Opening day at Fifth Third Ballpark not only marked the start of a new baseball season for the West Michigan Whitecaps, but also a grand opening for the ballpark’s Craft Beer Clubhouse.
The new Beer Clubhouse is located along the third base concourse and offers a unique experience from the rest of the ballpark. While the stadium is built to “play ball,” and escaping the weather is near impossible, the Craft Beer Clubhouse offers a different atmosphere completely.
Inside the bar is an atmosphere set up much like Founder’s Brewery, a rustic feel with dim lighting to enhance a raw, relaxed environment. The bar is heated and air conditioned so it is always open for business, no matter the weather! That’s a huge bonus in Michigan where it can snow at a moments notice, even in April.
Now, the most important question, what does the Craft Beer Clubhouse have on tap? The bar currently has 16 local beers on tap from Perrin’s, Bell’s, Founders, Brewery Vivant, The Mitten Brewing Co., and Arcadia.
“The response has been extremely positive, it’s super busy all the time,” explained Katie Johnson, Food and Beverage Manager for the WhiteCaps, “The Craft Clubhouse has been busier than all the other beer stands in the stadium combined.”
Craft beer isn’t the only thing new inside the stadium. The ballpark has added a couple new dishes to the menu. The Hot-to-Tot! is a dish with buffalo chicken and bleu cheese dish covered in tater tots. There was also a new desert item added, the Beer-a-Misu, a desert with a craft beer and ice cream.
The early part of the season has seen the creation of another menu item with some inspiration from current WhiteCap Joey Pancake. The Joey Pancake is a sandwich with pulled pork and bacon drizzled with maple syrup and placed between two pancakes. Talk about a treat!
Be sure to catch a WhiteCaps game this season, try the new eats, and a craft beer… or two!
