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Ballparks, Brews, and Brats

Official Review by David Berger, Stadium Journey Special Correspondent

Miller Park just finished its 12th season in operation as the home of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2012, and it’s really just entering its prime years. Miller Park does a fantastic job of blending the old and the new, the historic and the modern. Yes, it’s another brick and steel retro-mod park from the post Camden Yards era, but a day at Miller Park is a day steeped in “real Wisconsin”.

Food & Beverage    5

If you can manage to eat in the ballpark (see the upcoming section on Neighborhood in regards to tailgating), there' s really only 3 things you need to make you feel like you're in Wisconsin: Cheese curds, sausage and beer. Beyond that there are still plenty of options to choose from.

You don't really find cheese curds in other parts of the country, mainly because they don't stay fresh long enough as curds. The ballpark variety are like the best cheddar "mozzarella stick" you've ever had. Served in a mini helmet, they look like tater tots. Definitely a must have. In the third base bar, they also serve poutine, a Quebecois combination of French fries, brown gravy and fresh cheese curds.

Right behind cheese curds on the Brewers' menu are of course, sausages. Just like in the races, they're available in multiple varieties, including brats, polish and chorizo. Sauerkraut is offered as a help yourself condiment, something that I miss at a lot of in the Southern ballparks that prefer onions and slaw. The brats and polish sausages we tried had great spice and a good snap. Just as you'd expect at a game here.

Beer offerings are dominated by Miller and Miller owned sub-brands, but with a little searching you can find quite a bit more. The Friday's Front Row bar tends to have a wider selection, including local Lakefront Brewery products and other national brands.

Atmosphere    4

A Brewers game is a day of fun. It's hard not to have a light hearted attitude, when the dominating feature looming from the left field bleachers is Bernie the Brewer's giant home run slide. From the party atmosphere of the tailgate, to the sausage race, to the kid friendly attractions beyond the right field corner, a Brewers game is very much like the mellow buzz of the first few drinks you had in the parking lot. By the time the 7th inning stretch rolls around, and they add "Beer Barrel Polka" to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "God Bless America", it doesn't really matter too much who's winning.

Neighborhood    5

Miller Park is not in a real walkable neighborhood. The surrounding residential area is still a good distance away, and the facility sits in a sea of parking bordered by less than inviting factory and warehouse buildings. So how can it get 5 stars?

Tailgating is the star of the Brewers experience. We went for a Wednesday afternoon game late in season on a dreary overcast day, and that did not diminish the mirth of the parking lot one bit. There's plenty of food and drink around, as well as the customary ladderball and beanbag games. People come early and plan an elaborate setup. If you're an accomplished tailgate moocher, you'll find no shortage of opportunity here. Milwaukeeans are friendly to a fault, happy to talk... happy to share... happy to let you walk away with their bottle opener. When they do, even the most hardened New Yorker can't help but return it with a friendly "Thanks... enjoy the game. Go Brewers!"

Downtown Milwaukee also has several great places, and I can specifically recommend Mader's or the Old German Beer Hall. Either is a wonderful place to sample some authentic German food while you're in town.

Fans    3

At the time of this visit in 2012, the Brew Crew were still finding their way out of their midsummer funk, and had not yet begun their ascension to contender. We found a knowledgeable, and polite fan base that was feeling a little apathetic. People were there for the game, and a relaxed afternoon. Lots of available seats for the businessman's special, and some of the businessmen seemed to disappear for long stretches of the game.

Access    3

Getting to the ballpark is easy. There are more than 12,000 parking spaces, and the lots open 3 hours before game time for the aforementioned tailgate festivities. In addition, there's a special Rt 90 public transit bus that starts 2 hours prior to game time. A number of standard bus lines also make stops within walking distance.

Milwaukee area bars, restaurants and hotels may also run shuttle services. Check the Brewers website for specifics.

Return on Investment    4

With a little careful shopping, Miller Park doesn't have to break the bank. While the Brewers use the same variable pricing schemes that most major league teams use, they also offer a number of specials and promotions to help make it easier to attend a few extra games a year. Family Pack ticket days, "Thirsty Thursdays" and other sponsored specials create opportunity for the budget conscious. Standard prices for food and concessions seem in line with major league averages.

Extras    3

If you're lucky, you'll get a chance to see the roof open or close during your stay. Retractable roofs are an engineering marvel, and while they are almost commonplace these days, it's still kind of a wonder to behold. Miller Park has the only fan-shaped retractor in North America, and it can be opened or closed in about 10 minutes.

If you're really into the ballpark experience for the day, you can take the private stadium tours. You'll get a chance to see pieces of the stadium not normally available to the public, plus there's an opportunity to take a trip down Bernie's slide. It's incredibly overpriced, but the idea of going down that slide is tantalizing. Pretty sure the idea of it is better than the actual experience.

Final Thoughts

If you have some time to stroll around, be sure to check out Helfaer Field. It's one of the premier youth baseball facilities in the area, and can be rented out. Helfaer Field sits adjacent to Miller Park, on the site of old County Stadium.

I also love the fact that when the Brewers are on the road, or in the offseason, you can rent out the visitors' clubhouse for a private event. What a unique way to entertain business clients with a once in a lifetime experience.

I\'ve only been to 3 major league parks, but the other two are wrigley and the cell. I\'ve lived in

I've only been to 3 major league parks, but the other two are wrigley and the cell. I've lived in Chicagoland all my life and I'm not a sox or cubs fan. I'm a huge Mariners fan. But anyways, miller park blows me away with the tailgating, price of parking, and the price of tickets. Also, there selection and quality of food is far better than the cell and wrigley. I do plan on going to all the ballparks eventually. The sausage race is amazing to witness because everyone gets into the race. There's not a bad seat in the house. I would say the only negative about miller park is that even when the roof is open it still feels like they are playing in a dome. Polish sausage is so good!

by Goblue1523 | Aug 04, 2010 05:37 PM

Living in the Chicago area and being a Sox fan,whenever I want to see pitchers hit I take the drive up to Milwaukee.Parking is easy and tickets are reasonable.Some of the seats in the field bleachers have poor sight lines.My only negative experience there was on a college night.Twenty-somethings out tailgating for hours you could see what that leads to.Other than that really enjoy Miller Park

by mattyb | Jan 22, 2011 03:18 AM

Miller Park Concessions

If you're looking for reviews on Miller Park concessions, make sure you check out our blog, John and Cait...Plus 9 at http://brewers.mlblogs.com. Enjoy!

by johnandcait | Sep 08, 2011 11:00 AM

Miller Park Gameday Experience

The tailgating experience is certainly a must, but if visiting from out of town, as mentioned in the review, there are several bars on Bluemound Dr. that provide shuttles to the game (drop you off right at the front door) and from the game (they run for an hour after and can get hard to catch if there is a big crowd). Slim McGinn's, Kelly's Bleachers, Derry's Irish Pub, Steve's on Bluemound to name a few.

Also, if in town for a night game, hit up the Miller Brewery Tour, which is a short cab ride from the stadium. Its not as good as it once was, as they used to provide ample samples of Miller's finest, but it's a neat prelude to the Brewer experience.

by flamer | Jun 04, 2012 10:58 PM

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