2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Alamo Bowl 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!"

*sigh* Back to Texas.  I swore, upon graduation from CU in 2006, that I'd never go back to this godforsaken state, yet here I am.  I guess, if I have to dive back into Tyler's Folly, that I'll have to do this right.  As such, the beer this week is as big and nasty as the place itself.  It's a beer brewed to match the locale -- disgusting, rot-gut swill with no redeeming quality or value. Yep, it's Lone Star, and it's this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

From: Wikipedia

Berthed in San Antonio itself, this beer has been around since the '40's.  Not brewed there any more, of course, Pabst bought them out at the turn of the century, and moved everything up to larger facilities around Ft Worth.  The flagship brew is an American Adjunct Lager.  You should know what that means, by now: it's a macro lager from a large conglomerate, akin to Bud Heavy and Coors Light.  As such, nothing of any substance has ever been within 500 feet of this beast.  Just processed extracts and fabricated 'flavor.'

I have some friends from college - idiots, really - who once tried to brew coffee with Lone Star.  It went about as you would expect, and they eventually had to fumigate the apartment.  Later, after the event, I asked them the obvious question, "why?"  Their response: "What else were we supposed to do with it?"

I guess I get the point.  Drinking this crap would be far down the list of any sensible, right thinking person.  It tastes like stale piss, if it tastes like anything at all.  The sweetness is all wrong, the bitterness is all wrong.  The whole package is watered down, which, in retrospect, is probably a good thing.  "The National Beer of Texas," indeed.  We should've left it all to Mexico.


Happy Thursday!  Go Buffs, beat Oklahoma State!

2016 Gameday 'Beer'-o-the-week - Pac-12 Championship 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!"

OK, so I wasn't expecting to have to do one of these this late in the season, and have nothing prepared.  Short on time, and without a summer's worth of notes to supply me with last-minute ideas, I'm diving into the beer fridge for whatever I can find. Uh, let me see... *rummages* Ah ha!  It's... oh for crying out loud... Which one of my roommates left this in here?  *sigh* It's Not Your Father's Root Beer, and it's this week's gameday 'beer' of the week.

If you look at the label, NYFRB will tell you that it comes from tiny Wauconda, IL, a northwest exurb of Chicago.  Certainly, if you were to travel to Wauconda, there is a brewery there, called Small Town Brewery, that would happily sell you the stuff.  What you find in the well-labeled bottles on the shelves of your local booze palace, however, did not come from Wauconda, and definitely not from the tiny brewery located there.  Nope, what you're drinking was made by Pabst, the giant conglomerate most famous for the hipster brew of choice: PBR.  They partnered with Small Town shortly before you started seeing their hard root beer show up on shelves, which explains some things.

That's not to say there's not a craft element to the story, however.  Small Town was started by a single guy, Tim Kovac, after haphazard forays into the world of homebrewing in the late '80s.  The twist from craft to corporate machine is familiar and tired, as ubiquitous to the modern brewing world as beards and kitschy hop varietals.  I can't really blame the guy for taking the money, or wanting to see his product go national without the pain of having to build an empire himself. At this point, it is what it is.

Anyways, the Root Beer, which is brewed, but still not quite 'real beer,' carries with it a unique taste. Obviously, the flavor notes skew towards the well-known parameters of root beer, but it's more than just a can of Barq's.  Heavy with vanilla up front, it's very sweet, spicy, and root-y, with an alcoholic kick on the back end.  For what it is, it's kind of interesting, and people who don't like 'normal' beer sure seem to like it (it was one of the best selling beers in the country in '15).  For me, though, it's not a beer, just a beer alternative.

You can find it almost everywhere now, either in 5.9% or 10.7% ABV versions.  It's also got sister brews, like Not Your Father's Ginger Beer, floating around.  If you don't mind something sweet, either are probably worth a try, if just for the fun of it.  Don't know if I'll be going back, though.

Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat Washington!

2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Utah 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!"

It's Ute week, so the honorary beer selection is Polygamy Porter from Wasatch Brewery. Indeed, why have just one?

The actual beer pick, however, comes to us from Darien, IL.  The little burg, not far from my Thanksgiving festivities in the Western Suburbs of Chicago, is home to a feisty little brewery making some hay after just two years of existence: Miskatonic Brewing Company.  Their session rye, called Catchpenny, is this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

From: twitter

The name Miskatonic, of course, is a head fake in the direction of Lovecraftian horror, which typically deals with the end of the world by cataclysmic means.  As I feel that Colorado appearing in the Pac-12 title game would be just the latest confirmation this year that Doomsday is quickly approaching, I feel any brewery steeped in this mythos is appropriate to the hour.  The term 'catchpenny' refers to using cheap sensationalism to draw in the reader, which ties right back into what I just did there by invoking End Times.  See, it's like poetry; they rhyme.

