Bats move Browning's tap again ...

[Robin Garr]

Now it shares space with Shocktop "Belgian" Ale, the "stealth micro" from Anheuser-Busch, near Section 115 on the main concourse. The kiosk is heavily branded for Shocktop, with a very small sign indicating that Browning's "Gullotine" (misspelled) is available. Both are $4.75, both served in Budweiser branded plastic cups.

Paula? Anoosh? Can you give us some backstory here? It sure looks like Budweiser and the Bats, having allowed Browning's in the ballpark in a very small way, are doing all they can to keep the public from finding it. A little public hell-raising may be indicated here ...

Whatever the situation, can Browning's please ask their dry-goods purveyor or some other supplier to please supply them with branded cups to furnish the vendors, or at the very least, BLANK cups? No food or beverage producer should have to have their product served in a competitor's branded vessel. Anoosh, Paula - if you need help with this please let me know - I would be happy to campaign to your suppliers on your behalf. And if it's prohibited by the ball field or the mega-brew purveyors, just speak up and say so! I will check with Slugger Field management and get a ruling on people bringing their own insulated cups, or whatever. How could they say no? It'll only save them money, not passing out disposable cups that are inappropriate.

I'm steamed about this - can you tell?

[Robin Garr]

I will check with Slugger Field management and get a ruling on people bringing their own insulated cups, or whatever. How could they say no? It'll only save them money, not passing out disposable cups that are inappropriate.

Problem there, Marsha, is that most of the booths are staffed by either volunteers or low-wage workers, and the concessionaires, lacking trust in the workers, generally use a "cup count" and "bun count" form of inventory that has to balance when they cash out at the end of the evening.

Just got back from tonight's game. I found the Browning's tap behind home plate, main concourse, by the baseball card dealer. Guillotine ESB was listed, but I don't believe that's what it was. Too light.

The Bats management and Centerplate are Philistines, capital P. They'll simply never get it, and we're wasting our time expecting them to get it.

[Robin Garr]

Just got back from tonight's game. I found the Browning's tap behind home plate, main concourse, by the baseball card dealer. Guillotine ESB was listed, but I don't believe that's what it was. Too light.

In the Shocktop kiosk, Roger? It was next to Section 115, which is pretty close to home plate. I sure hope they didn't have a Shocktop barrel running to the Browning's tap ...

Yes, right there. What I was drinking was pale and fuller bodied, but not hoppy enough to be ESB.

The help (again) were clueless. Last time, they didn't know where Browning's was brewed. Better this time, though. I was able to teach them that Blue Moon drinkers would like Shock Top, and Bass drinkers might like ESB -- if that's what it really was.

Evidently I spent more time training them than Centerplate does, which isn't surprising, although it's pathetic.

On a different note... Tonight I was pleasantly surprised to find a very nice Gyro at a table around Sect. 120. It came with the unusual addition of bacon, black olives and feta. It was huge and was served with an ample side of nicely seasoned kettle chips for $6.50. The gentleman working the station had it set up with just an electric griddle that you would find in most cabinets at home and a nicely decorated lexan that he filled with ice to hold his toppings. It was quite the departure from the normal uninspired offerings.
It looked so good I took a picture of it with my new phone, but haven't figured out how to upload it yet

[Robin Garr]

The help (again) were clueless. ... Evidently I spent more time training them than Centerplate does, which isn't surprising, although it's pathetic.

Not that this is much of an excuse, but Centerplate staffs a lot of its booths with volunteers from clubs and civic groups, giving the group a small contribution in exchange for its members' free effort. Fair deal for the club, good deal for Centerplate. The point being that under these circumstances, the folks come in, get about five minutes' "training" in money handling, and go right to work. There's not going to be time to teach them the difference between wheat and barley, ale and lager.

If your help looks young, middle-class and perky, you're almost certainly working with a volunteer. Cluelessness seems to cross the employee/volunteer line.

Not that this is much of an excuse, but Centerplate staffs a lot of its booths with volunteers from clubs and civic groups, giving the group a small contribution in exchange for its members' free effort. Fair deal for the club, good deal for Centerplate.

An interesting point, and one that wouldn't be possible in Indiana, where anyone pouring beer must have the state-issued permit to exercise the privilege. While the permit itself doesn't guarantee knowledge or training, it means that a volunteer off the street isn't allowed to pour.

On a different note... Tonight I was pleasantly surprised to find a very nice Gyro at a table around Sect. 120. It came with the unusual addition of bacon, black olives and feta. It was huge and was served with an ample side of nicely seasoned kettle chips for $6.50.

Thanks for pointing to this. I bought one of them, he loaded it up good, and it was better than average by ballpark standards.

[Robin Garr]

An interesting point, and one that wouldn't be possible in Indiana, where anyone pouring beer must have the state-issued permit to exercise the privilege. While the permit itself doesn't guarantee knowledge or training, it means that a volunteer off the street isn't allowed to pour.

I wouldn't be surprised if Kentucky has a similar law, but I expect Slugger Field gets around it by having a staffer on the premises when a volunteer is working the tap. I'm 100 percent sure I've seen non-employees dispensing beer, though.

Just got back from tonight's game. I found the Browning's tap behind home plate, main concourse, by the baseball card dealer. Guillotine ESB was listed, but I don't believe that's what it was. Too light.

The Bats management and Centerplate are Philistines, capital P. They'll simply never get it, and we're wasting our time expecting them to get it.

I wonder if that was the Maibock you were tasting. They had the Maibock labeled as She Devil a few weeks ago the St. Mary's Street Dance. I got a cup looking forward to something hoppy, and ended up with the Maibock instead. Once I got over the disappointment of no hops, I found I really enjoyed the Maibock considerably.

Could have been, Todd. If had a lager character, the right color and wasn't boldly hopped. Good call.

Robin Garr I'm 100 percent sure I've seen non-employees dispensing beer, though.

Robin, you definately have, I have poured beer on many events for my daughters gymnastics fund raisers during concerts and also worked a couple of Bats games

[Robin Garr]

I don't see any problem here ... beverage laws differ in every state, and I very much doubt that the Bats would risk law-breaking. Most likely under Kentucky law, volunteers - at least in a fund-raising situation - can pull the tap handle, as long as the volunteer is of age and an employee is supervising.

And if the supervisor steps out for a pit stop, who really gives a ... ?

Robin Garr I'm 100 percent sure I've seen non-employees dispensing beer, though.

Robin, you definately have, I have poured beer on many events for my daughters gymnastics fund raisers during concerts and also worked a couple of Bats games