'Crafty' White Sox beat Cubs in ballpark beer selection

Don Muret

'Crafty' White Sox beat Cubs in ballpark beer selection image

Score one for the Chicago White Sox in their crosstown war with the Chicago Cubs.

As opening day nears at both MLB parks in the Windy City, it appears the South Siders have one-upped the North Siders when it comes to craft beer options.

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The Chicago Tribune examined microwbrew selections at Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox, whose food vendors are Delaware North Sportservice for general concessions and Levy Restaurants for premium dining, have multiple local craft beers available, including Three Floyds, Lagunitas and Pollyana Brewing.

The Cubs? Levy Restaurants, their sole food provider, features a half-dozen flavors from Goose Island Brewery. Yes, it's a local company, but Anheuser-Busch purchased the company five years ago, and for all practical purposes, Goose Island brands such as 312 Urban Wheat and its IPA are mass produced and can be found at many bars and restaurants in the Chicago area.

The White Sox park, meanwhile, features Michigan craft beers such as Bell's and Great Lakes, in addition to local crafts. Overall, there's a greater selection of harder-to-find brands for the baseball fan/beer snob.

At Wrigley, part of the issue is the big marketing deal A-B signed with the Cubs in 2013. The 10-year agreement gave the brewer exclusivity across all malt beverage categories at the ballpark, effectively replacing Old Style as the Cubs' marketing partner.

But don't worry old-school Cub fans. You can still find Old Style in the Friendly Confines. You just need to look a little bit harder.

 

Don Muret