Steve Booth, a volunteer with the Exchange Club of Greater Durham, pours a glass of Hoppyum IPA by Foothills Brewing on Friday, April 20 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Brews in the Bullpen By Patrick Mason Photography by Alan Campbell
It’s a Friday night, and the Durham Bulls Athletic Park is filling up fast. A fireworks display is scheduled after the final out is recorded, and a strong crowd is on hand to watch the historic Bulls baseball team under a cloudless sky. The setting might resemble something out of a movie scene, or maybe you’ve seen something like this in one of those commercialized domestic beer advertisements that suggests a smooth lager and baseball are a perfect match. The thing is, the Durham Bulls Athletic Park — or DBAP — challenges this idea. After all, the craft brew scene reigns supreme around here. The liquid in plastic cups looks a little darker, and the flavors more bold. The craft beer atmosphere is vibrant around the stadium, with breweries and local bars all within a short walk from the iconic stadium. And that atmosphere, the one that
celebrates the microbrews, doesn’t change much once inside. The concourse is dotted with beer stands, and concession windows welcome those searching for a wide range of craft beers. Those enjoying a few drinks on a nice afternoon at the various locations outside the ballpark don’t have to switch gears once they walk through the turnstile. “This place has changed within the past three years in terms of having craft beers,” said Steve Booth, a volunteer worker at one of the craft beer stands. “This place was filled with the standard canned beer, and that was all we sold. I’d be grabbing beers out of tubs of ice, and now we have this great selection all up and down, and you can find anything you want.” Booth has been pouring and selling beers at the stadium for almost 20 years and has noticed a shift in thinking that has revolutionized the liquid options.
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“It’s really a great place to explore your microbrew tastes,” Booth said. “They’ve put so many more stands here, they didn’t want people to stand in line. So that’s why you’ll see options all over the place.” At least 18 locations sell some version of craft beer at the park. The traditional Budweiser and Miller options are still available, but that isn’t the main focus. Not here. Not at the only minor league baseball stadium in the country to have a craft brewery located inside its walls. Bull Durham Beer Co. began brewing its beer inside the stadium in 2015, and that kicked off an arms race of sorts as other breweries made their way to DBAP. And it’s that vast beer selection that makes DBAP a unique place to catch a game. Just ask Chris Byrum and Elyse Huwe, who each ordered a Foothills brew from the 3rd Base Beer Garden. The small stand located on the main
