The Beer Bat is Evolving

Whether you're a baseball fan or not, the connection between beer and America's pastime is undeniable. Both are deeply rooted in tradition and history, with different styles played around the world and modern twists like pitch clocks and Hazy IPAs keeping things fresh. Like savoring an ice-cold beer, baseball is as much about the ritual as it is about the game itself. And much like enjoying a great brew, watching a ballgame is made even more special by the company you share it with. Beer and baseball both have a special way of bringing people together—but there’s no greater force that melds these two passions than the Beer Bat. Two years after its Major League Baseball coming out party, where does the 26oz specialty beer vessel go from here?

Origin

Credit for the invention of The Beer Bat goes to Sam McGee, a University of Hartford profession and President of Green Egg Design, along with co-inventors Derrick Johnson and Brett Virgl. Their patent was filed in 2018 by SAMIAM Group LLC, around the time of this 2018 tweet from Darren Rovell showing The Beer Bat’s debut at an August 2018 Hartford Yard Goats game. This tweet sharing it’s $19.00/24oz price is the earliest mention I could find of it’s commercial use and is also referenced on the patent application.

Minor Phenomenon

After the awkward 2020 baseball season, 2021 came back swinging with Beer Bats becoming commonplace across the Minor Leagues, along with Beer Bat stands as well.

2023 Pivotal Year

While the Beer Bat had been around for almost 5 years, 2023 was the year that the idea really broke through, getting the call up to the Majors and debuting to much fanfare at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.

Credit: @MattLinder

Sports Media Outlets Proposed That Beer Bats May Solve Cup Snakes Problem…

Note: The hand in the photo on the right belongs to Dovetail Brewing’s Jenny Pfäfflin but did not get credited. So I am crediting it!

Referring to These Works of Art Built By Fans

That Suggestion Turned Out to be Naive

Hockey Wants In On the Action

Last month, the Pittsburgh Penguins (among others) announced Beer Sticks presented by Coors Light, opening the floodgates for its second sport. The patent for the beer sticks is owned by the same group as the beer bat.

The Next Evolution

Beer Bats will always be fun, but the novelty could be at risk of wearing off, especially at most MLB price points. The Seattle Mariners freshened things up for 2025 by introducing The Trident Cup, giving them their own similar concept that plays into their team’s brand.

This got me thinking about what other baseball team’s could do. The Milwaukee Brewers could do The Beer Mash Paddle. My Pittsburgh Pirates could do The Beer Sword, or even better, The Beer Pegleg !

Don’t Forget About the Kids

My 9 year old would lose his mind if I had a beer bat and he didn’t get a bat-shaped vessel of his own, so these popcorn bats debuting in 2025 are a genius way to squeeze another $20 (more?) out of me.

Regardless of what else is in store for the Beer Bat market, I want to close out by acknowledging some great beer and baseball marketing promotions that walked so that the Beer Bat could run, including:

Bat Day At Old Yankees Stadium

What could go wrong?

10 Cent Beer Night in Cleveland

On June 4, 1974, everything went wrong…

Dairy Queen

One of the absolute G.O.A.T.s of sports licensing partnerships

The Original Coors & Coors Light Bat Bottles

The Coors bat bottles, made of amber-colored glass textured to resemble wood grain, made their debut on March 1, 1996, in Tucson, Arizona according to the Molson Coors Blog. Sold individually and at Hi Corbett Field where the Colorado Rockies trained, the limited time offer was supposed to last 1-3 months but was extended for a second season in 1997.

The Beer Ball

Because you can’t swing a beer bat without a beer ball.

Happy Opening Day! ⚾️ 🇺🇸