Toledo Mud Hens view locally brewed craft beer as positive enticement. Imagine that.

As of Thursday evening, the Louisville Bats are in downtown Toledo for games against the Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field, which was built in 2002, just after Louisville Slugger Field opened.

I was wondering: Are there craft beer options at Toledo’s home park, and if so, how do they compare with the perennially dismal situation in Louisville?

My verdict after light research: Thumbs mostly up.

There's a disclaimer to be considered any time one cannot actually be there to see things up close and personal, and it pertains to the bastardization of the "craft" concept by multinational, industrial brewers. Absent qualification, it remains likely that "craft" in these and most other PR-speak contexts probably includes beers that are "crafty" (i.e., mockrobrews like Shock Top and zombie crafts such as Goose Island) and not locally-brewed craft beer.

However, Toledo's Maumee Bay Brewing Company has at least two beers inside the yard and brews one "just for the Hens." Not only that, but the ball club seems to have refrained from hiding these choices, and miracle of miracles, actually promotes them as a positive reason for buying tickets.

Ohio must be a blue state.

At Fifth Third Field, four "craft" beer tastings are on tap for the season, as held on the field side of the turnstiles, not somewhere outside.

Finally, the stadium authority has embraced progressive aspects of New Urbanism to retrofit concessions areas, and such renovations are sorely needed in Louisville.

Here are a few links that tell the story. Excerpts are from the articles, and are not mine.

Have you attended games in Toledo? Let me know how it works there as we continue to build a case for proper, genuine craft beer at Louisville Slugger Field.

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Try a Broken Bat beer; brewed just for the Hens!

Try a Broken Bat beer next time you're at Fifth Third Field! Broken Bat is brewed by Maumee Bay Brewing Company exclusively for the Mud Hens! Wet your whistle with Broken Bat or Buckeye Beer, available at the Hen & Hound casual dining station on the main concourse, or upstairs in the club level.

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Maumee Bay Brewing

For the Toledo Mud Hens at Fifth Third Field, they are brewing Broken Bat Kolsch Ale. Both Broken Bat and Buckeye Beer are available on draft at the games.

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May 17- - Pub 315 plays host to the first Beer Tasting Event of the season. 

Tickets to the beer tasting events will include an all you can eat buffet, beer samples from several craft beer vendors, and a souvenir giveaway. The other beer tasting dates are: June 6, July 5, and August 1

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Mud Hens debut new foods, concourse face-lift

Fans entering the concourse at Fifth Third Field this season will notice some major changes as all eight concessions venues have new names, new signs and renovated facades.

The goal of the face-lift was to evoke the feel of a downtown streetscape, said Craig Nelson, president of A Cut Above Catering, the official catering group of Fifth Third Field.

“The whole concept originated with asking how can we upgrade all our dining stations and make it feel like you’re walking down this downtown street, trying to choose where to have dinner or where to get dessert,” Nelson said.