Tailgating Beers need to answer to a different standard than your average beer of choice. We’re looking for something that you can drink a 12 pack of over the course of the day without losing your mind (check our ABV chart/price chart). We need a combination of availability and versatility. Something you can drink with fried chicken, chili, or a chocolate dessert. In sweltering heat or bitter cold. Throw an extra beer in your pocket and walk around campus or share your cooler full of tasty beer with new guests. These are the beers to have and share at your tailgate.
Shiner Bock – From the Spoetzel Brewery in Texas comes this no frills beer charting in at 4.4 ABV. This is an amber beer that’s easy to drink year round. Available in cans or bottles and in bulk. (Beer Advocate)
Bitter American – Billed as a “extra pale session ale has lower alcohol but all the flavor and hop aroma you”. Coming in at 4.4% ABV this is a good substitute for pounding IPA’s all day long. From 21st Ammendment Brewery in California (only in cans) but seems to have decent coverage on the East Coast now. (Beer Advocate)
Fat Tire – The flagship amber ale from New Belgium brewery. 5.2% ABV puts it a hair above a sessionable beer, but it pairs so well with tailgating food. Also, you can find almost anywhere these days which makes for a very good default beer in bottles, cans, and bulk. (Beer Advocate)
Stella Artois – Stella has been making a push in the US market for well over a decade now with draft beer in an iconic glass. For whatever reason, I seemed to constantly come across bad kegs of it for awhile and backed off. The bottles were okay. But when the cans went mainstream in 2012 this became a tasty and viable tailgating beer. Super smooth and easily shared with girls at your tailgate. (Beer Advocate)
Full Sail Session Premium Lager – The short stubby bottle will definitely stick out at the tailgate. You feel like you could drink these for 12 hours and never get tired of them. 5.1% ABV out of Oregon and sold mainly as bottles in a 12 pack. This a fun and tasty alternative to Bud/Miller/Coors etc. (Beer Advocate)
Yuengling Traditional Lager: We’re hitting all the bases here. Widely available in a ton of forms at a reasonable price. 4.4% ABV with enough taste to put it above the mega mainstream (no longer American) beers. (Beer Advocate)