D.C. United Players Just Want to Bang on the Drum All Day

Photo Credit: D.C. United

When most professional athletes (and European soccer players) can't suit up for a game they're usually seen living the good life up in a luxury suite with the owner and/or their wife/girlfriend, but not Major League Soccer players.

Photo Credit: D.C. United

If you want more evidence of why American soccer is so great look no further than scenes from last Saturday's D.C. United home match against the Seattle Sounders. Despite the 0-0 scoreline defender Brandon McDonald, who was suspended, and midfielder Andy Najar, who was sick, took the the supporters section to bang on the Barra Brava's drums alongside other supporters, the Screaming Eagles and La Norte.

Players joining the supporters during matches are nothing new at D.C. or even the rest of MLS. The most famous example of an "off-duty" MLSer is, of course, our main man Frankie Hejduk slamming beers with Columbus Crew fans before a match against Los Angeles he was suspended for.

American soccer might be getting bigger and bigger everyday, but the league players continue to be as humble as ever. Signing autographs forever after matches and at practices, showing up at local bars and restaurants and mingling with fans, even buying everyone in the room Chipotle.

This is American soccer and the closeness we, as fans, feel to our teams and players is one of the most vital parts of what makes our version of the sport, and it's authentic growth, so enjoyable.


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The Open Bar - Washington Post's Beer Bracket

Photo Credit: Deb Lindsey/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST 

The Washington Post held a beer-tasting competition in conjunction with March Madness called "Beer Madness" that features 32 beers from 32 breweries across the United States in four categories: "crisp", "fruit and spice", "hop", and "roast".

Click here to see all the beers (featured above) and below to see the Post's interview with the host about how the competition works.





Side Note: Back in 2007 the FBM held a 64 beer bracket challenge for a bachelor party. The final four? New Glarus (WI) "Naked", Lakefront (WI) "Riverwest Stein" Amber Lager, Lagunitas (CA) IPA, and Acme (CA) Pale Ale. Held in Milwaukee, WI, it was definitely biased towards homestate brews and our tastes have evolved even further. But we basically wanted to mention that we purchase and drank from 64 six-packs in one night. Phew....


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GRAPHIC - How Indie Brewers Are Outpacing Beer Industry Growth

Very cool graphic show the incredible surge of craft brewery success in the United States. Click on the image to make it even larger.

From Intuit:

"Over the last few decades, small, independent breweries in the U.S. have been quietly growing. And though large breweries outpace smaller ones in annual production, craft beers are using their local roots, small scale, and unique offerings to attract devout followers and loyal customers. We take a closer look with Intuit at the rising tide of craft beer in the U.S. "

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The Best of Both Worlds: Boulevard and Sporting KC Announce Partnership

When soccer and beer collide... that's the best of both worlds. This space reserved for any intersection of the suds and the sport whether business, beer and soccer events, or random humor. 

Another beer and soccer angel got it wings today when Boulevard Brewing announced a partnership with their hometown soccer club, Sporting KC.


LIVESTRONG Park is one of Major League Soccer's newest and most impressive stadiums with few details overlooked, from members-only clubs to local BBQ served in-house, but one thing the facility lacked was quality craft beer options. The members' club boasted Weston Brewing Co.'s "Drop Kick" Amber Ale, but the rest of the stadium was relegated to macro-options like league sponsor Budweiser, Guinness, Blue Moon, and others.

The new deal dubbed, "Hometown Team-Hometown Beer" will bring one of Kansas City's most celebrated beers into Sporting's stadium and put several varieties of the local brew in the hands of fans.

From a billboard outside Boulevard’s brewery to posters with the Sporting Kansas City 2012 schedule in bars and restaurants to inserting $5 ticket discount coupons in 40,000 cases of Boulevard, the cross-promotional opportunities are lining up.


The official launch of Boulevard’s seasonal beers at parties to be held at the Member’s Club at LIVESTRONG and deals with KC's major supporters group, "The Cauldron" will see Boulevard beers at their tailgates and special supporters merchandise.

The news is another huge step forward for American soccer and craft beer. It follows deals inked in other beer-meccas like Portland and Seattle where teams have sought craft beers as partners.

Obviously this is our bread and butter, but it's important to spell out exactly what this means for the sport and for the suds.