Anyways, the beer itself is an interesting attempt at the vogue rye styles that are flitting around these days.  It's very drinkable, light, and malty.  Not overly hopped, it's far from bitter, and well positioned to fill your glass time and time again.  My only knock on it would be that I just didn't get enough of the rye character that I would normally expect -- a spicy, acerbic kick.  That said, one thing I've noticed about breweries in Illinois, particularly as opposed to their counterparts out west, is that their products are often rather understated.  The result of a different beer culture, I guess, the flavors just aren't as big and in your face.  In the end, it's an interesting change of pace.

So, something quirky and weird for the end of the season, which seems to go with the out-of-place nature of 2016.  You'll have to travel to sample this (or find it online through a large distributor), but half the fun of beer culture is trying new things.  If it's not Catchpenny, please do look to expand your horizons.  When you travel for the holidays, grab whatever is brewed nearby.  Ask your aunt or uncle what they drink.  Try... anything new.  Colorado may be the king of craft, but it's not the sole possessor of the ideology, after all.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat Utah!

2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Arizona 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 don't know if you've noticed, but we're starting to get a little chill in the air.  Thanks to that daylight savings bullshit, the entirely of my evenings after work are now spent sans sunlight.  I even saw Christmas decorations at the store the other day. Yep, winter is definitely coming.

To match the seasonal mood, I want something dark, complex, and contemplative for the game this week. Something warm both in flavor and profile; something that doesn't mind sitting in a glass while I stare into a roaring fire. That something is Stone's Xacoveza Stout, and it is magnificent.  It's also this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

Alternatively called an imperial stout, a milk stout, or the Stone-preferred mocha stout, Xacoveza is a big, meaty bastard.  Weighing in at 8.1% ABV with a mountain of flavor, it's a brilliant take on a winter seasonal.  It was originally released as a one-off in 2014, but the brew was so well-received that it now has a slot on Stone national distribution calendar.  A blessing, that.

The flavor profile is meant to be reminiscent of Mexican-style hot chocolate.  Flavored with coffee, peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and milk sugar, it certainly gets there, producing seductive notes of spice, cream, roasted coconut, chocolate, and espresso.  Similar profile on the nose, too.  While not 'spicy hot,' the peppers definitely play, and combine with the alcohol to really warm you up.  Very pleasant, the kind of thing you want to be drinking on a chilly night.

My bottle is of last year's vintage, aged in cellar conditions since December of 2015.  The rest did the beer well.  While you may not want to wait to taste, saving a bottle or two from the six-pack for future consumption is recommended.  Either way, now or next fall, you won't go wrong here.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Cardinal!

2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Stanford 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!"

Way back in April, I took a trip to NorCal on some family business.  Not San Francisco, mind you, but the tiny burb of Chico, some three hours northeast of The City (Northern California, if you didn't know, is essentially endless).  What I found, I kind of liked.  Chico's a cool little college town, in many ways rather like Boulder, home to Chico State and a bunch of outdoors-types.  More importantly, it's also home to one of the biggest, most important craft breweries in the county -- the iconic Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.  Their imperial stout, Narwhal, is this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of some of Sierra's more famous beers.  By this point, I've had so many of their classic Pale Ale's that I've lost a taste for it, and their newer stuff, like Otra Vez and Beer Camp, are big misses, for me.  Narwhal, however, is a whole different story.  I love this beast! A big, meaty imperial stout with character and life, it's one of the best of the style on shelves today. Rich and deep with flavor, this velvety smooth brew tastes of chocolate and espresso, with a pleasant mouth feel that is far from that motor oil/syrup style that can bog down lesser IPs.  It finishes creamy and clear, and there's even a note of hops, for which the brewery is famous for.  Oh, so good!

When I was at the brewery, they were pouring a barrel-aged version spiked with vanilla and orange peel, which tasted a whole lot like a chocolate orange. It was outstandingly good, beyond anything else I tasted while I was there.  As I understand it, it was only ever going to be available at the brewery, so, barring a trip to Chico, you're SOL.

