March 27, 201511 yr New food, new ways to order at Great American Every year, there is something new to eat and drink at Great American Ball Park. This year, there are also some new ways to order that should make getting your beer, your hot dogs and your Belgian waffles with strawberries go faster. That way, you'll spend less time waiting in line and more time watching the game. If you just want to grab a quick Budweiser, Bud Light or Goose Island, you can get it at one of 20 new self-serve draft beer stations. Each has four taps, adding a total of 80 new ones in GABP. They'll be at 10 locations — six on the Terrace level (from foul pole to foul pole), three on the View level (at home plate between first and third base) and one in Champions Club. Drinkers pay by the ounce, using cards that can be bought in the ballpark's retail shops in denominations of $20 and $100. It takes about 19 seconds to fill your beer. It's the largest number of these stations in professional sports, according to a representative for DraftServ Technologies, which makes the units. They're rolling the stations out with those beers because they're the stadium's most popular, but they could add other beers, including craft or local, in the future. Starting with the second home stand, four new kiosks will be set up near the Long Bar where fans can submit and pay for an order with the swipe of a card. Choices includes hometown favorites Frisch's, La Rosa's, Skyline, Penn Station and Taste of Belgium, plus a hot dog stand. The order can then be picked up at an express line at each stand. New in the concession line-up is the Fry Box, which will serve hand-cut fries topped with a Buffalo-chicken mix, pulled pork, or pot roast, or with either ranch or truffle salt. It will be opposite Mr. Red's Smokehouse. Ole Smoky Moonshine will take over the Party Barn, an event space for groups adjacent to Mr. Red's Smokehouse. Even if you're not part of a private party there, you'll be able to buy the Tennessee distillery's three moonshine cocktails at concession stands throughout the ballpark. There's Mr. Redlegs Punch — and because it's made with 80 proof Hunch Punch Moonshine, it does, indeed, pack a punch — and the lighter, fruity Ballpark Berry Lemonade and Apple Pie Slammer. The Smokehouse will still have its delicious, monstrous turkey leg, prime rib and pulled pork. As they've done for a few years, they'll offer specials themed to the visiting team. There's smoked stuffed cardinal (actually quail) when St. Louis is in town, and it's a very fun thing to chew the bones of a little, delicious bronzed, smoked quail while watching a game. When Pittsburgh's in town, it will be a Primanti-style sandwich, and smoked soft-shell crab when the Nationals are here from D.C. (That one's not for everyone, but a great surprise if you're a soft-shell fan.) The sports-bar-style restaurant at the park, The Machine Room, does extra-good versions of standard sports-bar food. New this year is bacon on a stick. Drenched in Ohio maple syrup and chili pepper, the thick-cut bacon is broiled to crisp, sticky deliciousness. If it goes well in the restaurant, I vote for a bacon-on-a-stick concession stands all over the ballpark. The Machine Room mac and cheese is perfect, and you can get it with a layer of tender pot roast underneath. The grilled cheese sandwich is made with aged cheddar, gruyere, and smoked provolone, with an egg or bacon optional. With the All-Star game here this year, there are some upscale additions that will be rolled out during the season. For now, the special rolling carts serving various specialties will be in the luxury suites, but look for them in the concourse later. One is customized guacamole, made to order. Another is a carving station, but using large roasted tomahawk steaks instead of prime rib or big sirloins. With roasted fingerling potatoes and mushrooms, this is worth getting in line for if you see it. There's also a cold rolling cart that could be used for a raw bar on wheels, with oysters, crab claws and shrimp, or for sushi or dessert. The biggest change in the ballpark restaurants is the conversion of the Riverfront Club to the Handlebar, with a buffet on the theme of "gastropub meets the ballpark." The menu includes Korean barbecue on scallion pancakes, Moroccan chicken osso bucco, and infused, compressed fruit. That dish includes intriguing flavor combinations such as blood orange infused with sambucca, orange-sage canteloup and mint and rosemary honeydew.
