The Super Bowl is today and, unfortunately, the local team isn’t involved for the first time in two years.
That alone is a good reason to drink.
Another good reason to drink is the fact the Super Bowl is a marathon of a game. You can tip back two or three beers and feel completely fine by the time Coldplay puts you to sleep at halftime.
So I thought it’d be a good opportunity to put together a six pack of beers that remind me of Super Bowl 50, the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos. I couldn’t find Peyton Manning’s Horse Face Ale or Cam Newton’s Pompous Porter, so these aren’t quite on the nose. One thing’s for certain. These beers are tasty.
Another thing is certain: There’ll be no 12th Man beer.
Epic Brewing
Like the Broncos, this beer comes out of Denver, a city with a strong craft-beer culture. Featuring Mosaic and Apollo hops, it’s an IPA that has a strong hop character. Epic’s website says that it pairs well with strong and spicy foods — a lot like the Broncos’ defense.
Hop Valley Brewing
If he leads the Panthers to a Super Bowl title, Cam Newton won’t be a prince for long, but the name of this Session IPA from the Eugene brewery reminded me of the flashy Carolina quarterback. Light on the alcohol and IBUs, the beer isn’t nearly as brash as the Dab King.
Mammoth Jack Double IPA
Skookum Brewing
Ah, the horsies … er, Broncos … are back in the Super Bowl. I picked out this great West Coast-style IPA from the Arlington brewery to represent the Denver NFL team. Sure, it’s not quite a horse, but Mammoth Jack is named after a mammoth jack donkey. And nothing reminds me of the Broncos more than a giant jackass.
Scuttlebutt Brewing
It’s Super Bowl 50 and the NFL is playing up the golden anniversary of the big game. So what better reason than to grab this “extra” pale ale from the Everett brewery. Clocking in at more than 6 percent ABV and 40 IBUs, this beer isn’t your normal pale ale — a fitting beer to go with what promises to be an abnormal game.
Skagit Valley Brewing
This is one big beer with plenty of attitude. Remind you of a certain team in this year’s Super Bowl? These Panthers aren’t demur and neither is this bold stout from the Mount Vernon brewery. Carolina players enjoy taking team photos on the sideline, pantomiming Superman and talkin’ plenty of trash. Pour a big glass of this and signal a first down.
Anchor Brewing
This San Francisco brewery’s roots go back to the Gold Rush and ice pond-cooled lagers. The Super Bowl is happening just down the road, so pour out a glass of this refreshing lager made with Cluster hops and two-row California barley and toast the first Super Bowl in the Golden State since 2003.
Elysian Brewing
OK, this beer doesn’t quite make the cut in my Super Bowl six pack, but I had to include it for one simple reason: I hope both teams lose. As a Seahawks fan, I can’t imagine watching John Elway, Peyton Manning and the Broncos lifting the Lombardi Trophy or Cam Newton strutting around with it either. A nice solid 53 IBUs makes this a good bitter Pale Ale — perfect for the bitter feelings I’ll have as one of these teams watches confetti fall on them.
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