Photo: Daniel Grill/Tetra Images (Getty Images)
Last season, we didn’t care that the Major League Baseball season didn’t begin until July (and only lasted an abridged 60 games). We were just happy to have sports back. This year, with people being vaccinated left and right and things beginning to return to some semblance of normalcy, a full season of baseball awaits us. It all starts this week.
Baseball is America’s pastime. It only makes sense to pair it with another American staple: beer. Since the only way to truly enjoy opening day (and the rest of the season) is with a beer (or three) in hand, we figured the best course of action was to pair our ten favorite teams with the best hometown brews. Check them all out below and…play ball!
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MLB Baseball Season Local Beers
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New York Yankees (Bronx Brewery Smile My Guy IPA)
New York is filled with high-quality, amazing beers. It’s hard to pick just one. But, since the Yankees play in the Bronx, we’d be out of line for not picking a beer from the Bronx Brewery. Known for its rotating brews, one of its current hits is Smile My Guy IPA, a highly crushable, crisp, citrus-filled beer.
Photo: Bronx Brewery
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Los Angeles Dodgers (Brouwerij West Popfuji)
After years of almost winning it all, the Dodgers finally won the World Series during the abridged 2020 season. To celebrate the championship, and prepare for a new season, drink Brouwerij West Popfuji. It’s an unfiltered pilsner that has a perfect mix of sweet malts, juicy fruits, and subtly bitter, floral hops.
Photo: Brouwerij West
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Atlanta Braves (Creature Comforts Tritonia)
While Athens is outside of Atlanta, that doesn’t stop it from being a great choice for Braves fans. While the brewery makes a variety of different beers perfect for pairing with an afternoon watching baseball, its Tritonia is a salty, sweet, citrus, and cucumber-flavored gose. It’s crisp, dry, and the kind of beer you’ll want to drink all summer long.
Photo: Creature Comforts
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Seattle Mariners (Elysian Space Dust)
Seattle is filled with great breweries. One of the best is Elysian, having brewed in the city since 1996. Its flagship beer is Space Dust an 8.2% IPA brewed with Chinook hops and dry-hopped with Citra and Amarillo hops.
Photo: Elysian
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Cleveland Indians (Great Lakes Tidal Fury)
The soon-to-be-renamed Indians seem to always be close to winning the World Series, but not close enough. The last time they hoisted the championship trophy was in 1948. That’s enough to make any fan furious. In that regard, start the season angry with a pint (or two) of Great Lakes Tidal Fury, a hazy imperial IPA with juicy tropical fruit and citrus flavors.
Photo: Great Lakes
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Boston Red Sox (Jack’s Abby Hoponius Union)
Technically located outside of the city in Framingham, Jack’s Abby is the best beer to drink while you watch the Red Sox smack homers over the Green Monster. We suggest Hoponius Union with its nice mix of citrus, tropical fruit flavors, and a clean dry finish.
Photo: Jack’s Abby
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Milwaukee Brewers (Lakefront Lager)
Milwaukee is well known as a classic beer center. But, it also has a burgeoning craft scene. One of the best options is Lakefront. If you’re truly going to enjoy a beer in a city known for crisp lagers, you need to drink Lakefront Lager, a refreshing, thirst-quenching classic style lager.
Photo: Lakefront
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San Diego Padres (Pure West)
Sure, you’ll be more than happy if you sip on a Stone IPA or Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, but if you truly want to get the best of San Diego, you’ll drink Pure West. This hazy, 6.4% s West Coast IPA is filled with Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic hops.
Photo: Pure Project
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Chicago Cubs (Revolution Sun Crusher)
Chicago, like many major cities, is home to a large number of great breweries. But, in our opinion, there’s no better brewery than Revolution. And, if you’re going to get the best beer to baseball ratio, grab some Revolution Sun Crusher. This seasonal beer drops in April with its refreshing, citrus, crisp flavors.
Photo: Revolution
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Philadelphia Phillies (Tired Hands Alien Church)
Some baseball fans are so passionate about their team’s stadium that they treat it with the reverence of a church. In that vein, it makes sense to watch your Phillies take on all comers at Citizens Bank Stadium while you sip on a pint of Tired Hands Alien Church, a massively hopped, hazy IPA.
Photo: Tired Hands
