Saturday, July 17, 2010 (Twins vs. White Sox)
Pavano vs. Buehrle
Time of game: 1 hour and 52 minutes
9 cases of beer sold
Monday, July 19, 2010 (Twins vs. Indians)
Baker vs. Laffey
Time of game: 3 hours and 54 minutes
10.25 cases of beer sold
So for the extra 2 hours and 2 minutes of work, I made an extra 30 bucks. $15 per hour is lousy money when it comes to climbing stairs. I think every beer vendor would prefer Saturday’s game over Monday’s even though we all made less money. We are about efficiency and not greed.
Sales per hour is key, or better yet… Sales per STEP.
As a beer vendor, I look at the pitching match-ups to see what I am in for that evening. This year, Pavano and Liriano have potential for a fast game. Baker and Slowey mean... settle in for a long evening. Blackburn has been OK at home, but he has "turtle potential".
Beer vendors like the strikout guys and despise contact pitchers. Santana was awesome, Radke just made me work harder.
Then it is always nice to see an Ace pitching for the other team. David Price and Josh Beckett are always better to see in the lineup than Wade Davis and Tim Wakefield.
Bring on a pitchers' dual and maximize my "beer per stair" ratio.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Warm Beer HERE!
There is nothing worse for a beer vendor than bottles that come out of the “cooler” at about 60 degrees. Unfortunately that is what happened tonight at Target Field.
Last I checked, beer was best served ICE COLD… especially on a hot summer night.
It was a perfect night for baseball… 83 degrees at game time, and the beer, as it was handed to me out of the fridge was only about 25 degrees cooler than the air temperature.
NOT very refreshing!
This makes a beer vendor’s job 10 times harder. Sure, we carry ice 90% of the time on the beer, but usually it is only necessary to carry a small layer to drop the beer a little closer to the freezing point.
Tonight we had to pile on the ice. 10-20 pounds extra per tray. Usually a fully loaded tray before ice is about 50-60 pounds, tonight is was closer to 70 lbs. But, this does lower the temp of the beer about 20 degrees in about 10 minutes.
Proper product rotation was also important tonight. Grab the coldest ones, move the other beers over and hopefully by the time it got to the customer, it had reached a “pleasant” temp of about 40 degrees.
Tolerable on a warm day, but not providing that “aaaah” feeling that most casual beer drinkers are looking for. That temp where my customer takes their first sip, and says, “Oh yeah, that hits the spot”, and cannot wait to order the next one.
I want to sell beer that is as refreshing as that Coke was to Mean Joe Greene in the 70’s commercial where he threw his shirt to the kid (“Hey kid… Catch!)
We all did our best tonight. Everyone from management to vendors to stand managers and preps were icing the beer as early as possible to get it to cool down by the time it got to the customer. …and we succeeded, sort of.
Tomorrow, the forecast is for 91 degrees with a 70 degree dewpoint. Let’s hope the beer starts out colder so it can be ultra-refreshing in the heat of the day.
Last I checked, beer was best served ICE COLD… especially on a hot summer night.
It was a perfect night for baseball… 83 degrees at game time, and the beer, as it was handed to me out of the fridge was only about 25 degrees cooler than the air temperature.
NOT very refreshing!
This makes a beer vendor’s job 10 times harder. Sure, we carry ice 90% of the time on the beer, but usually it is only necessary to carry a small layer to drop the beer a little closer to the freezing point.
Tonight we had to pile on the ice. 10-20 pounds extra per tray. Usually a fully loaded tray before ice is about 50-60 pounds, tonight is was closer to 70 lbs. But, this does lower the temp of the beer about 20 degrees in about 10 minutes.
Proper product rotation was also important tonight. Grab the coldest ones, move the other beers over and hopefully by the time it got to the customer, it had reached a “pleasant” temp of about 40 degrees.
