Game day beer picks: Syracuse vs. Liberty

After a long offseason, college football is back! And so is our weekly look at what beer you should be drinking this weekend.

The Syracuse Orange are ranked in both polls, and start the season on the road against the Liberty Flames on Saturday night at 6 p.m. ET. So that should give you plenty of time to imbibe before this one gets going... while hopefully still leaving room to enjoy after, assuming we win (if we lose, the beverage of choice is bleach).

No matter when (or if) you’re drinking before, during or after this game against Liberty, 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.

Liberty Area Beer Pick: Loose Shoe Brewery Hot Shoe

By our calculation, this is the closest brewery to Liberty, over in nearby Amherst, Va. Loose Shoe makes a variety of different beers, but like many, they do have a solid stable of IPAs at the ready. Hot Shoe adds an extra kick with jalapenos, bringing some spice to your standard, hoppier ale — a balance that can go really well if struck correctly. General reaction seems to be that it’s medium-spiced. But like most “hot” beers, if you like peppery brews, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you don’t, you won’t.

Syracuse Area Beer Pick: Prison City Brewery Barrel Aged Wham Whams

While anyone in the greater Syracuse area that likes beer should know that Prison City is a thing, most think of their hoppy offerings. Mass Riot is one of the best beers made anywhere, they’re dropping their new version of the Riot series this Saturday with “Riot IPA,” Riot in ‘29 is on tap currently. Their gem that goes very unheralded though is their imperial stout that they brew with Madagascar vanilla beans and toasted coconut. They barrel age this often, but they’ll be putting the version they aged in Woodford Reserve barrels back on tap on game-day. If you’re in the area, head out for a glass of this and you won’t in any way be disappointed.

Los Angeles Area Beer Pick: Highland Park Brewery Timbo Pils

What happens when you mix the ideas behind a West Coast IPA (John’s style of choice, as most readers know by this point) and a German pilsner? The answer is this excellent beer, which balances soft and bitter notes, and adds a tropical element over the top with some Mosaic and Nelson dry-hopping. It’s refreshing, clean and reasonably hoppy while still telling you it’s clearly a pils. One of the best new beers John’s tried all year.

***

How about you? What are you planning to drink this weekend?