1) American soccer fans and the teams that they support are valuable partners for any company. Soccer fans are exactly in Boulevard's target market: young, adult males and female.

“We felt Boulevard needs to be part of what we’re doing,” Andy Tretiak, Sporting Kansas City’s vice president of marketing.

“We've got a young, emerging brand with a lot of momentum behind it and our demographic aligns with Boulevard.”

2) American soccer fans are massive consumers of beer and often, craft beer. Craft beer holds many of the same qualities that soccer possesses: subtlety, commitment, a blending of unique flavors towards a unified product. American soccer fans appreciate a quality soccer game and a quality beer.

“Our two brands have tremendous synergies and we look forward to a long term relationship that mutually extends our brands to both a local and regional audience,” said Bob Sullivan, Boulevard chief sales and marketing officer.

3) American soccer fans are passionate about their team before, during, and after matches and translate that passion into support for companies that support their team. A passionate soccer fan for Sporting KC is (or will become even more so) a passionate fan of Boulevard Beer. Their commitment to their team will transfer to a commitment to business connected to their team.

4) Kansas City-area newbies now have a unique, beer-related opportunity to check out their hometown club and Sporting supporters have an extra incentive in their FBM arsenal to lure potential newbies. "If Boulevard Beer can supporting American soccer... why not you? Come to the next Sporting match and you can have both!"

The Boulevard deal is another notch the in post for soccer and beer. The evidence continues to pile up that beer and soccer are as likely a pair as anything in sports and that a beer can open the door to a lifelong passion with soccer.

More people in Kansas City and the surrounding community are about to find out how true that is.

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NASL Champion Minnesota Stars FC Get Their Own Beer

When the Minnesota Stars won the 2011 North American Soccer League championship cup last fall we're sure they weren't thinking they'd be able to drink a beer made especially for them when their title defense kicked off the following spring.

The Twin Cities-based Northern Brewer, a home brewing store with over 17 years experience and the web's number one retailer of home brewing supplies, just announced a partnership with the club that will put a Stars-specific beer in the hands of their supporters.

Meet "Shining Star" Pale Ale.

In the words of Northern Brewer:

Bright and intrepid, great hops on a grassy backdrop, and superb interplay between all the elements. Wait, are we talking about the beer or the Stars Soccer team? The two converge in this tribute beer to The Minnesota Stars FC, the 2011 North American Soccer League Champions.

To support their worthy efforts we've developed a hop-forward pale ale of the American school. Palisade hops lend a smooth bitterness while Centennial and Columbus provide brisk citrus, pine, and grassy flavors. A measured contribution of crystal sweetness from Bairds Light Carastan rounds out the flavor and makes for a

A sessionable ale, perfect for watching the latest match or unwinding after a game.
Northern Brewer is donating 10% of profits from this kit to the Sanneh Foundation, a charity that focuses on soccer as a way to make a difference in the lives of inner city kids.

Stars FC now join an elite group of teams and/or supporters that have beers made in their honor, but the first home brew that fans can make themselves.

Sporting KC has their "Drop Kick" Amber Ale from Weston Brewing, while supporters of Seattle Sounders have two beers to their name ("Brougham Bitter" from Big Al and soon "No Equal" Amber from Redhook), and Columbus Crew have a pair of local beers renamed for their team.


The beer is now available from Northern Brewers online shop. Even if you're not a Stars FC, but you are a home brewing soccer fan, why not try and brew up this batch?


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Nominees - FBM Person of the Year 2011

Last year we debuted our first selection ever for "Person of the Year". The award went to the German ad agency Nordpol+ for their roll in creating the brat train and under-the-seat kegs at St. Pauli's (Germany) soccer stadium.

Beer and soccer indeed.

This year we're opening the award to out FBM community to decide. We've narrowed down the field to a few spectacular candidates for you all to vote on. Below is a profile of each nominee and their claim to be the FBM's 2011 "Person of the Year"

VOTE AT THE END OF THE POST.


1) Clifton Vial 

We might be stacking the deck for our other nominees because Mr. Vidal's story is completely unrelated to soccer, but, boy, is it beer-related. Clifton lives in Nome, Alaska and one night while driving he lost control of his Toyota Tacoma and ended up in a snowdrift. Unable to contact anyone and stuck in below-freezing nighttime temperatures. Over three days he battled to stay alive. His only ally?

