Lexington’s soccer team will now have its own beer to go along with its new stadium
Lexington Sporting Club — Central Kentucky’s professional soccer franchise — has partnered with West Sixth Brewing to create an official craft beer, Stadium Ale.
The new beer was created to celebrate the passion and community spirit of Lexington’s soccer fans, according to a press release. The beer is described as a light, refreshing ale with a subtle malt profile that yields to a hint of fruity hoppiness.
“We’re excited to collaborate with West Sixth Brewing on Stadium Ale,” Kim Shelton, Lexington Sporting Club CEO, said in the release. “As two organizations strongly rooted in Lexington, our mutual love for this community and the game of soccer served as a foundation of the collaboration.”
In an interview with the Herald-Leader, Shelton said forming a partnership with West Sixth was a great opportunity to connect with the community. Naming the beer Stadium Ale was intended to connect it with a sense of place tied to the new stadium.
“The stadium is core to what we’re doing,” Shelton said. “That sense of place where we can create community, where we can create an experience, where we can bring people together, and to do that with West Sixth was a tremendous opportunity for us.”
Stadium Ale will be available to buy at multiple areas throughout Lexington Sporting Club’s new stadium, which is located off Athens Boonesboro Road, near I-75 in Lexington. The new stadium is planned to open in September.
LSC’s new professional women’s soccer team will make its debut in the USL Super League later this month. The Super League has been sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation as a Division I league, which places it on the same level as the already-established National Women’s Soccer League.
When is Lexington’s soccer team’s first game in new stadium?
Single game tickets for the stadium’s debut game went on sale Tuesday. Shelton said the stadium is still on pace to host the game despite the heavy construction presence there.
She hopes fans purchase tickets and pack the stands Sept. 8.
“We look forward to creating an environment for our super league players, the first ever professional women’s sports franchise in Lexington,” Shelton said. “We look forward to seeing our community embrace them and we look forward to putting on a great event for the community.”
LSC’s professional men’s team is currently in its second season of play in USL League One, which is the third tier of American men’s pro soccer.
The new beer will also be available to buy at all West Sixth taprooms, retail locations and select bars and restaurants throughout Lexington starting Aug. 23.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Lexington Sporting Club to bring Stadium Ale to life,” Ben Self, co-owner of West Sixth Brewing, said in the release. “This beer embodies the spirit of teamwork and community that both our brewery and Lexington SC value deeply.”
West Sixth pop-up beer garden for new soccer beer
Lexington Sporting Club and West Sixth will host a special pop-up beer garden at the stadium’s youth complex pavilion on Aug. 23 from 4-8 p.m. to unveil the team’s official beer.
The event is billed as a chance for fans to both taste the new beer and see the progress of the nearly-completed new stadium. The event will also feature local food trucks and opportunities for fans to purchase tickets and gear.
Some players will be at the event, according to West Sixth Creative & Marketing Director Kelly Hieronymus. She hopes to have hundreds of people attend.
“We have the space for it so we’d love to see as much of the community come out as possible,” Hieronymus said. “It’s a free event so if people can just come out – if they want to have a beer, that’s great. If they want to get a sneak peak back there (the news stadium), that’ll be another really awesome opportunity to do so.”
Hieronymus has tasted the new beer and thinks it’s going to be popular.
“Really crisp, light, not overly hoppy at all,” Hieronymus said. “I think it’s going to be a really good fan favorite.”
People interested in attending the event are encouraged to RSVP on the event’s Facebook page.
This story was originally published August 7, 2024 at 4:59 AM.
