January 17, 2020

Couch-potatoes rejoice! It's that amazing time of the year to park yourself on the couch for endless hours, indulge in some delicious foods, enjoy the best brews, and watch football. The Superbowl is right around the corner and there's nothing better than pouring some cold ones and snacking yourself into a food coma.

We're going to help you prepare for this momentous annual occasion with our best hosting tips and delicious food and beer pairings!

Preparing for game day

Before you can get into the food and booze goodness, you need to prepare for the big day. Maybe you're only having a few friends over or maybe it's your one big party of the year, either way, we have some tips to ensure you don't miss a second of the big game.

• 1. Go shopping the week before - Seriously, if you wait until the last minute you're going to regret it. Stores get wild and packed the weekend of game day and you don't even want to step in there for a bag of chips! Get your list together and check it twice.

• 2. Get a kegerator - We can't begin to tell you how much having a kegerator is a game-changer! Like a deflated football, you'll notice the difference... in the taste of your beer when it comes straight from the tap. Plus, you won't have to worry about empty bottles or cans piling up and your guests can serve themselves, so you won't be missing a second of the game going to get beers from the fridge or going on a beer run!

Check out our favorite kegerators in our blog, here.

What if all your guest don't like beer? We have other beverage solutions to suit your needs.

You don't have to just serve beer through a kegerator, you can also serve kombucha, hard seltzer, coffee, even cocktails, and soda!

Or try these side-by-side combination beverage centers, that store something for everyone:

• Single Zone Wine Refrigerator + Kegerator
• Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator + Kegerator
• Beverage Refrigerator + Kegerator



• 3. Get disposable cups, plates, and utensils - We know this sounds so basic but these are the items people often forget to purchase when they're hosting a big party! If you really want to ensure your beer stays frosty until the last drop, we recommend these stainless steel double-walled beer cups.

• 4. Overestimate how much you'll need - It's inevitable that on the big day, that you'll end up with some friends of friend crashing the party or other unexpected guests. Plus, everyone loves to indulge and you don't want to run out of food or booze for your buddies.

How much beer do I need?

Save yourself the refrigerator space and grab a kegerator, jockey Box, or conversion kit, or some growlers (learn about growlers here) for the big day. Trust us, draft beer is what you want to be drinking. It not only tastes better but you're saving space in your refrigerator for all the tasty game day foods, you're reducing recycling and waste, and you won't need to go on a beer run during half time!

Here's a guide to determine what you need to serve beer on game day:

How many styles of beer do you want to serve?

• 1 Style - You'll need a Single Tap Kegerator or Single Tap Jockey Box
• 2 Styles - You'll need a Dual Tap Kegerator or Dual Tap Jockey Box
• 3 Styles - You'll need a Triple Tap Kegerator
• 4 or More Styles - You'll need a Commercial Kegerator with multiple taps

How many people are you serving?

Assuming a conservative estimate of each person drinking one beer per hour and approximately a 3 and a half-hour game, this is how much beer you'll need to satisfy your guest. Feel free to adjust accordingly and responsibly to your guests' drinking habits, the length of your party (you may want top include pre or post-game festivities), and remember it's better to slightly overestimate.

For a detailed guide on keg sizes and types, click here.

• 1-3 people - Mini Keg (approx. serving size of 14 pints of beer)
• 4-10 people - 5 gallon Cornelius or Sixth Barrel Keg (approx. serving size of 40 pints of beer)
• 10-15 people - 7.75 gallon Quarter or Slim Quater Keg (approx. serving size of 62 pints of beer)
• 15 + people - Full-sized Keg (approx. serving size of 124 pints of beer)

Popular pairings

Buffalo Wings + Blue Cheese Dip + an American IPA

A refreshing hoppy and bitter IPA cuts through the richness of chicken wings and adds a little sweetness to the hot wing sauce. The slight funky flavor from the blue cheese pairs well with the strong hoppy flavors of an IPA.

Classic Potato Chips + a Lager

Wheat beers highlight the starchiness of the chip and cuts through the fat with a crisp refreshing flavor.

Hot Dogs + an Ale

Whether you're having pigs in a blanket or a good old hot dog, the crisp and refreshing taste of an Ale will help cut through the salty richness of a hot dog but won't overwhelm your palate with too many strong flavors. The light to medium body is easy to drink and won't fill you up.

Cheese or Margarita Pizza + Pale Ale

The malty flavors in a Pale Ale help balance out the acidity of the tomato sauce and compliment the toasty notes in the crust. The lightness of the beer won't overwhelm the subtle flavor of the mozzarella and will help refresh your palate.

Pepperoni Pizza or Meat Lover's + IPA

The bitterness of an IPA helps balance out the saltiness and rich flavors of the meat. The hoppy notes really help add something brighter to the overall taste of such a rich cheesy and meaty pizza.

Potato Skins + Porter

These fully-loaded flavored packed potato delights have so many rich and salty flavors layered on top of one another and it needs something sweet to balance it all out. The chocolatey and bitter coffee notes of a Porter really come together well with the heartiness of the potato skin.

Jalapeno Poppers + Imperial IPA

If you're a little spicy and a little cheesy, you're going to gobbling down these cheesy, bacony, spicy treats and you're going to need a bitter and hoppy west coast IPA to pair it with. The piney notes with the heavy hops will help cut through the heat and rich cheesy goo.

Mozzarella Sticks + Fruited Sour

Is there anything better than deep-fried cheese? Oh yeah, deep-fried cheese and beer! Cut through this greasy, rich, and gooey snack with a refreshing, fruity, and sour beer. This combination perfectly balances each other out and leaves you with happy feelings in your belly.

Going the extra yard...

Want to make the Superbowl a truly memorable experience? Do-it-yourself flights are always a fun way for guest to enjoy a full spread of food and try out all these fun pairings. We recommend checking out our selection of build your own flight products from tasting glasses to beer flight staves.

Learn more about beer flights in our beer flight guide here.