Let's go to the newspaper article:

His only provisions: Snow, and a few cans of Coors Light that had frozen solid in the cab. Vial ate the beers like cans of beans. "I cut the lids off and dug it out with a knife," he said.

Beer! Life-saving beer! How wonderful.

Just think if he would've had some Alaskan Brewing Company instead of Coors Light he probably would've been able to survive a week out there.

2) Keira Knightly

Keria Knightly is hot. No argument there. And she's a pretty talented actress as well. But what makes her a candidate for FBM's "Person of the Year" is this revelation in some asinine interview about her upcoming movie "A Dangerous Method".

The movie was shot during the summer of 2010 and Knightly said that given the heavy nature of the movie's subjects (psychologists Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung) her and her co-stars would go our each night and drink loads of beer and watch the World Cup.

And she still gets credit for her starring role in "Bend It Like Beckham" too, right?

3) Clint Dempsey

American? Check. All-time leading scorer for his countrymen in the English Premier League? Double check. Often celebrates those goals by using his boot as a bottle opener and drinking a beer? Triple check.

Clint Dempsey has now blasted in 39 Prem League goals and numerous ones have been followed up by his boot-and-beer celebration (like the one below from 2008). Deuce has cemented his place as one of the USMNT's most recognizable players alongside Landon Donovan and Tim Howard.

(Don't forget his other beer-credentials... spokesperson for Modelo)

Clint Dempsey is having a banner 2011. Can he add FBM's "Person of the Year" to his pile of accolades? 

4) German Beer Drinking Kid

How long does it take a child to drink a beer at a soccer game?  No one knows the exact answer to that question, but after watching the following clip of a youngster enjoying a beer during an early December Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and FC Schalke, we are led to believe that the answer lies somewhere around 25 minutes.

That conclusion was drawn from the evidence in the video above, which shows a child enjoying a beer and wiener schnitzel in the 62nd minute of the match, before washing said beer and schnitzel down with a water (or full glass of vodka) in the 89th minute.

The legal drinking age in Germany may be 16, but I guess it is never too early to begin expanding your child’s palate.

5) Will Ferrell

Mr. Ferrell starred in the Oscar-snubbed soccer flick "Kicking and Screaming", but that was back in 2005. He even appeared on "The Daily Show" in a Chelsea jersey, but now you're talking about 2008. What has the funny man done in 2011 to be included on this list?

Ferrell loves Old Milwaukee beer. He loves it so much that he offered to do ads for the company (apparently only in the Midwest where OM is most popular) for FREE. Free. That's something we like.

Will even coaches his son's soccer team in his spare time.

So does a beer-swilling-selling, soccer fan deserve to top this year's list? You decide.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

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Going Suds Up: The Best Beers, The Best Soccer

By Kirsten Schlewitz / Senior West Coast Beer and Aston Villa Correspondent

In the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you: I’m sitting here wearing a “Beat LA” sweatshirt. Sure, it’s meant to be an anti-Dodgers sentiment, but it applies to Sunday’s match between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo. We’ve got scrappy Houston, with no international marquee players, against the great Galaxy, starring Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, and David Beckham. Plus, LA has the home field advantage. 

Granted, the last time these two teams met, Houston walked away with a 3-1 win, but they’re still not the favored team. If you’ve got no vested interest in this match, put on your orange and stand behind the underdogs.

MLS Final: Los Angeles v Houston, Sunday, November 20 at 8pm CET on ESPN

Fullers Golden Pride: What else than this, a strong beer from England, a tribute to the MLS Comeback Player of the Year. The alcohol aroma is apparent from the pour, which is red brown with a rapidly diminishing head. Golden Pride is fairly sweet and caramelly, enhanced with a hint of orange, a slight dry hop bitterness and a finishing alcohol burn.

Divine Reserve #11, Saint Arnold Brewing: Houston fans that can’t make it to the Home Depot Center will – if they have any taste – be sipping some sort of Saint Arnold brew come Sunday. This imperial IPA seems like a great choice, as its 8.9%ABV. The color even manages to be a reddish-orange; unfortunately, it doesn’t taste like citrus. But it does taste like peaches, which is even better! Well, it taste like hoppy peaches, but fortunately doesn’t leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Which is good, because Dynamo fans will likely already have to deal with enough bitterness.

