FWIW the ticket office was prodding me to renew and sent this survey around the gist of which is "why ain't you did it yet". So I said I'd like a more options for exchange and get some real beer in the stadium.
I'd sure like to see what halfway-decent beers they *do* have show up on the loud side more often. Last year (?) they put out a map showing where the fixed-location vendors of different beers were, and all the vaguely worthwhile beers were on the quiet side or at the bar in the NW corner.
Management has obviously conducted an in-depth survey of its fan base and concluded that those who sit on the quiet side are sober professionals who expect only the best things in life (like Boddington's), whereas the more demonstrative fans on the Loud Side are more than half drunk when they go through the turnstiles and can thereby be satisfied with vile swill. It's up to you to change that perception. Perhaps you could carry briefcases into the stadium?
Bootsy, the "bar" you mentioned had, last season, only the 24 oz. Modelo and Corona along with whatever Miller/Bud they carry. It's hard to believe that Guinness/Boddington's/Becks/etc. along with the Modelo/Corona big cans is the best they can do anywhere in the stadium. The Events DC site still lists Centerplate as the vendor. http://dcsec.com/Venues/RFKStadium/FoodAndBeverage.aspx I see no hints that better times are coming, as Centerplate's online catering system for folks booking events at RFK currently lists only these beers on offer: http://www.ezplanit.com/VenueDetails.asp?VID=440 Domestic Beer Miller Lite (6/PACK) $48.00 /6-pack Bud Light (6/PACK) $48.00 /6-pack Bud Light Lime (6/PACK) $48.00 /6-pack Budweiser (6/PACK) $48.00 /6-pack Premium Beer Heineken (6/PACK) $54.00 /6-pack Corona Extra (6/PACK) $54.00 /6-pack Boddingtons (6/PACK) $54.00 /6-pack BIG BOY BEERS (24OZ) Corona Extra (24oz) $60.00 /6-pack Modelo Especial $60.00 /6-pack
Last week, I was pleased to find a stand upstairs at Verizon Center that had a few local brews including personal favorite Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager. I believe there was a Starr Hill offering on the same set of taps.
Planning out my (reasonably) sessionable pregame brews: DC Brau the Corruption DC Brau Burial At Sea Flying Dog Atlantic Lager Chocolate City Cornerstone Copper Ale Rhino Chasers New River Pale Ale Rhino Chasers Pilsner
I've become quite a fan of Chocolate City's Cornerstone Copper of late. I've hit their growler fill period the last two Saturdays. Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager is in the running for me, too. Probably my favorite local brew. I haven't had Port City's Essential Pale Ale in awhile, so I picked up a 6 to give it a pre-season trial. I saw on their website that they plan to make their pilsner a year-round brew, so that could enter the mix this year.
The ChocCity Copper is a good 'un. Forgot about DB. That's fine brew and Jason of course was a brewer here. I put the regional in play too (DFH, Victory, Sly Fox, Evolution, etc.) It sure would be nice to have some in the stadium.
Did anyone note any drinkable beer opening night? I was rocked off my (ample) arse on some nuclear DC Brau from pregame and didn't make the usual futile walk around.
No progress sighted at RFK last week. I brought Devils Backbone Vienna for Lot 8, but found only the recent usuals near me in the stadium -- Modelo/Corona at many places and an "import" stand near the main entrance that looked to have the same stuff as last season (Boddington's, Beck's, LandShark, and one other plus some big can of fake margarita). I saw a club tweet that indicated they've added Guinness to the "Champions Lounge" area.
I went to Houston for the opener and walked all around the concourse before the game checking out beer options. There was one Papa John's stand that poured two varieties (an IPA and a Wheat) of a new local brewer (Karbach), but nothing local at any of the beer stands and they didn't have Karbach at the Papa John's stand on the other side of the stadium. It was kind of a drag to have to wait in a long pizza line to get the better beer when there was no line at a beer-only stand right next to it with no local brew. http://www.karbachbrewing.com They have 24 oz cans of Dos Equis Lager and Tecate as the equivalent of our Modelo and Corona. Those ran $11 in Houston, though; aren't they still $10 at RFK? I grabbed two Karbach Hopadillo IPAs before the game, then settled for XX later. So, the beer situation is not much better in Houston, but there's at least one place to get a local brew. As for the stadium situation... nice downtown stadium that's walking distance places like the Flying Saucer (and with places like Lucky's Pub right next to it) and with a streetcar line extending to it later this year. Yeah, their stadium situation is pretty sweet. http://www.beerknurd.com/stores/houston/ http://luckyspub.com/locations/downtown/
The VIP Lounge has bottles of Goose Island IPA and cans of 312. The IPA was $7. So far it's the only craft brew I've found in the stadium. We bought all that the guy had on Sunday (sorry if you were behind us in line).
If craft beer is what you are looking for the Screaming Eagles always have some craft beer I never heard of before at their tailgates before the game. In the keg and all! Two Hearted Ale I believe.
I swear I saw a Starr Hill vendor when looking at the DC United website. It was on the quiet side. Doesn't show up there anymore. Did I make that up? This was a map I had made when I was doing food reviews.
Yeah I made that back in October of 2011. I remember looking at the site and saying "THEY HAVE STARR HILL?!" but I never actually saw it in the stadium. Edit: Looks like the site doesn't even list locations of different beers anymore.
freekick, there's not Starr Hill anymore. Not for over a year. I didn't get to try to the DCB Tradition, it was a very small run. There was a tasting somewhere out in the burbs last night but I couldn't make that either. The beer scene at RFK is about as good as United's season.
Roundup of local beer news throughout this story: Brewed awakening: D.C.’s beer scene is close to greatness http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...d7264e-d9d7-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html
United's story: http://www.dcunited.com/news/2013/08/dc-brau-coming-to-rfk Champions Club only this Saturday. Around the stadium for the rest of the season thereafter. As there are no taps in the stadium these days, will they just be adding cans of The Public to the "Beers of the World" stands? It'll be interesting to see if they charge for those 12 ouncers the same high prices they do for 16 ounce Boddingtons/Becks/Landshark/etc.