Standard Narwhal, however, often finds its way out to Colorado (when in season), and can otherwise be ordered online.  If you find it, give it a try.  Sitting at 10.2% ABV, it'll keep you warm as we dip into November, and those tailgates start to get colder.  Their standard barrel-aged version is also distributed, and is even more deserving of your time and money.  Either way, if it says Narwhal on the bottle, you won't go wrong.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Cardinal!

2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - ASU 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!"

It being Homecoming Week, I feel no compulsion to leave the boundaries of Boulder proper to find a beer.  Instead, I'm heading a short ways up the Diag to 63rd St and the beautiful home of Avery Brewing.  There, they often find cause to release an enhanced version of their classic Mephistopheles imperial stout.  Bourbon barrel-aged with a heap of roasted coffee beans thrown in for fun, the resulting product, Tweak, is this week's game day beer-o-the-week.

O.G. Mephistopheles, named after demon of Faustian legend (ah, the Sun Devil association I was looking for), is a wonderful play on the imperial stout style, a remnant of the old 'Demons of Ale' series from the brewery.  If you haven't had it before, I would suggest it, as well.  By adding Ozo brand coffee beans to a bourbon-barrel soak, however, Avery takes the veteran brew up a notch. Regrettably first released under the name 'Meph Addict,' the re-brand has done this coffee stout well. No longer do I have to look aside the unfortunate allusion to drug use, I can just enjoy this unique beer for what it is.

I actually had a tasting of Tweak at last week's Great American Beer Festival, getting it poured straight from the barrel by the man himself, Adam Avery.  With a motor oil like color, it pours settled and confident into the glass with a sizable tan head.  Upon tasting, there's a decided note of chocolate/coffee, along with warmer bourbon and roasted coconut flavors.  The bourbon doesn't overpower, though, letting the complex suite of flavors flit around a bit. Overall, I would describe it as sweetly rich, like having a decadent slice of toffee chocolate cheesecake -- enough to be a meal unto itself. Indeed, at 17.5 ABV, just one 12oz bottle would be sufficient for anyone here.  Pour and let it open, consuming over an extended amount of time.

Really, the downside here is that you probably can't find Tweak on store shelves this weekend.  Avery plans on next releasing in November.  Not too long of a wait, though, and well worth it.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Sun Devils!

2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - USC 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!"

Before I get to the pick this week, a quick word on last week's.  I had selected Guinness, but, more importantly, a Guinness from Boulder drinking institution Conor O'Neill's, which was scheduled to close for good after last weekend.  That, however, is no longer the case, as the bar looks to re-open today.  This is fantastic news for Boulderites everywhere who love a straight-forward watering hole that knows how to pour a pint of the Black Stuff.  So, if you missed the 'final weekend,' you haven't completely missed your chance to re-connect with the old girl.  Head back to Conor's, and keep heading back, so we don't have to face this scare again.

--

In case you missed the revelry on Twitter last night, I hit up opening night of the 2016 Great America Beer Festival.  The annual affair, held down at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, is a right of passage for true beer freaks everywhere, bringing together hundreds of breweries and thousands of beers for consumption and consideration.  It's a fantastic event, and one I cannot recommend enough if you have any interest at all in the world of beer.

While wandering the hall last night, I was looking, specifically, for a beer to feature in this space.  I wanted something accessible to the Colorado market and theoretically comfortable in a tailgate setting. After a handful of 1 oz. pours, I finally found my winner.  Combining my love for all things hops and my appreciation of a good packaging, I settled on Hookiebobb.  That IPA from Crazy Mountain Brewery is this week's beer-o-the-week.

From: Instagram

Just look at that packaging! The full picture, which I posted on Twitter yesterday, is of a part-man, part-bison, part-moose, part-bear legendary creature that is surely my spirit animal incarnate. Hell, with such imagery, they could almost put gut-wrenching swill in the bottle, and I'd still find a way to enjoy it. Luckily, Hookiebobb is far better than that low bar, and is actually something worth your time.

Brewed by Crazy Mountain in Edwards, CO, the brew is a fun blend of hop-forward eccentricity. Floral and resin-pine hop notes all over the place, countered with some peppery-sweet malt behind it. While not the best IPA out there, it's still an interesting, playful attack on a very conventional style.  It comes in bottles or cans, and will set you more than right on a football Saturday, coming it at 6.7% ABV.  You should be able to find some in your local suds shop, should you be so inclined.  Enjoy!


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Trojans!

