Photo by Ed Rudolph
If you’re headed to the parking lot for a pregame, you’d better stock up on aluminum. These cooler-ready beers (all 5% ABV and under!) span styles that’ll please everyone in your crew.
1. Mikkeller Keeper: This lightly bready, 5%-ABV American pils runs an audible on the tongue with vibrant lemony, grassy hop notes. Hand one off to your macro-lager-drinker.
2. Intuition Jon Boat Coastal Ale: This chill, easy-drinking 4.5%-ABV English-style golden ale pleases with subtle biscuity grains and floral hops—a perfect pair for a hot dog.
3. Flying Dog Easy IPA: A 4.7%-ABV IPA built for the long lead-up to the game, this dank, fruity session IPA boasts grapefruit, mango and pine in a crisp flavor explosion that won’t knock you out by halftime.
4. Ballast Point Longfin Lager: A Helles lager’s perfect for people who don’t know they love craft beer (yet). Bready malts and a touch of spicy, grassy hops make this 4.5%-ABV brew a match for beer nerds and beer pongers alike.
5. Butternuts Porkslap Pale Ale: It’s called Porkslap, it has pigs on the label, and you’re tossing around a pigskin—was there ever a more appropriate tailgate beer? Grainy malts gain an edge with ginger zing and a subtle hoppy bite, while the 4.3% ABV means you won’t lose yours.
6. Anderson Valley The Kimmie, The Yink and the Holy Gose Ale: Every runner knows the best way to stay hydrated is water and salt, and this 4.2%-ABV German-style gose will fuel you through the victory dance. A tart, lemony snap preludes a subtle briny finish for total (and totally interesting) refreshment.
7. Golden Road 329 Days of Sun Lager: Slap on some SPF and soak in the September rays while knocking back this super-drinkable, 4.8%-ABV lager; its tingling, tight bubbles propel grainy malts and grassy hops over the tongue.
8. Southern Prohibition Suzy B: This 5%-ABV American blonde’s citrusy, resinous hop notes pack a bigger punch than expected—the same thing you hope your defense does this season.
9. Uinta Wyld Extra Pale Ale: IPAs too bitter for you? Crack open this 4%-ABV, dry-hopped pale ale: Its meager 29 IBUs won’t sack your palate, but its intense citrusy and pine flavors will win over your hoppy side.
10. Stiegl Pils: This classic, 4.9%-ABV German pilsner fans out with crackerlike malts and a gentle earthy hop flavor. Take down the tallboy 16-ounce can, and toss another around in lieu of a football.
