My all-star softball friends Russ & Mike had me along on a couple of very long bike rides the last couple weeks. Each ride averaged about 25 miles as we pedaled through the city, stopping at pubs & taverns along the way.

Related: A Year In Beer – Dive Bar Tuesday

For the last 3 years they have been doing this. Biking throughout Minneapolis & St. Paul using a $25 ‘Pub Pass’ that gets them free pints of beer at 25 different bars and tap rooms. We supplemented the official stops with a couple extra frosty beverages – including one we got at Whole Foods and enjoyed in a verdant park alongside the Mississippi riverfront.

These guys know how to maximize the return on their investment. They’ve already hit 15 of the pubs on their passport this summer. At an average draw price of $6.50 (these are all craft brew pubs), they have already gotten a 390% return on their pub pass price. If they reach all 25, they’ll be up to 650%.

They said that 2 years ago – before the pandemic – they each went through two passes throughout the summer. That’s 50 beers (a $325 value) for just $50. It’s hard to find an enjoyable activity that costs just $0.15 on the dollar, but they’ve done it.

And, the biking – hundreds and hundreds of miles each year – is healthy & free. Except maybe the occasional cost of a flat tire!

Anyone else tried one of these ‘Pub Pass’ schemes?

Did it pay out well for you?