Hi again beer lovers, and Happy Friday! We're back with some beer discussion for your weekend entertainment.
But first - look at the top of the screen and notice our new group logo! Artwork done by bsegel.
As probably some of you have noticed, this week is the start of football season, and my favorite item this week is sports blog Sports On Earth matching a beer to each of the 32 NFL teams.
This article is all about beer: good beer, bad beer, real beer, near beer, local brews, national brews, porters, lagers, ales, weird chemical slurries concocted in Anheuser-Busch laboratories, stuff your grandpa drank, stuff your hipster brother-in-law drinks (false distinction: same stuff), beer you would walk a mile for, and beer that makes your garbage disposal gurgle and stink when you pour it down the drain.
Just as every cheese has its perfect wine, every NFL team has its perfect brew. Here's what to drink while watching each NFL team. The choices take into account geography, team quality, beer quality, tastes and trends, plus that je ne sais quoi that comes naturally to a thirsty football writer who often says things like "Invert Cover-2 Defense," "hints of raspberry and rye in the finish," and "je ne sais quoi."
Some good ones:
Oakland Raiders: Anything in a 40-ounce bottle
As a Raiders fan, I'm sick of the stereotype that Raiders fans are gangbangers and thugs. But trying to match a beer to the Raiders team quality had me thinking "pour-it-out sour homebrew".
Pittsburgh Steelers: Iron City Light
Here's a history lesson for all of you young-but-legal drinkers out there. Twenty-something years ago, regional beers were undrinkable swill... The IC I drank... may have been filtered through L.C. Greenwood's tube socks. The beer had a harsh, medicinal aftertaste, but the worst thing about it was its mouth feel. It was oily, as if the beer had separated like salad dressing. But it was 90 cents per can at a downtown bar, so many painful cans and draft glasses were choked down.
Possibly the best description of an awful beer I've ever read.
San Diego Chargers: Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale
Arrogant Bastard has far more character, and is far more interesting, than the San Diego Chargers. The beer should never overwhelm the team, but Diet Sprite could overwhelm the Chargers, so you might as well go for the gusto. Plus, Arrogant Bastard Ale may well have been named after former general manager A.J. Smith.
San Francisco 49ers: Anchor Steam Beer
Anchor Steam is a Joe Montana beer in a Colin Kaepernick world... Anchor Steam was craft before craft was cool... a classic the way the Bill Walsh playbook is classic. ... Anchor tastes a little quaint in a world filled with Belgian Trappist Trippel Cask Aged Read Option Select Reserve, but quality is quality...
Check out what to drink with your favorite team.
I'll be out meeting a friend for some beer consumption and may not have much to say tonight. What are you drinking?