Tailgating beers: Part 1, Indy vs. Houston

First home game of the season a month into the season. Our tailgating crew got nailed by Hurricane Ike, so although they made the game, our folks were not tailgating. Like that stopped us, we just got a few six packs, popped to the top on the car, turned on the talk radio, and chatted it up in the parking lot with some other "trunk of the car" tailgaters.

Criteria:

To make a good tailgating beer, I gather that the beer has to be a session beer, as you will be drinking lots of it (anything with the word "imperial" are out). If your team is sorry yet has a game on TV (college or pro), you will have a game NICE AND EARLY IN THE DAY, so the beer has to be a good beer to drink in the morning. The beer cannot be too filling, as it will put you to sleep midway through the second half of the game (so oatmeal stouts are out). It has to have some good flavor, be fitting for the weather, and go great with tailgating food (usually grilled food). It lastly has to taste good in a bottle or can. People who drink beer at a tailgate in a plastic cup should be shot (save those with kegs). One, you are increasing the trash for no reason as you have a perfectly good bottle/can, and two it will warm up too fast. It helps if the beer is drinkable.

We tried two beers this time.

Red Stripe Jamaican Lager

Managed to drink three of these before the game. In the bottle, it tasted strangely like Full Sail's Session. As they are both in that stubby bottle as well, I think Red Stripe may have a lawsuit. I could taste substantial malt, low hops. Actually was not feeling it too much. We weren't grilling, so all I had was a turkey sandwich. A little malt liquory on the sweetness. It would probably go better with spicy jamaican food, but whatever, tailgate beers have to versatile. Lord only knows what food will show up at a tailgate. I did not feel all that tipsy after downing them. They were very drinkable. Not bad stuff.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Ah, one of my 4 star beers, and it did not disappoint. Could be that the only hoppy beer I've had in a couple months was Budweiser Am Ale, but this one was excellent. My friend, who is not a craft beer guy, even liked it. We had no food, but the hops and malt fit in just right. It has a bit more alcohol, but I was already a couple Red Stripes in. An excellent tailgating beer. The tailgaters down the lot fired up the Cupid Shuffle and then some Souljah Boy. Good times. I know this will go well with grilled food as well.

The Texans have 7 more home games, and I will probably make 5 of them. Too bad about the terrible loss. I cannot even watch football for a while after that meltdown. I cannot even watch HIGHLIGHTS of football until FAMU plays WSSU on Thursday. I feel a little better this morning, but I have to keep reminding myself, our day will come. And when it finally does, I can say I was there the whole time. Next game is against Miami.