New York Eats:
You can’t lose, and neither can Amazins, if you trek to Citi Field for N.Y. Beer Fest
Citi Field has pitched the perfect remedy for Met fans looking to drown their sorrows.
The Queens ballpark will host the New York Beer Fest on July 21, promising a lineup loaded with brews, food, games and entertainment.
That’s good news for devotees of the team looking for a reason to celebrate — or numb their feelings during this soulcrushing season.
General admission tickets to the event taking place in the stadium’s concourse cost $50 per session, with sessions running from 1 to 4 p.m. and then 7 to 10 p.m. These tickets include unlimited tastings, with food sold separately.
Those who want to splurge on VIP admission, $80, get in an hour early to each of those two sessions, plus score access to the dugouts and warning track — that’s the part of the field that’s closest to the wall, and where Amazin’ homer hopes tend to die in the gloves of opposition outfielders, for those of you who enjoy your ales but know nothing about baseball.
The event will also offer entertainment throughout the concourse including a dunk tank, corn hole game, ’90s cover band and a DJ.
Whichever ticket you purchase, expect about 200 beers available from around 75 craft breweries on hand. They include Brooklyn Brewery, Ommegang, Captain Lawrence, Stillwater, Evil Twin, Decadent Ales, Kings County Distillery, LIC Beer Project, Equilibrium and Greenpoint.
You’ll also find beer from Mikkeller, the new 10,000-square-foot brewery, bar and dining space that opened at Citi Field in March as the Denmark-based craft brewer’s first U.S. location outside of California.
The fest will feature New York cideries like Doc’s Draft Hard Ciders, Graft, Original Sin, Brooklyn Cider House, as well as national cideries including Downeast and Ace.
The Mets won’t be playing at Citi Field during New York Beer Fest — they’ll be across town facing off against the Yankees in the Bronx, just as they are this weekend at home.
The Big Apple big league teams are also competing off the field this season. Not to be outdone by Citi Field’s Mikkeller, the Bronx Bombers teamed up with Long Island-based Blue Point Brewing Company just before the start of this season to launch a pale lager that fans can only score at Yankee Stadium.
Called the NY Pinstripe Pilsner, it’s sold at the new Blue Point Bleachers Bar on the 200 Level of the ballpark in the left field bleachers area. The lager’s brewed with Pilsner malt and Motueka hops for a crisp taste with a hint of lime.