It’s bowl season. And, by that, we mean football. And, by that, we mean fun.
We are big fans of football at Cherokee Distributing Company – it is truly an East Tennessee tradition – and we enjoy get-togethers of friends and family, whether it’s at your home or favorite pub, to share some brews and pull for your team.
There’s a bevy of bowls in December and January leading up to the BCS Championship on Jan. 6 in Pasadena, Calif., between Auburn and Florida State, the title game that will officially end the 2013 college football season and make us all start counting the days until “It’s Football Time in Tennessee” again.
There are 38 official bowls leading up to Jan. 6 from the Potato Bowl (Buffalo vs. San Diego State) to the Armed Forces Bowl (Middle Tennessee vs. Navy) to the Music City Bowl (Ole Miss vs. Georgia Tech). Here is the full list to college football bowls so you can make your party and viewing plans.
Football bowls and cold beer are a perfect combination, so be sure to stock up on Coors Light and Miller Lite, both brewed by MillerCoors and both timeless classics. Football is an American sport – the first official college game was between Rutgers and Princeton on Nov. 6, 1869, in New Brunswick, N.J. – so celebrate with an ice-cold Icehouse, by the Plank Road Brewery, part of the MillerCoors family.
Icehouse, introduced in 1993, was America’s first domestic ice beer. Brewed below freezing, it results in the formation of ice crystals, probably much like the field conditions for that first football game. Share that bit of trivia with your friends over an Icehouse, and to really impress them, mention that Rutgers won the game, 6-4, a baseball-like score. (Rutgers was looking for revenge after Princeton beat its baseball team by a football-like score of 40-2.)
You can also kick it up a notch with Smirnoff Ice Triple Black, a carbonated beverage with a crisp taste that leaves plenty of room for tasty foods. Another perfect beverage for football gatherings is Jack Daniel’s Black Jack Cola, a classic combination brewed by the Jack Daniel Distillery.
Football parties are also about beverage and food combinations so click that list of bowls and look for culinary ties-ins to games. For example, the Fight Hunger Bowl on Dec. 27 features Washington, a state known for its apples. Angry Orchard Green Apple, the latest addition to the Angry Orchard family, is made with American-grown apples from the Evergreen State for a refreshing tart-and-sweet twist on a classic hard cider. Serve it with cheeses, grilled chicken, seafood dishes and smoked meats for a perfect celebration.
Enjoy the bowl season and, as always, drink responsibly. Now, let’s get ready for kickoff!