed on the grassy knoll where all the kids are playing. Two years ago I managed to one-hand a t-shirt fired from a cannon without spilling (too much of) my overfilled beer. Gave it to the little girl in front of me. Her mom recognized me in a bar a year later and told me about the photos of me on her facebook. Small towns are weird like that. But we’ve got good beer…
Of course the fact that you’re a Wild Ginger doesn’t make you memorable or anything…
Awesome. Great prices. I remember when I lived in Eugene Oregon, I wasn’t into beer at the time, but we could go see the Emeralds play for $6 and I used to take my boys to 4 or 5 games a season. It was a great family outing for under $20.
Last year Yankee Stadium had Goose Island IPA, so that was my choice. $11.00 for a 22oz, they also had all the yellow beers, plus Guinness and oneor 2 other. No clue if they’ve changed this year, I’ll find out in July. I’ll also be at Tropicana Field (Tampa) next week, so hopefully they’ll have something decent.
Greg, you can now get some of the Cigar City brews inside the Trop!
Yeah, Greg, it would be great to sip on a Jai Alai IPA in Tampa. Actually $11 for a 22 oz of Goose Island doesn’t seem that bad for a great beer in a great setting.
Yeah, I didn’t think $11.00 for that Goose Island was really that terrible. I’ll look for the Cigar City brews.
This year, Tropicana Field (where the Tampa Bay Rays play) now has Cigar City Jai Alai and a few other CCB brews inside. Awesome.
That sounds great! What a great brew to have in the sunshine and watch the game. Ahhh…
No sunshine… its a dome stadium… constant temperature…
Too bad it doesn’t have a retractable roof like the one in Milwaukee. That way when it wasn’t 125 degrees out they could open it up and let you enjoy the way baseball was intended to be played and viewed!
Ouch! I doubt even the promise of a no hitter or 5 different players hitting for the cycle could attract me to a ball park where I’d have to endure a MGD at best (and I don’t know about your local Applebee’s, but the ones out here have awful beer selections).
Fortunately, I can enjoy the Phillies and some great craft beers at Citizens Bank Park. Flying Fish (Cherry Hill, NJ) supplies the park with fresh brews every game. In most cases, the Hopfish IPA or Exit 4 you buy to pair with the Tony Luke’s steak sandwich was kegged or bottled less than 48 hours before the 3rd inning. Craft brew kiosks throughout the park also serve Yards, Anchor Steam and Sierra Nevada.
Getting tickets to a game is another story entirely…
For the lucky ones in the stands its “Batterrrrrrr AND CraftBeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrUP!!
Cheers!
@TheAlemonger (Friends Don’t Let Friends Drink Bud™)
It isn’t as bad as you might think. I guess it is just a matter of what you are used to, but an MGD and a Brat with stone ground mustard and the Brewers on the field make for an awesome day in my book. Still I’d love to see some New Glarus offerings!
The Indianapolis Indians (clever naming, I know) play at Victory Field and we have a pretty great selection of craft beer. Hoosier Beer Geek breaks it down: http://hoosierbeergeek.blogspot.com/2011/04/minor-leagues-major-brews.html
Nice Jessica! I guess it helps when your stadium isn’t owned by a macro brewery!
Progressive Field in Cleveland added a “Spirits of Ohio” stand selling craft beer brewed in Ohio, which I think is great. Only problem: prices range from $6.75 for the cheapest 12 oz bottles to $29.75 for Hoppin’ Frog Bodacious Black & Tan 22 oz bottles. The Indians reported they sold 4 bottles of the $30 Hoppin’ Frog during their first 3-game series, and were pleased with those results.
I’d be all for drinking craft beer at the stadium…but there’s not a chance I’m going to pay those prices for it. Cheap fizzy lagers for me!
$6.75 isn’t bad, but $30 would make me blush a little! What a great Idea though to support your local brewers at the ball park.
Yeah, I can’t justify paying $30 for a beer when I didn’t even pay that much for my ticket! (turns out tickets are cheap when your team has losing seasons on a consistent basis)
I guess that’s a benefit? Some of the Philly guys tell me they can’t even get tickets anymore, even if they are willing to shell out an exorbitant price.
I can’t help but think of baseball and beer everyday, my office window overlooks Coors Field just across the street ;). Unfortunately it’s a hike once you’re inside for anything good to drink. And actually drinking Coors inside Coors Field is getting harder also, AB has been outbidding them for placement in all of the sporting venues here in Denver. So, if I can’t find a Craft Brew easily once inside, I’ll make the hike to the next section for a Coors.