And a third beer, for those who think they’ve earned the right to wallow:

Sour Apple Saison, Epic Brewing: This one tastes more like a standard Belgian than a saison with apple, but there is a hint of sourness to this brew. The aroma isn’t spicy enough – way too much bubblegum for a saison. There’s more bubblegum in the taste, as well as banana, which is followed by some apple and cinnamon.  And if you hadn’t caught the hint as to which fan base this might most apply to, well, Epic is based in Salt Lake City. My tears are still flowing.

 About Kirsten

I may be a law student at Lewis and Clark, but soccer is my true love, with beer coming in a distant second. That's not to say I don't love beer--I've tasted over a thousand different brews, and listed many of them onRatebeer. Living in Portland, Oregon, I attend quite a few festivals and tastings, and am able to argue passionately about the merits of Cascade hops vs. Chinook. 

As for the soccer, I'm the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Aston Villa site, 7500 to Holte, the Italy Editor for SB Nation Soccer, and cover the Seattle Sounders on SBN Seattle (don't judge--I'm from Seattle!) Finally, I write for Two Footed Tackle when I find words worthy enough for the site. Want more? Follow me on Twitter!



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The Tuesday XI: USMNT Player Ratings in Beer

By "The Other 87 Minutes" / Senior Unemployed English Major Correspondents


Tim Howard (GK) - Lindemans Framboise: Sweet and sour temperament, but effervescent as usual. Made some crucial saves that kept the match level for 70 minutes.

Timmy Chandler (LB) - Weihenstephaner Hefe: Typically a refreshing bit of German goodness, but on this occasion a little too light when something stronger was called for.

Clarence Goodson (CB) - Oude Gueuze: Can be quite enjoyable in moderation, but too much at once leaves a sour taste. Responsible for the deciding goal in the match.

Carlos Bocanegra (CB) - Rogue Chocolate Stout: Full-bodied and strong. Was the most consistent on the backline for the US.

Steve Cherundolo (RB) - Oskar Blues Ten Fidy Imperial Stout: Viscous and impenetrable, but perhaps a bit thick. Dolo dealt with the threat of Franck Ribery all night, but needed help on occasion.

Brek Shea (LW) - Stone Pale Ale: Has the trappings of something sweet but pours bitter and a bit bland. Shea was looking to make connections but fell flat all night.

Kyle Beckerman (LM) - Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA: Fully loaded but lacking in balance. Beckerman was tenacious in the midfield but didn't know what to do when he had the ball.

Maurice Edu (CM) - McSorley's Irish Pale Ale: Can best be described as underwhelming and flavorless. Edu was totally anonymous throughout the match.

Clint Dempsey (RM)  - Schlenkerla Rauchbier: A true standout - firey and bitter, but overpowering at times. Dempsey always looks threatening but may have missed a decisive pass in the second half.

Danny Williams (RW) - Yuengling Black & Tan: A tale of two styles. Looked competent tracking back, but couldn't do much on offense.

Jozy Altidore (FW) - Stone Double Bastard Ale: Packing a huge punch, can get the job done on its own. And that's what was asked of Jozy on Friday. Although he didn't capitalize by the end, he showed signs of life with little to no support up front.

About "The Other 87 Minutes"

What is this new site we're exposing you too? We'll let them explain:

The Other 87 seeks to provide something that’s not instant analysis or eve of matchday previews. Think of us as the good bits of your favorite soccer coverage: the profiles that examine what makes a certain player tick, the historical background that sheds some light on how the sport has evolved to the present day, the silly features that are more than just tacking names on a list, but considering and explaining why each one deserves to be there.

O87 wants to be a home for soccer writing that makes you think, but that also treats the game as just that, a game. The greatest game, the one we obsess over and fixate on, to the point where we can’t read that gas costs 3.43 a gallon without thinking of Ajax’s 1995 Champions League winning team. But a game nonetheless.

