You’ll see this dichotomy at a local bar, should you be there in attendance. Bud Light, as the official beer partner of the NFL, will have posters and products emblazoned with the Super Bowl graphics, depictions of the trophy, and the NFL logo. Competing beers will have to invoke The Big Game on any of their printed touts, resorting to generic images of helmets and footballs to deliver their watered-down message. But this is not a concern in your home or that of any you are visiting, so here are some potable options for your crowd ahead of the kickoff.

To start, looking for beers from the home cities for the game is an option. Los Angeles, as major a city as you can get, has lagged a bit in the craft beer wave, but there are plenty cropping up in the area in recent years. The challenge is that few are large enough for national distribution. One likely option is Los Angeles Ale Works, which leans on its name and offers numerous IPA options (but other styles may be found).

Mix-packs available this weekend only. Stock up for Labor Day and beyond! pic.twitter.com/eYlbTCKHG1

— LA Ale Works (@LAaleworks) August 31, 2018

For Cincinnati brews, it might be even tougher, given the smaller market town that it is. If nearby, you can drop in at Listermann Brewing, where they offer up what they dub to be a “Cincinnati Style” stout. It is an imperial stout flavored with some chocolate, cinnamon, and allegedly spaghetti – to replicate the town’s famed chili serving style.

More likely to be found are offerings from the city’s largest brewer, Rhinegeist. A true local institution, they make a string of imperial IPAs with a nod to the team, called Saber-Toothed Tiger. Happy hunting, to be sure.

Everything's coming up orange…#cincymade #whodey #RuleTheJungle pic.twitter.com/BdyD8RXdq4

— Rhinegeist (@rhinegeist) February 1, 2022

 

Barring getting lucky with those brews, you can still concoct some cocktails befitting the contest. For the Bengals, there are some appropriate options to please the crowds.

The Tiger Stripe

This one delivers both in terms of flavor and appearance.

• 2 oz. Vanilla Vodka
• 2 oz. Orange Schnapps
• Splash of Orange Juice

Prepare ingredients in a shaker over ice. Rim a stemmed glass with black sugar. Shake for 30 seconds, strain into glass. Take sips at various points and the sugar will create tiger stripes down the glass.

 

There is a similarly-based classic for the Los Angelenos

The Ram Cocktail

Finally, you put that tall bottle in the bar to good use

• 2 oz. Coconut Rum
• 1 oz. Galliano
• 4 oz. Orange Juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a stemmed glass. Garnish with small shot of whipped cream.

 

For fans who cannot bear to sip the elixirs of other teams, there are a variety of options for you to explore. Here are some ideas.

Spirit of ‘72 Cocktail

Each year after the last undefeated team loses, the remaining members of the Miami Dolphins Undefeated Champion gather for a champagne toasting party. This drink’s recipe, framed at the famed hotel on Miami Beach, is considered a perfect margarita version to celebrate that Perfect Season.

• 1 Shot Aged Tequila
• ½ oz. Blue Curacao
• ½ oz. Orange Juice
• ½ oz. Pineapple Juice
• ½ oz. Lime Juice
• ½ oz. Agave Syrup (optional)

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain over ice in Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a Dolphin-cut Orange wedge.

@Liquor features the ‘Spirit of 72’ @MiamiDolphins themed cocktail of #StripSteak by lead bartender @seth_weinberg https://t.co/8FErXArqMo pic.twitter.com/2lnEXdkTaT

— Fontainebleau Dining (@DineBLEAU) January 5, 2017

 

The Colts Punch

Clearly, this has to do with Indy’s proximity to Kentucky. This is not a bad thing.

• 2 shots Bourbon
• ¾ oz. Triple Sec
• 4 oz. Lemonade
• Fill with citrus soda

In a Collins glass or Mason jar ¾ filled with ice combine ingredients and stir. Garnish with an apple wedge.

 

The Pack

I had this one sent to me as an alternative. I cannot attest to the nature of the cheese slice garnish

@sincitybartender y’all gonna choke to the 49ers again or nah? @packers #packers #sincitybartender #nfl ♬ NFL on FOX Theme [Karaoke Version] – Instrumental King

 

And, just for a closing, THIS is entirely why you do not take drinking recommendations from your network TV morning shows.

Ummm. This is not a thing. @TODAYshow’s Cincinnati Cocktail: “craft beer with soda water.” Nope. pic.twitter.com/j1DRWhITR7

— Randi Rico WLWT (@RandiRicoWLWT) February 11, 2022