An overly alcoholic, big beer will put a damper on your big Super Bowl experience; you need a lighter, easy-drinking beer that can keep you going from kickoff to the after-game celebration. But that’s where the trouble comes in: most people will grab a six-pack of a light beer from the big beer companies, thinking that only a light beer can sustain through the game. As Peaks and Pints has found in our craft beer brethren, it’s just no so. A low-alcohol beer doesn’t have to skimp on the essence of a craft beer, big flavor and big hops. Whether you’re craving a pilsner, bock, even an IPA — yes, really — there’s the perfectly sessionable craft beer for your game today.
Whether you’ll be watching for the game itself or just for the commercials, odds are you’ll have a few beers around either way. So no matter which team you are rooting for, we hope you can enjoy all of the beers on our Craft Beer Crosscut 2.5.17: A Flight For The Super Bowl.
Spoetzl Shiner Bock
4.45% ABV, 13 IBU
The Texans may have missed out on the Super Bowl, but at least they don’t have to travel far to see the game. The NFL wants to open their NRG Stadium roof. The big question is whether the retractable roof even works since the Texans absolutely refuse to open the damn thing after demanding that it be built. Better sip a Texas craft beer as you await the roof decision. Shiner Bock is a no-frills kind of bock, but still arguably the most demonstrative of American-brewed bocks. Its very light body, and only slightly roasty notes from caramel malts, making this an easy bock to drink.
Anchor Steam Beer
4.8 % ABV, 35 IBU
Tom Brady is going to let off a little steam today. Tom Brady may have deflated a bunch of footballs a bit too much. Nobody’s ever been able to adequately explain how this aided Brady. Nobody’s actually been able to prove Brady had the balls deflated. Yet the NFL went after Brady like Wikileaks went after Hillary Clinton’s emails. The result was that the NFL got to trash Brady’s reputation, and he was suspended for the first four games of this season. Since his return Brady has essentially destroyed the league, throwing for 3,554 yards in 12 regular season games, completing 67.4% of his passes with 28 touchdowns versus just two interceptions. And he’s done this without his best receiver for most of the season. It’s almost as if he wants to be on that stage after winning the game and being named Super Bowl MVP just so he can tell off commissioner Roger Goodell face-to-face. How about a legendary lager for a legendary quarterback? It’s no wonder why Anchor Steam Beer has become an icon among beer fanatics. It’s complex, rich flavor, deep amber color, and its thick, creamy head make it an instant classic.
Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils
5.3% ABV, 35 IBU
Does anyone remember what happened the last time Houston hosted the Super Bowl? Janet Jackson exposed a boob and nearly destroyed the country. This year’s halftime performer is Lady Gaga, who is supposedly promising the most expensive halftime show in Super Bowl history. Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils will help you through the craziness. This is a refreshing and lightly-hopped Czech-style pilsner from Oskar Blues, in Colorado. It’s made with German malts and Saaz hops for a not-too-bitter, authentic Czech flavor.
Sierra Nevada Sidecar Orange Pale Ale
5.6% ABV, 35 IBU
The Super Bowl is no longer about the actual game. It is about the experience. The experience of going to the parties. The experience of watching Lady Gaga. It’s about the commercials. The quality of the game doesn’t matter. It’s nice if it’s a good game, but in the overall scheme of things, the game is just the excuse for everything else. Have you experienced Sierra Nevada’s new Sidecar Orange Pale Ale? (OK, this Super Bowl lead is a stretch.) Immediately after the first swallow, there’s no denying the soul of Sierra Nevada lives in this beer. A perfect blend of hops that never strives to overwhelm is backed by a familiar caramel malt grip on the palate. This beer opens with the sweet aromas of ripened apricot and evolves into honeycomb. The orange shows up on the finish in the form of a spritz that’s squeezed from the peel.
Founders All Day IPA
4.7% ABV, 42 IBU
How long will Luke Bryan‘s national anthem rendition last today? Online gambling site Bovada has set the Over/Under for Luke Bryan’s performance on Sunday at two minutes and nine seconds. You need an IPA you can drink as long as the song. Although a lot of IPAs pack a pretty hefty ABV, the Founders All Day IPA backs things off a bit while still maintaining the hoppy bitterness and complex malt character of a typical IPA. It’s a perfect beer if you want a mouthful of flavor and half the alcohol.
Game on!