“When you play a match, it is statistically proven that players actually have the ball three minutes on average. The best players – the Zidanes, Ronaldinhos, Gerrards – will have the ball maybe four minutes. Lesser players – defenders – probably two minutes. So, the most important thing is: what do you do those 87 minutes when you do not have the ball…. That is what determines whether you’re a good player or not.” –Johann Cruyff

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Going Suds Up: The Best Soccer, The Best Beers

By Kirsten Schlewitz / Senior West Coast Beer and Aston Villa Correspondent

Sorry guys, but I refuse to give up my standing whisky at the dive bar date in order to wait until Houston Dynamo – Philadelphia Union and Los Angeles Galaxy – New York Red Bulls are finished and I can give you a decent recommendation for the MLS semi-finals. Besides, I’m still smarting (kinda like Brad Evans and Alvaro Fernandez are) from the disappointment of the Seattle Sounders. Geez, why couldn’t Osvaldo Alonso show up in the first leg against Real Salt Lake? Just thinking back to that match drives me to drink. But I promise, American soccer fans, you’ll get a column from me involving the final.

Moving on. 

This week we’ve got plenty of action before the international break. Unfortunately, a lot of what is televised is boring. Blackburn – Chelsea? Come on now, who wants to watch that? And since I’m still angry about the ridiculously physical play against Seattle, I don’t really want to promote any sort of typically English style of play – so let’s tune out that Bolton – Stoke City match. Instead, I’m climbing back on my high horse and demand that everyone watch Italian calcio this Sunday. But if one person uses the words “boring” or “defensive” to describe the style, I swear I will hunt you down and take away your beer. You have been warned.

AC Milan v Catania (Sunday, November 6 at 8AM CT on Fox Soccer)

Photo Credit: 365Beers

There are two major reasons for watching this match. First, Catania under former Roma coach Vincenzo Montella are performing tremendously well. The Elephants are currently sixth in Serie A, primarily due to Montella’s attacking style. They’ve yet to lose at home, and fight hard to find a draw on the road. But the trip to the San Siro will be their toughest yet, with Milan back on form in the league and doing their best to climb back up to the top.

The other reason to tune in to this match is to see how the rossoneri will function without Antonio Cassano. In case you haven’t heard, the Milan forward came down with a mystery illness after last week’s match, and now has been diagnosed with a heart condition that will require surgery, leaving him out of contention for at least three months, but most likely longer. Although Cassano doesn’t always start, he’s been a force for Milan and Italy thus far this season, and his contributions will almost certainly be missed.

Rogue Ales "HazelNut" Brown Ale (Newport, OR): This one’s for you, Fantantonio. It’s the closest beer I can find to capturing the spirit of Nutella, one of the finest things in life. It has a gorgeous pour, deep red brown with a thick, slowly dissipating head that leaves a faint lacing. This brown has a malty, roasted aroma with, obviously, a hazelnut streak. It tastes like coffee, chocolate, and hazelnut…like drinking that spoonful of Nutella.

Napoli v Juventus (Sunday, November 6 at 12:45PM CT on Fox Soccer)

Ay dios mio. This is a match where yours truly needs a strong, strong beer or possibly twenty. Seeing as half of the Twitter-verse believes I am a Juventina, I follow a lot of Juve supporters – and they’re going to be firey on Sunday. But that’s not the worst of it for this Vesuviana. No, it’s that Napoli are currently underperforming in the league, sitting fifth, while the Old Lady are top of the table and remain undefeated.

And if you still think Italian teams are boring and defensive, watch this match and have a laugh. Both teams are both spastic and entertaining, whether it’s a counter-attack or a hilarious miss. And their defenses…well, just watch and see.

Stone Brewing 15^th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA: Oh sweet 10%+ABV – you will be my saving grace this Sunday. The smell of this one makes it seem like you're about to drink a porter: chocolate and coffee, a bit of toast. But then you taste it and it's so much more than that, tasting first like caramel malts, but ending with a bitter grapefruit finish. Probably much in the manner of this match.

 About Kirsten

I may be a law student at Lewis and Clark, but soccer is my true love, with beer coming in a distant second. That's not to say I don't love beer--I've tasted over a thousand different brews, and listed many of them onRatebeer. Living in Portland, Oregon, I attend quite a few festivals and tastings, and am able to argue passionately about the merits of Cascade hops vs. Chinook. 

As for the soccer, I'm the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Aston Villa site, 7500 to Holte, the Italy Editor for SB Nation Soccer, and cover the Seattle Sounders on SBN Seattle (don't judge--I'm from Seattle!) Finally, I write for Two Footed Tackle when I find words worthy enough for the site. Want more? Follow me on Twitter!


