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Thursday is Opening Day. It’s a bonafide national holiday and concrete sign that winter’s cold grasp is finally wearing thin. Baseball is many to things to many people, but most people agree that the experience of being at the ballpark, whether it’s 40 or 90 degrees, is a huge part of the appeal. I’ll go one step farther and say that holding your first ballpark-ordered beer of the season is a borderline spiritual experience. It’s a tangible bastion of happiness few other drinking experiences can rival. Here’s why.
It’s Simple: There’s no extensive tap list or recommended food pairings. At the majority of MLB ballparks, the tap list at most concession stands will have three to four options on draft. There’s no complicated names or styles. Your biggest decision will most likely be between choosing an easily approachable IPA or golden lager. Cutting down on the extra lets you focus on the beer and the game. That’s it. It’s a pure form of relaxation that makes you never want to move from your undersized plastic seat. When it’s a hot day, the condensation from the plastic cup even serves as a suitable secondary coolant to the cold beer. Now, I know many stadiums have recently dedicated portions of their layout to extensive craft beer offerings, but I’ve often found it’s not worth the wait, or the money.
It’s the Perfect Partner for Stadium Cheese: 9 times out of 10, if I’m making a beer run, I’m also maximizing the efficiency of my trip by picking up food at the same time. I’m a sucker for those day old tortilla chips or semi-stale pretzels – as long as they’re draped in the beautiful chemical creation that is Stadium Cheese. And while this viscous yellow goo probably contains less than 1% actual cheddar, when it’s complemented by the salt of a nacho plate and the crispness of a lager, there’s few things that I crave more. If you’re extra daring, you add those month-old jalapeños into the mix and the ballpark beer becomes even more of a necessity. Maybe it’s just me, but the tartness of the stadium cheese mixed with a refreshing pilsner is one of my favorite dining experiences.
It’s the Ideal Pace Setter: Hovering around 5% ABV, a stadium beer is the perfect beverage to stay somewhat buzzed throughout the entire nine innings, presuming you pre-gamed a bit beforehand and pace yourself correctly. I’ve found that four beers is the perfect formula to keep me slightly wired while also entertained throughout the entire game. Three of those beers should come from concessions, which also gives you room for food and a restroom break, while the other beer should come from your vendor person walking up and down the under. Picking up the first beer before you get to your seat and ordering your second from the vendor in the early innings should set you up for success. Plus, spacing these throughout the three plus hour game will mean that you’re constantly sipping on a beer for most innings. An ideal situation for most folks.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be counting down the hours until Wrigley opens up its friendly gates. Cheers!.
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@TaylorLaabs
@taylor1laabs
It has become a tradition to be the first car in the parking lot and tailgate all day for opening day.
You can’t beat the grill, camp chair, cold beer combo on the black top.
Go Rays!
See you there!
Sup? I’ll have a cold beer at the new BallPark & Rec.
Bring your cornhole A game
They put a park & rec in the trop?
They replaced the Cigar Bar.
That’s hype. Gotta check it out
Yeap! Right behind the Budweiser party deck.
Absolutely cannot wait to make the trip to Houston Monday afternoon with my dad to be at Minute Maid and toast a few 24oz. Miller Lites while that beautiful new World Series banner gets raised. Look for us on the ESPN broadcast, we’ll be the 27 and 62 year-olds crying in section 110.
Go stros baby, it’s going to be awesome
Buddy I still can’t believe it actually happened
Pro tip – the bud light party deck serves after the rest of the stadium has last call. Got me through many extra inning games last year.
That is quite the pro tip. Good looking out, Guntherfelt.
Listening to baseball games at work make afternoons go by so much faster. Can’t wait
Cant wait to skip work and go to opening day
Wrigley Field best place on earth.
Fenway, baby.
CHECKS OUT.
#FlyTheW
First come first serve seating in the bleachers is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. Otherwise it’s a cool venue, and this is coming from a Brewers fan.
Then don’t sit in the bleachers. Pretty logical.
Thanks Captain Obvious.
See ya in meh hell
If only winter was actually wearing thin here in Chicago.. That being said I’m already getting pumped for Wrigley rooftops this summer
I’m hitting you up when I’m in town for a day game!
Yes definitely do!
Meet me on the Old Crow rooftop two hours before game time. See you all there.
A little upsetting that the Cleveland home opener isn’t for another week, but life gets much better when Tom Hamilton is in my ears. Go Tribe!
Best time of the year for sure. And I recommend trying the 9-9-9 challenge if you never have. Trying to consume one hot dog and one beer for 9 straight innings is sometimes more exciting than the game itself.
Go Tribe!
Seeing a game in every MLB stadium is on my bucket list. So far I’ve only have 4. White Sox, Cubs, Rangers, and Blue Jays. Already have tickets to a Red Sox game and will try and swing Braves and Nationals this year as well. I believe baseball is the perfect sport and it’s a hill I’m willing to die on. Fuck Rob Manfred for trying to speed up the game. Quit trying to fix something that isn’t broken.
Hopefully my White Sox rebuild goes as planned and we’ll be raising a banner around 2020. Still bought MLBtv and will still be watching at least 100 games this season, win or lose.
I’ve got 13 ballparks under my belt. If/when you come to a Nats game hit up the DC PGPers, we can give you some solid recommendations.
Noted! Collective “Sup?” to the DC PGP group
Have a buddy that lives in Cobb County. He says going to Suntrust is awesome and that the park is beautiful. You’ll have fun if you get to go to that. Be warned, getting in and out is an absolute nightmare tho.
$2 domestic and craft brews on thirsty Thursdays at the local single A park here.
Go Reds
Underrated play is the minor league games