Photo by Kevin Harber
This article has been updated.
Behind only complaints about the up-and-down performance of the home team, perhaps no fan concern at Nationals Park is as great as the one about the total lack of locally produced beers.
Well, that deficit ends Saturday. With the Nationals heading into the second half of their season, fans will be able to quench the sweltering summer weather with brews by 3 Stars Brewing Company, DC Brau, Port City Brewing Company, and Mad Fox Brewing Company. Beers from the four local breweries are set to go on draught at a new kiosk behind Section 139.
“It’s something we’ve been waiting for a long time,” DC Brau founder Brandon Skall says in a phone interview. “Any given day, especially during baseball season I can count 20 or so tweets at them asking for local beer.”
But Skall says a lot of the credit should go to Port City founder Bill Butcher, who “did a lot of lobbying” with the Nationals to get beers made in D.C. (3 Stars and DC Brau), Alexandria (Port City), and Falls Church (Mad Fox) into the stadium.
The beers were supposed to start selling Friday night, but the rollout is being delayed by a day because the graphics are not ready for cart that will be carrying the local kegs, according to an email Skall received from DC Brau’s distributor.
The Nationals have been selling more regional beers such as Flying Dog and Dogfish Head for a few seasons, but the new brews are made far closer to the ballpark, something Skall says fans should savor.
“It’s a huge step forward and it’s something people from D.C. are going to be proud of. Up until now you drink what’s there,” he says. “Now they can drink something they’re proud to support. It really does grow hometown spirit. People who are fans of their local sports teams are fans of other local things.”
Once the cart art is installed, here’s what will be on tap to start:
- DC Brau: The Public pale ale
- 3 Stars: Citra lemon peel saison
- Port City: Optimal Wit
- Mad Fox: Kölsch
