A Durham Bulls brewery is on tap for Durham Bulls Athletic Park, as the Class AAA International League team adds the Bull Durham Beer Company to the ballpark lineup this season.
It will be the first brewery within a Minor League Baseball ballpark, and one of only a few in pro sports — the most famous, of course, being the brewery operating within Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. Nanobreweries or microbreweries are all the rage these days in the beer world: they don’t require much space or investment, and we expect to see more ballparks add nanobrewery equipment in coming years.
Bull Durham Beer Company’s two featured beers will be Water Tower Wheat and Lollygagger, a Kolsch-style ale. Fans will have the ability to watch the initial creative process at games as the season starts, and then enjoy the fresh beers at the ballpark upon brewing completion. BDBC beers will also be made available to restaurants and events at the American Tobacco Campus all year long.
“The Durham Bulls have a lot to offer with fun, games and good food, and now we are taking refreshing beers to a totally new level,” said Sebastian Wolfrum, executive brewmaster. “Our one-of-a-kind craft brewery will redefine the game experience where fans can not only enjoy freshly brewed beverages, but be a part of the process as we create our two inaugural beers before their eyes.”
Wolfrum, a native of Germany, will manage the brewery with Head Brewer Tate Little. Together they bring a unique combination of experience and ingenuity to the brewhouse.
“We are thrilled to bring the fans an experience that joins two time-honored traditions of baseball and beer together at the ballpark,” Little adds. “With our state of the art brewery, we will craft the highest quality beer for Bulls fans. We plan to first offer our Lollygagger Kolsch and Water Tower Wheat early in the season, followed by a more diverse selection of seasonal beers as the year progresses.”
Growing up in a small Bavarian town, Wolfrum started his brewing career at the Ayinger Brewery where he became a classically trained brewer and maltster. He added to his experience while working for a VDP winery and distillery. Wolfrum moved to North Carolina in 2005 to become Director of Brewing Operations for the Natty Greene’s Brewing Co. In his tenure at Natty Greene’s, he established the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild and joined the Brewers Association’s Brewpub Committee.
No word on when the brewery will begin serving beer, but you can follow the project’s progress at BullDurhamBeer.com.