Beer Foam keeps Dodger Stadium beers cold

The MLB Los Angeles Dodgers introduced an exceptional solution to combat Warm Beer Syndrome, a condition that strikes sports fans across the world on hot days.

Beer foam, created by Japanese beer maker Kirin, acts as a lid and keeps beer cold longer while fans soak up the Southern California sun at Dodger Stadium. Dispensed like soft-serve ice cream, beer foam is swirled atop beers before fans head back to their seats.

Something tells me beer foam will be begin making appearances in Major League Ballparks and stadiums across the world soon.

Arigatou Kirin!

Here’s a video featuring Beer Foam, courtesy of Food Beast.

MLS DC United takes big step toward new stadium

After a decade-long search, the light at the end of the tunnel may finally be a new stadium for Major League Soccer’s DC United.  According to the Washington Post, team executives, Washington DC mayor Vincent Gray and district officials today approved a preliminary $300 million deal to construct a new 20,000 seat stadium for the team near Nationals Park (home of the Washington Nationals).DC United has played in RFK Stadium since entering the league in 1996. Built in the golden age of multi-purpose stadiums, RFK is ancient by MLS standards. Well aware of RFK’s deficiencies, and with pressure mounting from the MLS who now require teams entering the league to play in modern, soccer-only stadiums, United’s situation was approaching desperate.  Today’s stadium news, however, has given United much greater hope for the team’s future.

Rendering of new proposed MLS DC United stadium.

The renderings of the new stadium portray a state-of-the-art stadium rivaling the league’s best.  As always with these stadium proposals though, politicians will have their say and hoops will need to be jumped through. This is Washington DC after all.

I’ve always gotten a chuckle watching televised United games at RFK where fans pack together at midfield and use the rickety stands to bounce and chant in unison. Now United fans may get the last laugh in a brand new stadium.

Stadium Food Spotlight: Bacon Maple Brat

One more reason to love minor league baseball, a marriage between the Eugene Emeralds and Portland, Oregon’s legendary Voodoo Doughnuts has spawned a new stadium food sports fans dream about – the Bacon Maple Brat.

Made in heaven (Eugene), the Bacon Maple Brat. Brilliant!

Voodoo Doughnuts has both food-loving and hung-over Portlandians queuing for their famous bacon-topped maple bar and other deep-fried creations. Together with the Emeralds, they’ve transformed a traditional ballpark food into a road-trip worthy gut bomb. Take your standard bratwurst, layer a strip of bacon on top, place them in a maple bar sliced like a hot dog bun, drizzle maple goodness over it and you have a Bacon Maple Brat. Even better, pair it at the ballpark with the local Oakshire Brewing Overcast Espresso Stout for a twist on a classic breakfast combo. Yum.

PK Park

Originally built to house the University of Oregon’s baseball program and located next to Autzen Stadium, PK Park houses both the Ducks and the MLB San Diego Padres minor league affiliate, the Emeralds. The Park is not, however, named after the University’s most prominent backer with the initials PK, Nike founder Phil Knight. Coincidentally, the Ducks have another large donor with the same initials – former athletic director Pat Kilkenny.  His donation helped fund the construction of the four-old baseball stadium.

Sorry Duck fans, Bacon Maple Brats are only available at Emeralds home games. To plan a road trip to grab this iconic grub, see their schedule here.

PK Park, Home of the Eugene Emeralds

Have you had a Bacon Maple Brat?  Tell me about it in the comments.