2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Oregon State 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'm sure you've heard by now, but this will be the last weekend, ever, for Conor O'Neill's.  As a veteran of countless Boulder bar crawls - Conor's was even the jumping off point for my 21st birthday party - it's like saying that this is going to be the last Thanksgiving ever.  The humble Irish Pub is an important fixture of the Boulder's drinking establishment, and it's a crime against the very fabric of the town to hear that it's shutting down for good.  Shame, shame, shame on those that are pushing this venerable institution to the curb in favor of... whatever hack faux-hipster bullshit will, inevitably, take it's place on the Mall.

Anyways, as many of you are undoubtedly planning, as well, I've scheduled a trip to Conor's this weekend to send the old girl out in style.  And, of course, when I hit up Conor's, there's only one drink on the menu: Guinness.  That black nectar of the gods is this week's beer-of-the-week.

I was surprised to realize that I've never featured this beer before as a gameday selection.  Guinness is a stable brew, after all, for consumers everywhere.  You'd have thought, after six years, I'd have gotten around to 'a pint of the black stuff' at some point.  Oh well, guess I'll just have to make up for lost time.

Guinness is, I assume, the national beverage of the good people of Ireland.  Whether or not that's actually true (in retrospect, it's probably whiskey, which is also #good) is immaterial.  What is important, however, is that the Irish not only invented this dry stout, but then chose to bless the rest of the world with its presence.  Poured motor-oil black from a nitrogen-infused tap or can, the celebrated cascade effect allows for a perfect pint wherever you are.  There's not much on the nose, but the taste is bready malt and toast, with a milky/creamy backing.  Eminently drinkable, you can session with Guinness for hours, should you choose.  Owners Diageo move nearly 2 billion pints of this stuff per year, much of it on St Patrick's Day, making it one of the most popular brands in the world.

Discussion of Guinness actually allows me to bring up one of the more interesting beer inventions in the history of the industry: the widget.  Finding a way to bring the pub experience of the nitrogen-infused pour home was a focus of the brewers in the late 1960s.  Their response was to drop a internal component into each can and bottle to release the gas upon opening, and thus the widget was born.  Without it, Guinness would taste verrrrry different at your tailgate.  This tactic, of course, was further improved with Lefthand's widgetless nitrogenation for their Milk Stout, which is probably my favorite stout around.

Regardless, you know Guinness, and you know you want one.  Further, you know you want it from one of the taps at Conor O'Neill's before they tear it down.  Find your way down to 13th and Lawry right quick, while you still can.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Beavers!

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!

2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Michigan 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!"

After opening week snark and last week's tongue-in-cheek pick of a damn soft drink, we're back to normal service for the weekly beer selection.  There's a lot of good breweries in Michigan, a number of which are well worth a drive if you're in region.  One of the more unique and celebrated standouts, though, is actually located in Ann Arbor.  Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, a short hop down main street from the Big House, is simply one of the best purveyors of rustic-style beers in the country.  Their signature Oro de Calabaza wild ale is this week's beer-o-the-week.

From: Dailybeerreview.com

Alternatively categorized as a biere de garde, a strong ale, a wild ale, or a golden ale, depending on your view on such things, Oro de Calabaza (meaning golden pumpkin... don't worry, not a fake-ass pumpkin ale) is a barrel-aged and bottle-conditioned Belgian-style brew. Essentially a cousin of the saison, these are all variations on a Franco-Belgian theme meant to be brewed in cool weather and stored in cellars for extended periods.  They are typically malt-forward, complex, and pretty sweet, with that weird nod in the direction of Belgian yeast.  This version will pour a little hazy in the glass, and hit you with a rich array of acidic floral, fruit, and spice flavors, along with some wood from the oak barrels.  Not my favorite style, and there are almost no hop characteristics to savor, but still very pleasant, especially if you don't mind a little funk.  Seriously, if you're into the whole Belgian thing, you should enjoy this.

Note: this is not a beer for getting ripped.  We're talking serious flavors here for mature palates.  I can't even imagine someone wanting to pound a bottle of this, and, at 8% abv, it'd hurt.  No, this is for the more mellow tailgate; contemplative and retrospective.  The kind that the wine and cheese elites at the UofM would appreciate.  In fact, pair with cheese.  Go ahead, get some damn cheese, already!

For those in Boulder, far from the action on Saturday, Liquormart and Hazel's both offer it in handy 350ml size.  Purchase, consume, enjoy.  Responsibly, of course.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Wolverines!

2016 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - RMS 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!"