Tolerable on a warm day, but not providing that “aaaah” feeling that most casual beer drinkers are looking for. That temp where my customer takes their first sip, and says, “Oh yeah, that hits the spot”, and cannot wait to order the next one.
I want to sell beer that is as refreshing as that Coke was to Mean Joe Greene in the 70’s commercial where he threw his shirt to the kid (“Hey kid… Catch!)
We all did our best tonight. Everyone from management to vendors to stand managers and preps were icing the beer as early as possible to get it to cool down by the time it got to the customer. …and we succeeded, sort of.
Tomorrow, the forecast is for 91 degrees with a 70 degree dewpoint. Let’s hope the beer starts out colder so it can be ultra-refreshing in the heat of the day.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Beer Vendors' Prayer
“Please let me sell lots of Beer,
and please let it be a fast game.”
People would think that every beer vendor wants to have a long game so there is an extended opportunity for people to drink/buy more. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Believe it or not, most fans have decided how many beers they can have at the game even before they walk through the gate. It seems fans come in with a set amount of money that they are going to spend… and they are going to spend this amount whether the game is 90 minutes long or a 3 hour and 40 minute marathon.
There are games when a beerman feels like he has been with the same case long enough to develop a personal relationship with each individual bottle. (Don’t worry, I ice every case to keep it cold.)
All beer vendors want to sell as many beers as possible at every game, but there is something each wishes for…
“The Fast Game.”
The 3 hour + game is brutal. Fans are nursing beers in the 5th and 6th just waiting for “last call” so they can have 1 more and either:
A. still drive home, or
B. leave a few dollars in their wallet for the next day
and please let it be a fast game.”
People would think that every beer vendor wants to have a long game so there is an extended opportunity for people to drink/buy more. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Believe it or not, most fans have decided how many beers they can have at the game even before they walk through the gate. It seems fans come in with a set amount of money that they are going to spend… and they are going to spend this amount whether the game is 90 minutes long or a 3 hour and 40 minute marathon.
There are games when a beerman feels like he has been with the same case long enough to develop a personal relationship with each individual bottle. (Don’t worry, I ice every case to keep it cold.)All beer vendors want to sell as many beers as possible at every game, but there is something each wishes for…
“The Fast Game.”
The 3 hour + game is brutal. Fans are nursing beers in the 5th and 6th just waiting for “last call” so they can have 1 more and either:
A. still drive home, or
B. leave a few dollars in their wallet for the next day
The last 2 nights have had games hovering around a 2 hour pace for the first 7 innings. These are a blessing when you are on game 5 of a 9 game homestand.
MLB is talking about replay and other changes that may lengthen a game. I say “No WAY!”
Keep the games moving. Tomorrow that 3 hour and 20 minute game may seem like a marathon.
MLB is talking about replay and other changes that may lengthen a game. I say “No WAY!”
Keep the games moving. Tomorrow that 3 hour and 20 minute game may seem like a marathon.
If anyone would like to disagree… go to your local fitness club, get on the stairmaster, set it for 180 minutes and call me when the screen reads, “goal achieved”.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Are we there yet?
6 games into a 9 game homestand, and I am just wiped out. I think all vendors are looking forward to Sunday Night. We all seem to need a break and some time away. 3 more games to go.
Reminds me of a time in the early 90's where we had a 15 game homestand. It was 15 games in 17 days. I cannot imagine doing that now. If I remember right, there was quite a party after the final game.
Reminds me of a time in the early 90's where we had a 15 game homestand. It was 15 games in 17 days. I cannot imagine doing that now. If I remember right, there was quite a party after the final game.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The "Walk Around"
It rained tonight… then it poured tonight and the grounds crew pulled the tarp out and sent us waiting for 90 minutes.
Funny thing happens in a rain delay. About 35,000 people head to the concourse with the same idea. The conversation goes something like this:
Fan #1: “Hey buddy, what do you want to do now that there is a delay?”
Fan #2: “Oh I don’t know, but we don’t want to stay here and get soaked.”