March 27, 201511 yr Author How does the beer tap Card someone? Well, you have to buy a card to use in the machine. I would assume they card you there and maybe give you a wrist band or something and have a monitor at the station. I wonder if this will impact the # beer sellers walking around the stadium?
March 27, 201511 yr Well, you have to buy a card to use in the machine. I would assume they card you there and maybe give you a wrist band or something and have a monitor at the station. I wonder if this will impact the # beer sellers walking around the stadium? I figured they had a system in place. But still gonna have to have someone there to check ID's
March 27, 201511 yr @MJAlltheWay24 Can you give us some insight on these beer machines? I can tell you that I'm not thrilled about it! haha But in all seriousness, I don't think it will affect the beer vendors too much during the actual game, but will for those that try to sell on the concourse before the game or while waiting on an aisle.. Any time they introduce something new, people will probably flock to it, plus its another place to get beer which is bad business for me. But great for the fan and that's what matters. I'll explain it, sorry if I come off as a little negative haha: You will have to wait in a line to get the card/put money on a card. Basically you'll have a GABP debit card I guess. I think they will ID you there. You will then get in a line at the self-serve draft station, where you will be ID'd a 2nd time (wristbands don't work because you can pass those off. Plus if it's your 2nd time or something and you don't go to the "card line" they won't have ID'd you. They are very strict on IDing people in GABP). So I feel like you'd be ID'd in both lines. You will fill your own cup and pay per the ounce. I believe it will only allow a certain of number of ounces at a time, maybe even per hour or something of that nature.
March 27, 201511 yr Negatives: I think you are going to have to wait in line twice (at least the first time to get your card). Waiting for goofballs who don't know what they are doing (could be potential longer lines) If you aren't good at pouring, potentially more foam = wasting your money Probably pretty easy to leave some money on the card (I would imagine you could use it the next time, but I don't know) Not a great variety. From what I understand it's Bud Light, Budweiser, and Goose Island (Vendors this year could be carrying a variety of beers including Bud Light, Bud, Miller Lite, Yuengling, Blue Moon, Summer Shandy, Shocktop, Angry Orchard, and Sam Adams Seasonal) Positives: Looks cool, especially for the All-Star Game More places to get beer Pay Per Ounce Might have shorter lines at concession stands or even here since there are more places to get beer.
March 27, 201511 yr I haven't been in GABP since the last game of the 2014 regular season, but from my understanding they are upgrading the look of a lot of things. The store fronts/concessions stands will look very different and should be really nice.
March 27, 201511 yr Author I was wondering about the foam and how that would work if you don't know how to properly pour a beer. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of draft beer so I will still be seeking out the beer vendors! :thumb:
March 27, 201511 yr I'm guessing the brews at the self serve things won't be in denominations that that divide equally into $20...
March 27, 201511 yr Negatives: If you aren't good at pouring, potentially more foam = wasting your money. What I wouldn't like would be people that touch their cup that they just finished up against the beer spigot for a refill. Unless it is required to get a fresh cup every time. I'll just get mine from the great vendors that come around.
March 27, 201511 yr What I wouldn't like would be people that touch their cup that they just finished up against the beer spigot for a refill. Unless it is required to get a fresh cup every time. I'll just get mine from the great vendors that come around. I'd imagine that they'll make them get a new cup every time, but not sure. Either way, you're a good man @OlDog75!
March 27, 201511 yr I'm guessing the brews at the self serve things won't be in denominations that that divide equally into $20... No doubt. I feel like the article I read when they introduced this in Minnesota last year at the All-Star game, it was like 47 cents an ounce or something like that. Either way, since you can't just swipe your own debit/credit card, I'm sure the idea behind it is some change, maybe even dollars for some people get left on those cards.
March 31, 201511 yr I'm leary about ballpark food after seeing what shook down in KC. I missed that. What happened?
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