Q & A With a Beer Man

As promised, I said I would answer questions that you had about my job as a beer man at Busch Stadium.

Q. Do you sell only one kind of beer?

A. No. I sell Bud, Bud Light and Bud Select. I have the option of taking out some of each or the two most popular kind that is being consumed that day (usually Bud Light and Bud Select). I usually take 14 Bud Light, 8 Bud Select and 4 Budweiser whenever I load up.


Q. Do you get paid by the hour? Or is it tips only?

A. I do not get paid by the hour. I am paid based on commission and tips only. I make about $0.85/beer I sell and then tips on top of that. Since I sell beer at $7.75/bottle, I usually get $1.25 per tip...sometimes I sell 2 beers and they hand me a $20 and tell me to keep the change...and then sometimes I get nothing at all. If I find a group of people wanting to buy from me throughout the game, I'll usually get great tips off of them.


Q. Do you check ID every time?

A. I check ID's on anyone who looks 30 and younger. There are some people who are in their mid-50's and it's obvious I don't need to check their ID. If I did decided to card them, and they are clearly older than 21 (meaning they are old and you can see this) and then they don't have their ID, I can't sell them beer. If I ask someone for their ID and they don't have it on them, no matter what, I can't sell them a beer, even if they already have a beer in their hands. I carded one guy 3 different times when selling him a beer 3 different times. The reason for that? The people around him don't know I carded him before and if I just hand him a beer without checking his ID, then they might assume that this is a minor and I'm selling to him and not checking his ID. I've been cussed at, yelled at and have had eyes rolled at me when asking for ID's. Most people are nice about it and majority of the women I've carded find it flattering.


Q. Would you check my ID if I tried to buy beer from you?

A. Yes. People around you don't know that I know you are 21 or older.


Q. Would you be offended if I bought beer from the "Bud on a Stick" guy instead?

A. No.


Q. Do you work every game?

A. I'm scheduled to work every home game, the home-run derby and the 2009 All-Star Game. I can ask off and they are very nice about it if you ask off instead of simply not showing up. Which I'll have two weekends of home games this season I'll have to miss for weddings I'm in. I can ask off and go to a game, only I have to have tickets...meaning I can't use my worker's badge to get into the game...I must have a ticket.


Q. Is it true you have to buy the beer before you sell it?

A. Yes. The first load I take out is a credit on my account that I have to pay for at the end of my shift. After my first load, I have the money on me to buy more and I pay for every beer I take out before selling it.


Q. Do you enjoy your job?

A. I work in a baseball stadium! I get to look up and watch a play or two and then go back to selling! Let me say it again, I work in a fricken baseball stadium! I love the atmosphere! I love hearing the stories from other beer men that have worked there for many years. (no joke, there is a guy who has been working as a beer man for 33 years! He is amazing and probably still one of the fastest beer men they have at the stadium) I love the smells of the game! I love getting to do something more than sit behind a desk all day and get paid for it! ....so yeah, I guess you could say I enjoy it!

Hope this gives you more of an insight about the life of a beer man. If I missed a question, please post it below and I'll do another Q & A With a Beer Man very soon! I appreciate your questions and look forward to answering anymore you may have! Vote on the poll and come back and visit again soon!