It's the RMS, so the honorary beer-o-the-week is, as always, Buff Gold.  Previously, I've talked about how you can spice up the standard golden ale by dropping in a shot of Buffalo Trace bourbon to make a 'Buffalo Maker.'  Advancing the concept further, why not make it a hybrid drop-shot of Trace and local agave spirit Tatanka?  Yeah, I know, that sounds rough, but football is meant for the tough of spirit, so you deserve a beverage to match.

The 'real' beer for this week is an old non-favorite.  Submitted for your approval, I present the offspring of a marketing machine with a plan.  A marketing machine who wantonly leeches on the consumer's cardboard palate, while simultaneously wrapping itself in whatever flavor of the American Dream once existed under the Eisenhower administration.  A marketing machine not of this continent that posits to speak for the beer drinkers of this great nation.  Yep, I'm of course talking about Budweiser 'heavy,' or, as it has bizarrely taken to call itself this summer, 'America,' and it's my gameday beer-o-the-week.

'America?'  But you're fucking Belgian!

Let me first say that I am offended.  If you're going to slap the flag on the side of your brew and call it America, then it better be damn good, worthy of the name itself.  This beer is not good, however.  It is lifeless piss-water, the kind of thing you would expect to come from years of industrialized corporate 'brewing.'  More to the point, the company making the swill isn't even American!  It's a Brazilian/Belgian behemoth, stretching it's devilish tentacles across the globe.  A testament to the might of multi-national business management, sure, but far from the homespun, hard working, blue-collar, patriotic company of the advertising campaign.  It's a sham, a put-on, a hateful ruse. Designed to ply willing rubes from their hard-earned cash while real-deal American brew is shuffled off to the dusty corners of shelves via distribution arrangements.

By now, I'm used to people of all ilks appropriating the Stars and Stripes for their own purposes; that in and of itself may be as American as the apple pie of legend.  However, this attempt is so brazen, so hilarious in its origin, as to piss me the hell off.  Fuck this beer, and fuck the company that put it on shelves.  Enjoy it at the peril of your very soul.

... on second thought, go with the Buff Gold.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, get that 'W!'

Friday Beer Post: 2015 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Utah 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!"

It's Ute week, so the honorary beer selection is Polygamy Porter from Wasatch Brewery. Indeed, why have just one?

The actual beer pick, however, comes to us from San Diego.  I'm returning to a brewery that I already featured this year, Ballast Point, in memoriam.  They recently sold out, cashing in on a $1 billion offer from Constellation Brands (the finks behind the eye-rollingly lame Corona).  It's a huge price tag, and who can really blame them, but there is no doubt that the soul of the epic brewery behind Sculpin, et al, is gone for good.  In honor, I'm tabbing their American Stout, The Commodore, as this week's beer-o-the-week.

With Ballast Point, Sculpin is the head of the class.  The rest of the offerings pale in comparison, to be honest, but it's an unfair mirror to hold them up to, as Sculpin is truly monumental.  Of the second-string, however, I probably like The Commodore the most.  It's a strong take on the stout family, with typical notes of roasted coffee and dark chocolate.  A late finish of hops fits with the brewery and the native region, and the whole thing ends bitter and sharp.  I've liked it more off the tap than the bottle, but that's pretty much par for the course in the beer world.  Allow it to breathe, though; don't drink straight from the fridge.

Prior to cashing in, BP had been showing up more and more on Colorado shelves, so you should not have too much trouble finding this in option-heavy liquor stores.  It's available in six-packs, with each bottle coming in at a robust 6.5% ABV.  Maybe a little heavy for post-Thanksgiving celebrations, but a weighty punch to end the tailgating season.  Enjoy!

Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Utes!

Friday Beer Post: 2015 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - WSU 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 got lost on my way to picking a beer this week, losing sight of my normal hopped-up fare as I cruised the aisles of the local liquor-plex.  I was drawn, instead, to a weird seasonal concoction from local magnates Oskar Blues. Their extra-sweet Irish porter, 'Death by Coconut,' is this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

DBC has your basic porter look and feel down.  Black as motor oil with a thin tan-brown head, the maniacs at OB (originally a collaboration with Shamrock Brewing) finish the brew with an aging on dried coconut and dark chocolate. The result is a fantastic, easily recognizable taste. While there is a dark chocolate bitterness to the entire profile (with a finish like a latte), the main notes are creamy caramel mixed with sweet chocolate and toasted coconut.  It is undeniably the flavor of samoas -- those addicting chocolate-striped coconut cookies sold by the girl scouts every year.  If that ain't enough to get your attention, then I don't know what will.

