beer

The Minnesota Twins now have a self-serving beer station at Target Field, the first such product in the MLB. The unit, built for the All-Star game on July 15th but will be used for every home game, sells beer by the ounce and debuted during Sunday’s game against the Yankees.

Twins spokesman Chris Iles said he is unaware of any similar machines in any of the major professional sports leagues in the United States.

Here’s how it works:

The patron must show ID to a cashier in order to purchase a drink card ($10, $20 or $50). The card is then used to select your beer of choice, paying by the ounce. Bud Light and Budweiser are 38 cents ($4.56 per 12 oz. beer) while Shock Top and Goose Island run 40 cents ($4.80).

In other words, this is one of the best deals in the bigs.

Customers are only allowed to withdraw 48 ounces per 15 minutes therefore am ambitious ticketholder can have a maximum of 16 beers per hour, stretched out over two hours (machines close in the 7th inning) plus pregame BP, therefore said ticketholder is allowed to consume 40-plus 12 oz. beers during a family trip to the ballpark.

Unfortunately a concessions employee will be positioned at each machine to ensure that guy doesn’t show up.

 

[Star Tribune, @AmeliaRayno]