Improvements For Drinking At Nippert Stadium In 2025!

Written By: The Gnarly Gnome

I just got done talking over on social media about some fun beers coming for Oxford, Ohio, but what I wasn’t very loud about in that video is that I’m a Bearcats fan. I grew up going to games, and once I was of legal drinking age, drinking at them became a huge part of my game day experience.

Nippert Stadium isn’t just one of the best stadiums to enjoy a college football game; it’s one of the best places to enjoy any sport with a beer in your hand. It feels different than almost any other place that I’ve been to, and they understand that exceptionally well. In fact, they’re improving the experience for us drinkers this upcoming season, and I’m pretty pumped to share some of the updates to see if I can get you as excited about them as I am!

The Rhine Room

This was before my time… but I’ve heard plenty of stories from family members about the legendary ‘Rhine Room’. This lounge, recreational area, was located in the basement of ‘The Union’, which would later become the TUC. I’ve heard about groups of friends who’d set up at a table all day, coming and going as their classes would allow, playing cards, drinking Rolling Rock beer, and it all sounds like such a perfect college drinking experience to me.

The folks at UC are turning the former Catskeller space into a nostalgic nod to this Rhine Room space. They’re bringing the name back and opening the room throughout the entire football game, giving you a wonderful spot to hang out over a cold beer and a classic steak sandwich.

I can’t wait to see what they’ve done here. While I don’t have memories of the original Rhine Room, I certainly do of the Catskeller… so it should bring in a different type of nostalgia for me.

Black Market Saloon

This fresh lemonade stand has been a hit down at Newport on the Levee. Hold on! Before you start scrolling to the next section, I understand if you’re saying to yourself that it would be really easy for you to skip past a ‘lemonade vendor’ on your way to snag another Cincy Light in between quarters. You’d be missing an important factor if that’s where your mind goes, though.

Not only does this vendor provide fresh, made-to-order lemonade, which is delicious by itself, but you can also get a spiked-up version of the famous lemonades, which, especially for those warm-weather games, would hit the spot perfectly in between a couple of beers.

They’ve got all kinds of flavors (and spirits) that you use to come up with your own fun mix. Seriously, give it a try when you’re down there and see if you can convince me that I’m wrong.

Sheakley Lawn Beer Hall

This is LONG overdue. A Beer Hall is coming to the Sheakley Lawn this year.

I don’t know if you’re aware, but this city is a pretty big beer city, and football is a pretty major “beer sport,” which means that this is going to be a must-visit spot for anyone wanting to hang out a little bit before the game. You’ll find plenty of Cincy Light and Cincy Light lime being poured here, but they’ll also offer a full lineup of other beer options for you to enjoy in a bunch of brand new outdoor furniture.

They’ll have new picnic tables, shaded tents… it sounds a lot like a fantastic beer garden if I were to put my estimates on what this space will be like – and the best news is that they’ll open three hours before the game starts (two if it’s a noon game) meaning you can take your time and enjoy yourself before kickoff.

This is the tailgate for those who aren’t actually tailgating… and I’m here for it.

Other Updates

More food options, better food options, better seat markings, and a new mobile app mean that this season is going to be improved all around.

I’m thrilled as we kick back into gear for this season to see how it all comes together, and I’ll definitely be sharing my experiences as soon as I can get down to a game!

The season kicks off with an away game on August 28th, but the first home game is September 6th, so you don’t have very long to wait!