It's not my favorite style of beer, and I know coconut is one of the most divisive flavors out there (I'm pro, for the record), but, it's an interesting take on the bog standard porter, and the taste is on point.  Think of it as a dessert beer, and sip after dinner (maybe in the form of a beer float...). You can find this beast in four-packs of 12oz cans, recently re-released in Oskar's distribution footprint.  It's a limited release, so get on it!


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Pilots and Cougars!

Friday Beer Post: 2015 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - USC 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!"

At the start of the basketball season, I wanted my beer pick to look forward.  Something new and local, something I had never tried before.  While roaming the aisle of my local liquoropolis last weekend, I kept my eye out for such a beer; one that was, as of yet, untried by yours truly, from a brewery that was, as of yet, un-reviewed on these pages.  I found just such an option right away.  Coming from just up the Diag in Gunbarrel, Finkel & Garf Brewing is a recent entrant to the Boulder brewing scene.  Their Cream Ale, however, one of many quality brews on tap, tells me that they'll be around for some time to come.  It's this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

I love a good cream ale!  The top-fermenting cousin of pale lagers, these beauties are malty-sweet, easy drinking, and perfect for the kind of session consumption that a tailgate requires.  While usually more creamy and malt-forward, Finkel & Garf have decided to go in a little more hop-forward direction with theirs, bringing a lot of bitter, dank notes to the typically sweet style.  It's a very pleasing result - almost the natural intersection of american ale culture and those classic styles that, until recently, dominated the hearts and minds of beer freaks.

The one thing that really takes this one up a notch, and it's a common theme that I've been noticing around the craft beer world, is the inclusion of some orange peel to the mix.  My first thought when downing this one: now this is what Blue Moon should be.  Citrusy-sweet, smooth, and creamy, the two beers put me in the same mind.  Completely different styles of beer, to be sure, but the thought process seemed to lead to the same conclusion... just with F&G throwing in more hops.

Big fan of this beer, do yourself a favor and get some.  It comes in cans, and, at 5.4%, a six-pack will get you more than ready for the marathon of Colorado sports about to hit the national landscape.  Even Ryan Koenigsberg agrees - get some now!


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Cyclones! ... oh, and the Trojans too, I guess.

Friday Beer Post: 2015 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - UCLA 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!"

All right, that's it.  Let me lend my voice to the millions of discerning adults who have had enough with the whole 'pumpkin spice' thing.  It was cutesy and kitschy and pseudo-cool for a while, but after years of incessantly pumpkin-izing everything, I just can't take it anymore.

Accordingly, this week's beer will not, as has been the case in Halloween weeks past, be a pumpkin beer. I'm looking beyond the seasonal ingredient, and grabbing for something... not fucking pumpkin.  In a compromise, I'm sticking with the preferred color scheme of the day - orange - but I'm veering sharply down the hoppy path in the direction of one of my favorite Colorado breweries.  Durango's own Ska Brewing has tweaked the recipe on their excellent Modus Hoperandi to come up with something called 'Modus Mandarina,' and that beer is this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

If you love Colorado beer culture, then you must love Ska.  Tiny, rambunctious, and makers of one of my all time favorite brews (the original Modus), they bleed craft culture.  Their trick with Modus Mandarina is to brew their traditional Hoperandi with some orange peel and finish with Mandarina Bavaria hops - a recent strain known for its tangerine flavor profile - to create a bright, citrusy IPA that stands alone.

I love the smell.  The dry hop gives it beautiful floral/fruit notes that play with the orange peel.  On the tongue, you'll be surprised to find that the orange doesn't dominate.  It's not sweet by any means, and I think you actually get more of the pithy bitterness than the orange juice sweetness found in other 'orange peel' beers like Blue Moon.  At the end of the day, you can still tell it's still Modus, just with a new coat of paint.  Resinous, dank, and piney, it a very hop forward beer, but the malt balances it off before the place goes full-bore into the world of Imperial IPAs.  It finishes dry and bitter, as it should.  All-in-all a fantastic brew.

Ska just recently kicked off a full release of the beer, meaning you should have no trouble finding it on shelves throughout the state.  It comes in cans, making it perfect for tailgate season, and it is perfectly packable.  At 6.8%, be mindful of your consumption, but enjoy the hell out of a great new option from one of Colorado's best.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Bruins!

SATURDAY Beer Post: 2015 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - UofA 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!"