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Going Suds Up: The Best Beers, The Best Soccer

By Kirsten Schlewitz / Senior West Coast Beer and Aston Villa Correspondent

It’s October! And do you know what October means (besides bundling up in scarves and boots)? It means all things pumpkin, including…pumpkin beers!

Drink Up:

Smuttynose

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale: One of the standards of pumpkin ales, and particularly easy to find if you’re east of the Mississippi. Not so much a standout as just a solid pumpkin – one that can be drank as a session ale if you’re so inclined, particularly as it’s just a 5% ABV. This one isn’t so much “pumpkin” as it is “pumpkin pie spice,” so if you’re the type that appreciates plenty of clove in your beer, race on down for a six-pack or two.

Pair It With...

Italian Serie A – Lazio v Roma (Sunday, 1:30PM CT, FSC)

Stock up and play your own derby drinking game! Every time the announcer mentions Francesco Totti out with injury? Take a drink. Roma’s new American owners? Three drinks. And if anyone happens to mention that Lazio miss Fernando Muslera in goal, chung – and grab another while chugging again, all while replaying Paraguay’s last minute goal against Uruguay on Tuesday.

Drink Up:

Post Road Pumpkin, Brooklyn Brewery: A pleasant surprise from a brewery I rarely get to sample, Brooklyn’s pumpkin offering actually tasted, like, well, pumpkin. Aromas of cinnamon and clove in this one, but the actual taste was pumpkin, as well as a bit of vanilla, and, of course, the spices.

Pair It With...

Major League Soccer – Portland Timbers v Houston Dynamo (Friday, 9:30PM CT, MLS Direct Kick)

No clever analogies here – just an MLS match that you should be watching. If Houston beat Portland, and DC United fail to win against Chicago, the Dynamo…won’t clinch a spot. But then again, it’ll make it much harder for the Timbers to reach the playoffs so nya nya nya nya. Figuring out anything else about the MLS playoff standings makes my head hurt, so let’s move on to other beers.

Drink Up:

Night Owl, Elysian Brewing: Surprisingly, not the best pumpkin ale you’ll find from Elysian, who sponsors a pumpkin beer fest every year in Seattle. Their best is Dark O’the Moon, but good luck finding that outside King County. Night Owl is quite delicious, however, and if you live in an area fortunate enough to have Elysian available, pick up a bottle. Aromas common to a pumpkin pie--cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The ginger comes through in the taste and the pumpkin lingers and the end.

Pair It With...

Bundesliga – Werder Bremen v Borussia Dortmund (Friday, 1:30PM CT, GolTV)

Werder Bremen, sitting second in Germany, host last year’s darlings, Dortmund, who have slipped down to sixth place. The title holders have won their last two league matches, but lost to Marseille 3-0 in the Champions League, while Bremen get the pleasure of solely focusing on the domestic league. With 29 goals already scored between the two teams, you’ll be able to enjoy the match, rather than fuss over why your best friend can’t score you a bottle of Dark O’the Moon.

Drink Up:

TREAT Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter, Midnight Sun Brewing: If you live in a region where you’re unable to buy Midnight Sun, well, go curl up in a ball and cry until winter warmer season. Otherwise, what’s stopping you? Go buy this, my favorite of pumpkin beers. A plethora of smells, including bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, clove, yeast, caramel and squash. Palate is smooth and taste is superb. Pumpkin pie spices are present but don’t overwhelm. A bit of earthiness, vegetable, and caramel enhance the flavor, but the definite treat of this one is its velvety chocolate ending.

Pair It With...

English Premier League – Manchester City v Aston Villa (Saturday, 8:30AM CT, FSC)

Not so much because this promises to be the most enthralling match in the Premier League this week, but more because Liverpool – Manchester United is on at an inappropriate hour, and yours truly needs an almost-8%ABV to get through this match. The unbeaten – yet really, unchallenged – Villa travel to Manchester for the first time this season, hoping to be the first English side to score at whatever City are calling their football stadium these days. Or, knowing the Alex McLeish style, simply packing ten men behind the ball and crossing their fingers they can hold on for a point. Yeah, gonna need booze to get through this one.

