:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48720147/Insight_Brewing_cr_FB.0.0.jpg)
The big day is almost here. The Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos will gather in Santa Clara, CA, home of the 49ers, to award the champion of the 2015 NFL season. Let's be honest, is that why you’re watching? Or is for the commercials, the gluttony, or because everybody else is doing it, too? All we know for certain is that it’s not for the halftime show...
Plan ahead, (because we all know no one is buying any beer in Minnesota on Sunday) and fill a cart with a range of selections for the big game party. Whether it’s to wash down that buffalo sauce, drown the sorrows of your wagering decisions, pour in celebration champagne-style, or appease that friend who only drinks the light stuff, here are the best local picks to make the game more fun.
Todd the Axeman (Surly)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5991823/todd-the-axe-man-website-headers.0.jpeg)
This beer has the citrus to cut through spice, the hops to counter grease, the bitter to cleans the palate in the end, and the carbonation to keep your digestion on track. Plus, it tastes great and comes in tall cans.
Audience: IPA lovers
Pairing: Pizza; Gloating
Available: Cans
Image credit: Surly Brewing
Grain Belt Premium (Schell's)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5991849/Grainbelt_cr_grainbelt.0.jpg)
Classic Minnesota beer for summer or winter. Cheap enough to buy in bulk, and iconic enough that the light beer drinkers in the crowd will take one too. Its sweetness will profile well with salty treats and it’s less filling than the craftier items here.
Audience: Minnesotans
Pairing: All the munchies; Passive Aggression
Available: Cans, bottles
Wonderstuff (Bauhaus)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5991205/Bauhaus_Wonderstuff.0.jpg)
Minnesota pilsners have come a long way in a few short years. The go-to option from Northeast’s German-influenced brewery is light and crisp, clean and sessionable.
Audience: Balanced beer fans
Pairing: Wings; Advertising critiques
Available: cans, growlers
Image credit: Bauhaus Brew Labs
City Day Ale (Urban Growler)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5994411/Urban_Growler_cr_FB.0.jpg)
This Kentucky Common Beer modifies a bourbon recipe and the reconfiguration works. With a barley, corn, and rye profile, it’s grain forward and easy on the hops. Refreshing and flavorful.
Audience: Balanced beer fans
Pairing: Cocktail wieners; Unnecessary roughness
Available: Growlers
Image credit: Urban Growler
Hell Chicken (Insight)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5991223/Hell_chicken_Insight_cr_FB.0.jpg)
A pale ale made with yuzu, this beer is citrusy like a cross between mandarin oranges and grapefruit. It’s intensely flavorful at the front, but crisp enough that it complements foods instead of overpowering them.
Audience: Adventurous Palates
Pairing: Guacamole; End zone re-enactments
Available: Cans, growlers
Great Northern Porter (Summit)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/5991667/Package_Great-Northern-Porter.0.png)
A winter classic, this porter dances on the tongue and nose and a spicy chili brings out its esters. For those who want something a little darker and seasonal that goes well with the salt heavy leanings of a Super Bowl snack arrangement.
Audience: Dark beer fans
Pairing: Chili; Smack talk
Available: Bottles
Image credit: Summit
Some more honorable Minnesota beer mentions for hitting various palates during the game include Mankato’s Organ Grinder, Fair State’s Pompe Le Moose IPA, Steel Toe’s Beltline Brown, Summit EPA, or Lake Monster Milk Stout.