Fan #1: “Well why don’t we head up to the concourse and walk around…”
Two dreaded words spoken by too many people… “Walk Around”
This starts a scene that is vaguely similar to how many college students will fit in this Volkswagen? In a matter of minutes there are 25,000 fans in an area made to hold about 5,000. Some going left and some going right. (Halftime at a football game is exactly the same way.)
This “walk around” is completely unproductive and creates something more like cattle being herded into a stockyard for slaughter. There are many wide open spaces at Target Field, but eventually people are channeled through several narrow hallways in certain areas. And it can get ugly.
A Beerman can see it firsthand. Some people get in line for food, some get in line for the bathroom, some keep moving, and there are even a few that decide they must stop their group right in the middle of this zoo to have a conversation. Each one of these lines and mobs creates more congestion, which leads to less “walking around” and more “being stuck in one spot”.
My advice… Instead of a “walk around” on the next rain delay, find a nice beer vendor to stand next to and chat with until you need your next beer. At least you won’t be stuck in the crowd without that Bud Light.
Funny thing happens in a rain delay. About 35,000 people head to the concourse with the same idea. The conversation goes something like this:
Fan #1: “Hey buddy, what do you want to do now that there is a delay?”
Fan #2: “Oh I don’t know, but we don’t want to stay here and get soaked.”
Fan #1: “Well why don’t we head up to the concourse and walk around…”
Two dreaded words spoken by too many people… “Walk Around”
This starts a scene that is vaguely similar to how many college students will fit in this Volkswagen? In a matter of minutes there are 25,000 fans in an area made to hold about 5,000. Some going left and some going right. (Halftime at a football game is exactly the same way.)
This “walk around” is completely unproductive and creates something more like cattle being herded into a stockyard for slaughter. There are many wide open spaces at Target Field, but eventually people are channeled through several narrow hallways in certain areas. And it can get ugly.
A Beerman can see it firsthand. Some people get in line for food, some get in line for the bathroom, some keep moving, and there are even a few that decide they must stop their group right in the middle of this zoo to have a conversation. Each one of these lines and mobs creates more congestion, which leads to less “walking around” and more “being stuck in one spot”.
My advice… Instead of a “walk around” on the next rain delay, find a nice beer vendor to stand next to and chat with until you need your next beer. At least you won’t be stuck in the crowd without that Bud Light.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Wanted... Budweiser Knee Pads
I wore shorts today at the game. It really felt weird.
After 22 years of vending in long pants, the weather in Minneapolis dictated that I should try shorts for the very first time.
85 degrees and sunny. Why not…?
Now all I need is some Budweiser knee pads for advertising. If anyone sees a pair on E-bay, let me know.
After 22 years of vending in long pants, the weather in Minneapolis dictated that I should try shorts for the very first time.
85 degrees and sunny. Why not…?
Now all I need is some Budweiser knee pads for advertising. If anyone sees a pair on E-bay, let me know.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Double Header => 2nd set of clothes.
Current conditions: 40 degrees and Rain/Snow.
No stairs for me tonight. The Twins will make up the game as part of a double-header tomorrow.
My report times on Saturday are 11 AM and 6 PM. That's not enough time to go home between and do laundry. I have 2 of everything except for knee pads. Fortunately the “knee pit” doesn’t smell as bad as the armpit when it comes to sweating.
For the fans, my personal recommendation for the second game of this double header is to buy beer from a vendor that actually changed clothes between games.
How will you know…?
Trust me, you will know.
No stairs for me tonight. The Twins will make up the game as part of a double-header tomorrow.
My report times on Saturday are 11 AM and 6 PM. That's not enough time to go home between and do laundry. I have 2 of everything except for knee pads. Fortunately the “knee pit” doesn’t smell as bad as the armpit when it comes to sweating.
For the fans, my personal recommendation for the second game of this double header is to buy beer from a vendor that actually changed clothes between games.
How will you know…?
Trust me, you will know.
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