By Clare Goggin Sivits
The Daily Meal
A few weeks ago, you may have seen a photo going around featuring the "Craft Beer Destination," a concession stand at Yankee Stadium that didn’t actually serve any "craft beer." Of the four drinks sold at the stand, one wasn't even beer (it was cider) and all of them were produced by MillerCoors, a giant company whose beer cannot be considered "craft" for several reasons (detailed here.) And Yankee Stadium decided to rename the "craft beer destination" as the "beer mixology destination," which also makes us cringe -- but we digress.
The photo became a symbol of the sad state of beer at baseball stadiums: It's always expensive and it's typically nothing special. Although that might be what most of us think about ballpark beer, it's not always the case. Several ballparks are featuring better and better beer -- you just have to know where to find it. With that in mind, we explored Major League Baseball stadiums across the country to find the 10 best spots for beer.
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Granted, you should probably have to have a reason aside from beer to actually go to these places — say, you want to see a baseball game? But if you end up at one of these ballparks, you can count on finding a good pint of beer instead of the lame beer options you’d have to settle for elsewhere.
Top Baseball Stadiums For Craft Beer Slideshow
7. Comerica Park, Detroit
Michigan hosts some amazing breweries and fans of the Tigers can indulge in an impressive list of beers. Beers from breweries like Bell’s Brewery, New Holland Brewing Company, Founders Brewing Co., Arbor Brewing Co., Atwater Brewery, Arcadia Ales, and Motor City Brewing Works are served on draft or in bottles all around the stadium, which is definitely something to cheer about.
6. Camden Yards, Baltimore
Referred to as a retro-classic ballpark, Camden Yards has been a highly praised baseball destination since it opened in 1992. But recently it's been getting press not only for its design, but also for its beer. The Orioles have tapped into local breweries to find beers their fans will love. Tap lines pour the likes of Heavy Seas Beer, Evolution Craft Brewing Co., Flying Dog Brewery, and Baltimore-Washington Beer Works. Beers from nearby Delaware, like Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Fordham Brewing Co., and Old Dominion Brewing Co. are also sold here. The park even has an on-site brewpub called Dempsey’s House Brews.
5. Petco Park, San Diego
Amid one of the biggest beer cities in America, Petco Park has to make their beer-loving fans happy. That’s why Petco serves up an impressive list of California’s most delicious beers from a bunch of brewing companies, including Stone, Green Flash, Ballast Point, Karl Strauss, AleSmith, Pyramid, Anderson Valley, Firestone Walker, Sierra Nevada, and Knee Deep Brewing. Alaskan Brewing, Rogue, Kona Brewing, and Widmer Brothers join that impressive list sure to make any beer lover drunk.
4. PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Pirates fans deserve some love — and some good beer. The gorgeous stadium features impressive views of the city and the Allegheny River, but it also has really good beer from Pennsylvania’s own Church Brew Works, Victory Brewing, East End Brewing, Penn Brewing, Tröegs Brewing, and Erie Brewing. Add to that Harpoon Brewery, Samuel Adams, Brooklyn Brewery, Dogfish Head Brewing, 21st Amendment Brewery, Flying Dog Brewing, Heavy Seas Beer, Lagunitas Brewing, Stone Brewing, Bell’s Brewery, and Anchor Brewing and you're in for a good time, win or lose.
3. Citizens Bank Field, Philadelphia
It comes as no surprise that two Pennsylvania cities (the only two with major league teams) made it into the top five. The state is well represented by a number of great breweries and both stadiums felt it only right to serve that amazing beer. At Citizens Bank, Phillies fans drink beer from Tröegs Brewing, Victory Brewing, Flying Fish (in nearby New Jersey), Sly Fox, Yards Brewery, Prism Brewing, and Philadelphia Brewing. The list continues with several out-of-state breweries, like Goose Island, Long Trail, Otter Creek, Allagash, Anchor, Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, Ommegang, Samuel Adams, 21st Amendment, Oskar Blues, and Sierra Nevada
2. AT&T Park, San Francisco
The home to the reigning World Series Champions should also win some sort of prize for their amazing beer selection. Of course, being smack in the middle of the Bay Area, a great region for beer, gives the ballpark a lot to choose from. Local breweries like Lost Abbey, High Water Brewing, Anchor Brewing, Marin Brewing, Sierra Nevada, Drake’s Brewing, Lagunitas, Ballast Point, Russian River, North Coast, 21st Amendment, and AleSmith are served alongside brews from Victory Brewing, Stillwater Ales, Avery Brewing, Blind Pig Brewery, and Jolly Pumpkin Brewery.
1. Safeco Field, Seattle
All of the ballparks on this list have an impressive list of beers to serve to their fans, but Safeco definitely takes the cake. The ballpark is actually known nationally for its reputation as a good place to watch baseball and drink good beer. They feature both locals and national breweries — and there’s a long list of them, including Alaskan Brewing, Big Sky Brewery, Boulevard Brewing, BridgePort Brewing, Deschutes Brewing, Diamond Knot Craft Brewing, Dick’s Brewing, Elysian Brewing, Firestone Walker, Fremont Brewing, Full Sail Brewing, Harmon Brewing, Mac & Jack’s Brewery, Georgetown Brewing, New Belgium Brewery, Ninkasi Brewing, Pyramid Brewing, Red Hook, Sierra Nevada, Skagit River Brewery, Snoqualmie Falls Brewing, and Widmer Brothers. Phew — take a breath!
For the complete slideshow of the Best MLB Stadiums For Craft Beer, go to The Daily Meal.
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