I’d like to see a game at Fenway at least once, I saw on “Drinking Made Easy” that they serve up something called “The Green Monsta” there.
On a different sport entirely: This season they started serving Dale’s on tap at the Pepsi Center!
I forgot to add that you can get some okay brews at the Sandlot which brews onsite during baseball season.
Nice. 🙂
That’s crazy! How can the management allow AB Inbev in the place? At least you can still get a Coors, and perhaps something better!
I went to the White Sox game at USCellular Field and had Goose Island Honkers Ale, Pilsner Urquell and Barley Island Bar Fly IPA. All were great!
Very nice Ken! Great lineup, but who was batting Cleanup?
Gotta love the Sandlot Brewery in Coors Field! Apparently Coors/Miller/Blue Moon/Whoever lets those guys do whatever they want since they’re only open during games. They made a dark wheat beer a few years ago that was fantastic.
Sounds like a great brew. If I lived in Denver I would have to get season tickets close to that place!
Here in Missouri, we can get some Boulevard Wheat in KC or any number of beers from Schlafly in StL. I haven’t been to a ball game in forever, though. My kid has been showing interest, so I might have to make an exception.
What a great excuse to get to the ball park and enjoy some great beer. I thought for sure AB would have the place in lock down for other breweries. You are fortunate that you have the Schlafly there to sip on.
Oour local team here in Louisville, the Bats, have a small little stand with craft beer, BUT they do sometimes advertise Shock Top as Craft beer. Although, a small brewery, Brownings, is connected to Slugger Field.
As a lifelong Cub Fan who bleeds blue…the only way to go is Old Style at the game. PBR is for hipsters.
Agreed John. At least I know someone who agrees with you. I’m surprised in Louisville that you can’t buy bourbon at the ball park. Afterall it was a bourbon baseball drink that got me thinking about this post in the first place!
Upon simply reading the words “Old Style” I have suddenly developed a pounding headache. No more macro beer for me, even at the ballpark. At White Sox games we can tailgate for 2 hours, and usually enjoy an assortment of homebrews while grilling up something meaty.
Once inside, they have a “Microbrews of the Midwest” stand with all kinds of goodness.
Now if we just had a mediocre closer instead of our current 0 for 4 Blown Savers, we’d be all set.
Sounds great Dave. Old Style used to make me sleepy in College. I used to drink one if I was having trouble getting to bed. We’d make a great pair, Sleepy and Grumpy (you’d be Grumpy from your headache) 😉 .
For once I agree with Jim. I don’t know how people endure this game. I would happily engorge on MGD to make the time pass.
I don’t understand people who can’t understand people that love Baseball. 😉
Still being fairly new to this great country, and having completed my introduction to football (for a soccer fan, this was a whole paradigm shift!), I must admit that I am still working on my interest and knowledge of baseball. I do enjoy watching some games here and there on tv, and one of my newly discovered beers will certainly keep reminding me to watch some more. It is a great ale by Brooklyn Brewery, named Pennant Ale 55. I think I will have that in my fridge all throughout spring and summer!
Wim, it is difficult to watch baseball on TV. It is a game where you really need to see the whole field, and watching on TV just doesn’t do the game justice. If you get a chance go to a game, even a minor league game if that is all you have locally. It is a MUCH better experience.
I will definitely follow that advise, it has been on my list of ‘When in America, do as Americans do’. This summer looks good, and my newly discovered taste for the Brooklyn brewed liquid reminder will make sure I won’t forget. I might even try to find some friend to go along to a big game!
Well worth it. Enjoy Wim!
I’ve been here almost 40 years and still can’t be bothered with baseball, Wim. Pace yourself. 😉
Yeesh. I love Wrigley, I really do- and I say that as a Cardinal fan- but I think I’d rather have a pint of Greg Hall’s private reserve than Old Style.
Typically, rather than dropping $8+ on beers inside the stadium, I’ll head down to one of the local establishments around the stadium before the game (Broadway Oyster Bar or B.B.’s Jazz, Blues, and Soups) and warm up with some Schlafly Pale, usually. On the rare occasions that I am drinking inside Busch Stadium… well, when in Rome, drink Clydesdale Piss (Bud). There’s a craft stand where you can get some decent options, although it’s 12 oz. for tall Bud pricing. That selection usually includes the O’Fallon 5 Day IPA, Schlafly Pale, the Schlafly Summer… If the craft beer location wasn’t in Timbuktu (upper deck, behind home plate), I’d probably hit it up more often.