It's Homecoming Week, so I'll be damned if I'm going to leave Boulder Valley for a beer pick.  Just down the road from my house - a short walk, in fact - is a pretty cool little brewpub called Fate.  Only open for a few years, they've quickly become one of the heavies in the Boulder brewing scene.  In fact, they recently won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for one of their core styles.  That beer, their Laimas Kölsch, is this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

Fate came into being in 2013 as a collaboration between the former manager of West End Tavern and a brewer from Golden City Brewing (the second largest brewery in Golden!).  If you've never been, they've got great barbecue, suds, and atmosphere.  On Thursday afternoons, they even host the Buffaloes Primetime radio show.  It's entirely Boulder and entirely great, if a little pricey.

Their Kölsch, an old German ale style that stands apart from the region's typical lager fare (and, like champagne and bourbon is supposed to be geographic-specific), is named after a Baltic goddess of fate. Light and crisp, it pours with a telltale straw-yellow clearness and thin hoppy character.  Malty-sweet and dry on the tongue, this beer is entirely sessionable.  They've also brewed it with watermelon in the past, which makes for a very tasty combination come summertime.

Fate has even started canning Laimas, and Hazel's lists it on their website if you feel the need to grab some in traditional tailgate form. For me, however, it's worth the trip to the brewery-proper for a growler or two. That'll set you right for the long wait til tonight's kickoff.


Happy FridaySATURDAY!  Go Buffs, beat the Wildcats!

Friday Beer Post: 2015 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - ASU 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!"

It's been a rough week, so I am in search of the one thing that can set my weekend off right: hops.  While I was unable to attend the Great American Beer Festival this year, my last visit in 2014 left me with the impression that only two American IPAs currently on the market really get the whole hop 'thing' right.  The first, Apex from Bear Republic, was reviewed last year.  The second, Ballast Point's Sculpin IPA, is still on my to-do-list, and is this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

Ballast Point, which I don't think I've ever featured before, is a wonderful little brewery from San Diego.  I've visited them twice, and enjoyed my time each trip (... although their tap room in Little Italy is a shit show in desperate need of better management).  Like a lot of well-distributed West Coast brewers, they specialize in ales and hoppy concoctions.  Don't let that fool you, however, 'cause they have a deep bench.

The Sculpin IPA - rebranded a few years back to evoke the California Scorpionfish, which I have personally encountered off the coast of SD - has won a ridiculous number of awards over the years, a testament to it's craftsmanship and balance.  It's pleasingly floral and fruity, without losing the true bitterness of the hop. Hop-forward, but not overly 'dank.'  You can tell these guys know their shit.

The cool thing is, after years of only being found in Cali, you can now grab six-packs and mixers of their product in well-heeled Colorado liquor stores.  I would suggest you do just so this weekend.  Additionally, if you can find it, the grapefruit version of this, tweaked with just the right amount of ruby red deliciousness, is just as fantastic and also worth a try.


Happy Friday! Go Buffs, beat the Sun Devils!

Friday Beer Post: 2015 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!"

Earlier this week, we were all treated to the rare cosmic occurrence that is a 'Super Blood Moon.' Ominous in title, the totally not scary combination of a supermoon and lunar eclipse appeared in the sky for the first time since the early 80s, not to return until 2033.  To celebrate the event, I'm taking inspiration from the bloody-orange orb in our sky, and picking Upslope Brewing's Blood Orange Saison as this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

After two weeks of garbage picks, both in acknowledgement of the quality of opponents and my mood, I've returned to the land of good beer.  One from Boulder-proper, too.  Upslope, long my favorite brewery in town, hit this seasonal special release out of the park, combining the exotic flavors of blood oranges and Mandarina Bavaria hops (so en vogue right now) in a satisfying take on the classic and erratic Saison style.

Saisons (meaning 'season' in French) are a diverse family of beers, generally taking their direction from the old Belgian farmhouse styles.  Brewed in the winter by off-season farmers, these ales were made for summer consumption - easy drinking and flavorful, they're meant to help beat the heat.  Expect spicy yeast tones with a fruity nose on top of a malt base of the brewer's choice.  As I've gotten into ryes in the past - well known for their spicy profiles - saisons fit right in, peppering the tongue with lots of bright flavors.

