Tony Gwynn’s beer is finally going to Cooperstown
There’s a fantastic story about why Tony Gwynn wanted to make his own beer and it goes like this: Every year at the Hall of Fame mixer in Cooperstown, Tom Seaver would bring his own wine, but as the tale goes, he wouldn’t share with Gwynn. Or any other hitter who did well against him, for that matter.
So, Gwynn figured he needed a drink of his own to share with the hitters. He had a meeting with San Diego’s AleSmith Brewing Co. and began to formulate a beer. AleSmith and Gwynn went back and forth, finding the right mix of flavors. Like his swing, Gwynn wanted the beer to be perfect.
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The end result was San Diego .394 Pale Ale, the name a head nod to when Gwynn hit .394 in the strike-shortened 1994 season. The beer was released last June. Gwynn died 10 days later, losing his battle with cancer. So he never got to bring his beer to Cooperstown.
This weekend that changes. Even though Gwynn himself won’t be there, we’re told that .394 Pale Ale is going to the Hall of Fame. Alicia Gwynn, Tony’s wife, is taking the beer to the induction ceremony on Tony’s behalf and giving it to the hitters. She’s also, in a pretty fantastic way, bringing a piece of her husband back to Cooperstown.
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In another cool gesture, AleSmith arranged to offer the beer to the public in Cooperstown too. The .394 Pale Ale is usually only available in Southern California, but AleSmith delivered the beer to eight locations where baseball fans (or beer fans) can try it —Otesaga Hotel, Mel’s at 22, Blue Mingo, Cooley’s Stone House Tavern, Back Alley Grill, Yum Yum Shack, Spurbeck Groceries and Pioneer Patio.
If you’re in Cooperstown this weekend, consider this another reason to raise a glass to one of baseball’s greatest hitters.
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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
