Going Suds Up: The Best Beers, the Best Soccer

By Kirsten / Senior West Coast Beer and Aston Villa Correspondent

Welcome to the international break, which at least gives me an easy match to pair with beer: the USA friendly against Poland, available for your viewing pleasure on Saturday at 7pm CT, on FSC. Of course, Major League Soccer action continues, but as I’m waiting for the day that MLS has enough quality to enforce the international break, I’m ignoring those games.

If you want to play it classy in Chicago, pick up a Sofie from local brewer Goose Island. This saison pours pale yellow with plenty of rising bubbles. Smells like bubblegum, with a bit of pepper and citrus thrown in—a perfect saison aroma. Crisp taste, with citrus, sugar, oak and vanilla flavors.

If you’d like to instead just use this match as an excuse to get drunk, but still want to give off the appearance of being classy, pick up a barley wine from a microbrew. I suggest Deschutes Mirror Mirror, which at 11% should easily do the trick. It’s one of the smoothest barley wines I’ve ever had, with a nice peppery, caramel taste. It smells of toasted malts, cherries and sweet, sweet booze. This beer will remind you of the true meaning of “friendly.”

About Kirsten:

Ever since Brazil caught my eye during the 1994 World Cup I’ve considered myself a soccer fan, but it wasn’t until the summer 2008 that I decided to find a club. I focused on the Premier League and eventually chose Aston Villa. Initially drawn in by the pretty clarets and blues, I found I liked their organization, their owner and their manager. I fell hard and now it’s too late—I can’t give them up. As for MLS, that was easy, as I live in Seattle. I also support Exeter FC, SSC Napoli, FC Koln, Estudiantes Tecos and Tooting & Mitcham FC, all for a variety of reasons including cider, tattoos, scarves, owls, and a soccer player texting while on the pitch. I’m the Managing Editor of SB Nation’s Aston Villa site, 7500 to Holte. I also contribute to Two Footed Tackle.

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