I've never been impressed with beer as a player. No one seems to know how to properly take advantage of beer. Every club that beer signs with ends up just pissing beer's talents away.
Well in our case that wouldn't have helped. See the last beer we had, which was so horrible we didn't even finish half the case, we had to get rid of him. Problem is, he had a 3-year guaranteed contract. There's just no way we can afford two salaries at the same time like that. If we are able to get new beer, it's going to have to be the cheap stuff. Probably something domestic that we've had a thousand times before. European beer is so expensive.
You gotta think strong first team. Be able to field a strong 6-12 and let the scrubs fill the bench. Sure you'll suffer sometimes in midseason with injury and what not, but when the team is on song, oh the joy. I'm very excited about some of the new talent coming up locally. They're all going to get a run through our reserve league. I'm betting a few will be seeing serious first team action come the spring. Just look at those kids Stillwater and B. Art from up in Charm City. Sure you had to go to the source to see 'em in action but now they're out and about and tearing it up.
This is in fact my current strategy. Whenever I can I pull in 6 to 12 quality beers, but of course you have to pay for that quality. Then I fill in the rest of the fridge with something cheap but tolerable like Yeungling. The Kurt Morsink of beers.
Now the really important season opening news. I saw they moved the usual Guinness/Harp stand to near the main gate. Modelo seems to expanding their footprint. The only craft brew I saw was at the massive stand on the lowest level behind the low number sections. They appeared to have Starr Hill, though some massive cluster******** was underway and they weren't serving anything to anybody when I was looking. FWIW that stand also had Stella, but I don't rate it and it certainly ain't craft. I didn't get every where so if there are any other reports I'd be glad to hear 'em. In tailgating news Port City is brewing and their brews are available in keg, growler, and as of this week bottles. DC Brau just completed their fist brew Friday so in the next couple of weeks their product should hit the streets. Not sure if it's their cans or kegs that will be out first. Lost Rhino have brewed some root beer but are probably still a week+ away from their first beers. http://www.portcitybrewing.com/ http://www.dcbrau.com/ Lost Rhino website TBA
Things definitely got worse in my area (in 318 near the team store). Guinness/Harp/Yuengling stand was gone. Moved a good way to the right, I heard, although I didn't see it. Bass/Becks stand was gone. Hardly-working (slow, foamy) taps of Modelo and Negra Modelo were added to the pupusa stand, but it was $9 for a 20 oz. cup (or so) while last year you got Modelo or Corona 24 oz. cans for $10. Definitely a serious dip in beer service near my seats. Will have to scout out nearby areas now, I guess.
a few places ran out of beer The service speed, and overall numbers of vending stands available is ridiculous. I nearly always have an easier time getting to beer/food in stadiums with four times as many in attendance. RFK can't figure it out.
Not strictly DC United related but for those of y'all coming to Boston for the US - Spain friendly, might want to take note that June 3 and June 4 is the American Craft Beer Festival up this way. As an ex-pat DCer in Cambridge, Mass, I would welcome the company of some of y'all in imbibing in good brew and drinking heartily for the love of ole DC. http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/
Port City is very close to my place and I highly recommend all four of their brews. If I had to rate them, I'd say: 1) Porter 2) Monumental IPA (It's not a hop overload like a lot of IPAs are these days) 3) Pale Ale 4) Wit Again, I like them all. The guys that work at the brewery are very cool and will give you a tasting of all four beers for $3. They're also popping up in restaurants and bars all over town.
DC Brau's official release party is tonight at Meridian Pint. Pints are $4 till 8pm and $5 thereafter.
Visit BMO field in Toronto - you'll never be happier to come back to RFK's beer selection and prices. Carlsberg was the only beer available anywhere near us and it cost me $40.50 for 3 of them. Granted these were slightly bigger but around the same size as the big Modelos at RFK.
At the game on Saturday, the Guinness/Harp/Bass stand that has been located by the main gate was not there; it was replaced with a stand serving domestic 16-oz cans for $8. I asked what was up and was told they had been having problems with kegs (freshness, etc.), so stands with kegs were likely to be gone for the remainder of the season. She said she worked for a subcontractor who worked for Centerplate and I take it the no-kegs decision would impact whatever stands they run. She indicated she was aware they had a number of regular Guinness drinkers and, as I understood it, they intend to have Guinness cans there by the next game.
No kegs? Man there goes their profit margin. The beer options are utter shite so I've given up on drinking inside of RFK.
Awesome, thanks for the heads up. Beer doesn't make my budget much right now, but before the seasonal brews came in this Fall, I bought Peg Leg back in July and August.
I heard about this the other day. Another feather in the Charm City beer cap. Not far from the old spot DeGroen's (R.I.P.) is it?
It's a couple of blocks away, but no not far at all. If you follow the link to the Beer in Baltimore blog, there is this little snippet at the end of his post: Interestingly, this announcement comes at a time when several other projects are--pardon the expression--brewing in Baltimore. In addition to the previously announced Raven Brewery in Highlandtown and Union Craft Brewing in Woodberry, this writer is tracking down the full story behind at least one other confirmed brewery proposal in Charmingly Crabby City. Stay tuned........