2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Oregon Edition

Each week throughout the football season I'm going to suggest a good beer for the ubiquitous pre-game tailgate. Let's be honest, with tailgates it's not always top quality that you're looking for. To steal a phrase from the heinous beer terrorists at Budweiser, you want "drinkability." (or what a real beer connoisseur calls "a session beer") So, be warned, these may not be "the best" beers around. But, in the words of Dave Chappelle as Samuel L. Jackson "IT'LL GET YOU DRUNK!"

I come to you today from Brooklyn, NY. Out here on some family business, I figure, why not feature something local? Well, what could get more local to Brooklyn than Brooklyn Brewery?  The brainchild of Steve Hindy and Tom Potter, Brooklyn has been pumping out fantastic beers under the direction of the singular Garrett Oliver for years.  Their staple brew, Brooklyn Lager, is this week's beer-o-the-week.

From: BrooklynBrewery.com

I don't feature a lot of lagers, mostly due to the fact that the American craft beer scene is dominated by ales.  Lagers (beer 'lagered' at low temperatures with bottom-fermenting yeast), however, are some of the most prolific and historically significant styles on the planet, as popularized by mega-brands like Budweiser and Coors.  This version is nothing like that pale swill, though.  No, Brooklyn has actually produced something with taste that stands up well past your standard tailgate environment.  This is a beer with legs, one capable of suiting your needs whenever they may arise.

Brooklyn is a Vienna-style amber, a 19th Century style brought to the continent, originally, through Mexico.  It will pour copper-yellow into your glass, with a nice pillow of head.  You'll get strong malt notes throughout the nose and palate, with a small cut of floral hops (thanks to the dry-hopping process).  The taste is of caramel malt, and exceedingly pleasant.  At 5.2 ABV, it's a highly sessionable brew that's worthy of staying with you through multiple rounds of bag toss or farmer's golf.

Unfortunately, Brooklyn Brewery doesn't currently have a distribution outlet in Colorado, so you can't find it in local shops.  Next time you're out east (they distribute throughout the Midwest), though, be sure to give it a try.  Tomorrow, I'll kickback a few of these while trying to keep up with the Buffs in Eugene.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Ducks!