 About Kirsten

I may be a law student at Lewis and Clark, but soccer is my true love, with beer coming in a distant second. That's not to say I don't love beer--I've tasted over a thousand different brews, and listed many of them onRatebeer. Living in Portland, Oregon, I attend quite a few festivals and tastings, and am able to argue passionately about the merits of Cascade hops vs. Chinook. 

As for the soccer, I'm the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Aston Villa site, 7500 to Holte, the Italy Editor for SB Nation Soccer, and cover the Seattle Sounders on SBN Seattle (don't judge--I'm from Seattle!) Finally, I write for Two Footed Tackle when I find words worthy enough for the site. Want more? Follow me on Twitter!

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Going Suds Up: The Best Soccer, The Best Beers

By Kirsten Schlewitz / Senior West Coast Beer and Aston Villa Correspondent

What’s up, y’all? Can anyone guess what we’re focusing on this week? That’s right, it’s the Merseyside Derby – long considered one of the most friendly derbies in soccer, one in which supporters in Everton jerseys sit side by side with fans wearing Liverpool kits. Still, I imagine it can’t be very fun for those whose, say, romantic relationships bridge that divide.

For those not caught up on Premier League football (and if you’re not, why, not? Haven’t you heard it’s the best league in the world?) Liverpool is currently sitting in fifth place, with ten points, while Everton are in eleventh, with seven. The Reds are having a bit of an up-and-down season, beating Arsenal at the Emirates before realizing that such a feat isn’t that impressive this season, losing 4-0 to Spurs a couple weeks ago, and most recently managed to beat Wolves 2-1, but were helped out by Mr. Own Goal. Everton, meanwhile, have managed to record two wins – and it’s not even December yet! Last week, though, they were beaten 2-0 by Manchester City’s reserves, with Roberto Mancini actually allowing Mario Balotelli to play. And don’t worry, everyone, because Rafa Benitez has assured us that this derby is going to be “fantastic.”

Considering the match is at 6:45am CT, if you’re going to be up and drinking, you might as well be drinking something delicious and strong. The three beers widely available from Chimay, one of the six Belgian trappist breweries, will do quite nicely. Be sure to use your trappist glass (I know you have one) for whichever of the following you choose to quaff on Saturday.

For Liverpool fans: Chimay Red

What a pretty pour –and part of the reason you need an appropriate glass. This one is mahogany with a thick beige head. Another reason you need the right glass, of course, is so the aromas come through. Rouge smells of brown sugar, oranges, toasted caramel, and some red fruits. A true Belgian brew, you can taste the yeast, but this one is also peppery and  tastes of those red fruits. This is an absolutely perfectly balanced beer – which is likely more than can be said for a squad heavy on midfielders.

For Everton fans: Chimay Blue

Toffees fans, just because they are, well, Toffees fans, get the strongest beer on the list, weighing in at 9%. And because I feel more sympathy for Everton fans, they also get the best beer. Ok, ok, it’s really because they’re blue. This is a dark brownish-gold Belgian, with a thin cappuccino head. It smells like fig, caramel, candy sugar, cherries and yeast, which may sound odd but is actually captivating. Unsurprisingly, there’s a lot of candy sugar in the taste, as well as roses, plums, molasses, and nutty malt. Sip this one as you ponder how Everton will get through the season without any strikers.

For neutrals, crazy enough to wake up for this match: Chimay White

Match not as thrilling as Rafa promised? This beer will at least give you something to think about. It’s complex, not nearly as easy to enjoy as the first two. It pours a golden orange with barely any head, but lots of rising bubbles – which are at least something to watch, right? Bread and yeast are the primary smells, but there are raisins in there too. Can’t really taste the raisins though, with more of a bitter hop coming through the breadiness.  

About Kirsten

I may be a law student at Lewis and Clark, but soccer is my true love, with beer coming in a distant second. That's not to say I don't love beer--I've tasted over a thousand different brews, and listed many of them onRatebeer. Living in Portland, Oregon, I attend quite a few festivals and tastings, and am able to argue passionately about the merits of Cascade hops vs. Chinook. 

As for the soccer, I'm the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Aston Villa site, 7500 to Holte, the Italy Editor for SB Nation Soccer, and cover the Seattle Sounders on SBN Seattle (don't judge--I'm from Seattle!) Finally, I write for Two Footed Tackle when I find words worthy enough for the site. Want more? Follow me on Twitter!


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