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Certainly you needed a couple drinks (at least) to get through the full four hours of the Syracuse Orange’s week one win. Now, we move onto some lighter fare in the Wagner Seahawks.
Saturday’s game starts at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Carrier Dome, meaning perfect timing for beer consumption whether you’re there in-person or sitting on the couch like me (albeit three hours earlier in the day out here).
So no matter when (or if) you’re imbibing to before, during or after this matchup against the Seahawks, see below for beer picks that are worth your while. You probably won’t be able to acquire at least one of these. Sorry in advance.
Wagner Beer Pick: Kills Boro Brewing Gimme, Gimme Blackberry Peach
Staten Island’s not exactly the beer hub Brooklyn is, but there are plenty of options there, too — including Kills Boro, which brews up a collection of IPAs, pale ales and sours (among others things). Gimme, Gimme Blackberry Peach is a sour ale brewed with lactose, vanilla bean, blackberry and peach; those last two ingredients being a bit obvious from the name. It comes in cans, which is becoming a bit more common for sours lately.
Syracuse Area Beer Pick: Willow Rock Brewing Co. Half in the Bag IPA
Willow Rock makes numerous IPAs, including this red, one of its flagships beers. It’s malty and bitter, with a toffee richness and hoppy finish that blend well with one another. Despite sitting at 6 percent ABV, there’s definite volume to the beer itself. Not enough to overheat you on a warm Saturday afternoon at the Dome. But plenty to feel something if you’re averaging a drink per Dungey touchdown versus Wagner.
Los Angeles Area Beer Pick: Cellador Ales Clockworks
As a (100 percent oak barrel-fermented) blendery, Cellador’s talent lies not in brewing beer from scratch but from creating the perfect flavor combinations from the barrels and top-notch ingredients it brings to the table. Clockworks sounds like a fairly simple saison with orange zest and cardamom, but instead it manages to be refreshingly tart and with detailed sweet notes that are not cloyingly so. If you’re around L.A., their tasting room is finally approved, though still only open here and there. That’s likely to change soon, though (plus bottles are available at the best shops around town).