MOOSIC, Pa. -- The tradition of baseball and beer dates back decades and decades to the game's early years.
"It just kind of goes with the season. Summertime is beer season, just nothing more relaxing than sitting back at a baseball game with a beer," said Fred Maier, co-founder of Susquehanna Brewing.
At PNC Field, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, brews and baseball are essential components to the fan experience.
The New York Yankees AAA affiliate has nearly 30 beers on tap inside the ballpark, including six local breweries in northeastern and central Pennsylvania.
"I think anytime we can support local business, it's a priority," said RailRiders president and GM Josh Olerud. "When you have a lot of great local breweries and flavor around here, it's fun. It makes it kind of easy to support some of those companies."
That list includes:
- Yuengling from Pottsville,
- Free Will Brewing Company in Perkasie,
- Liquid Hero Brewery from York,
- Susquehanna Brewing Company from Luzerne County,
- Troegs from Hershey,
- Wallenpaupack Brewing Company from Hawley.
"Baseball and beer, it's summertime and you want to go to a ballgame and have a beer and it's great when we can have our products in the stadiums," said Yuengling owner Dick Yuengling.
"It's just an excellent opportunity. You think of the RailRiders, affiliated with the New York Yankees, they get people traveling all up and down the east coast. It just gains a lot of exposure for us to certain people who may never be familiar with our beer," Maier said.
"We did an event at Montage last year at the RailRiders at the stadium and the local reception to our beer was huge. That really caught their eye and over the winter time. We really went back and forth and built the relationship up to where it is now," said C.J. Penzone, the head brewer of Wallenpaupack Brewing Company.
The RailRiders sell these local craft brews at several locations around PNC Field, including a beer stand behind Section 28, where the line always seems to be several people deep.
"It's terrific. It's great for the communities, good for Paupack and the Poconos," said Gino Dallaste of Paupack Township.
"I was in a small business at one time and I think it's great for business and everyone involved," said Robert Myer of Scranton.
Supporting local breweries is something the RailRiders look to continue in future seasons.