Here, Upslope excels, playing off the spicy hints of the style with the tart and citrus taste from the blood orange.  Combine with floral hop notes on the nose and tongue, and it's a very pleasing brew.  Dry on the finish, it'll get out of the way quickly, inviting you just to keep on sipping.  At 6% ABV, you can do just that, splitting a six-pack with a friend or two as the night envelops the tailgate fields.  Those in Colorado should easily find plenty at any 'good' liquor store -- try it, and thank me later.


Happy Friday! Go Buffs, beat the Ducks!

Friday Beer Post: 2015 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - Nicholls State 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 (not) the words of Dave Chappelle as Samuel L. Jackson "IT'LL WONT GET YOU DRUNK!"

For a watered down opponent, I feel I need to feature a watered-down beer.  However, Nicholls, having lost their last 20 ballgames, looks to be far more than watered down, so I need something... more punchless.  Yep, I'm honoring the Colonels by picking a near-beer, which is why O'Doul's Amber is this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

This beast has been around for nearly 20 years now as the other half of In-Bev's low-alcohol duo.  I picked the Amber because I hate green bottles, like the one their 'Original' style is sold in.  Why not some of the other non-alcaholic malt beverages on the market, like Sharp's, St Pauli, and Coors NA? *shrugs* Why not pick BrewDogs hilariously ironic Nanny State?  'Cause I couldn't get my hands on a bottle.  The process really is that simple.

To answer your immediate question: yes, you can get drunk off of 'non-alcoholic' beer.  While technically a 'N/A' brew, O'Doul's does still contain about .4% ABV.  Slam 10 of these in one sitting, and you'll have consumed the rough equivalent of a single light beer.  Congratulations!  Now, go get your stomach pumped.

To answer your second question: yes, I have tried O'Doul's before.  Most people who reach for an O'D are doing so for a reason, usually health related.  As someone who's been there before, I'm not going to dish on it too much, but, suffice it to say, this isn't a true replacement for the real thing. To save you the suspense, it's not very good.  The Amber is very grainy, sweet-ish, and (you'll never believe it) exceedingly light and watery.  Best to keep your liver healthy, and the world of real booze open to you.

But, hey, if you're feeling adventurous, go grab a pack and toast CU's date with the dregs of FCS football. It may not get you drunk, but you'll still be sober enough at halftime to drive home, which is a plus.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, beat the Colonels!

Friday Beer Post: 2015 Gameday Beer-o-the-week - RMS 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!"

It's the RMS, so the honorary beer-o-the-week is, as always, Buff Gold.  I'm still not over the change in packaging (where the hell did the Flatirons go?), but it is what it is.  Want to spice up your Buff Gold intake tomorrow?  Why not try a 'Buffalo Maker?'  Simply drop a shot of Buffalo Trace bourbon into a BG, and
voilà!  That'll get you good and feisty in a heartbeat.

Anyways, the official intoxicant for tomorrow evening is something I discovered just this past week.  In the later hours of Tuesday evening, just as my beloved White Sox were finishing off their 17-6 ass-whupping at the hands of the woeful Oakland Athletics, I came across this tweet from blogging hero Jim Margalus:

At the curling club, somebody had the idea to pour a 5-Hour Energy into a malt liquor tall boy and chug it. Give Hawk one of those.

— South Side Sox (@SouthSideSox) September 15, 2015

First off, the man belongs to a curling club; props!  Secondly... I became intrigued with this "5-Hour Energy into malt liquor" thing.  The monstrosity is apparently called 'the anvil' and is this week's gameday beer-o-the-week.

If this sounds like a horrible idea to you, then GOOD NEWS! Your brain is still functioning at a high capacity.  Mixing energy drinks/caffeine and alcohol is generally not advisable, and, if the 'Four Loko' stories are to be believed, can even lead to hospitalization or death.  Note: I am not recommending that you actually drink this, and, should you do ignore this warning, you do so at your own risk.

Now that the disclaimer is out of the way... for this experiment I chose to mix basic/standard berry-flavored 5-Hour with Colt 45.  Why Colt 45?  'Cause of Billy Dee, duh!  Basic drop shot, then chug.  Simple enough, even a freshman could do it.

The results?  Well, let me tell you; if, as Ben Franklin would tell us, beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy, then this abomination is proof that mankind does not deserve such gifts.  The taste is awful, it made me feel awful, and only the awful would suggest this to anyone.

The point is, the anvil is truly awful, and something to be avoided -- much like the RMS itself, which is my least favorite day on the sporting calendar.  If you enjoy it - the anvil and the RMS - then God Bless you, but I'm happy enough living my life without either, thank you very much.


Happy Friday!  Go Buffs, get that 'W!'