Tailgating Tech - Introduction Edition

The business of tailgating. The art of serious fun.
Ah, we gotta start at the beginning so we can break this down, plant the foot and move downfield decisively. Lets define why we tailgate.

1. Eat- the trip can be a long one and we need blood sugar to survive the day, have energy to rock the stadium and when our bellies are full were happier and our bodies have an easier time controlling our body temp, whether we are at the game in August at 80+ degrees or November at a rainy 40 degrees.
2. Drink- be it iced tea for the designated driver or bourbon for the fool of the day, we hafta get it in. This raises some tradeoffs in convenience, safety, cost, taste, style and convenience. Choices well take seriously in this article series.
3. Entertain your buddies and those around you- Its gotta be fun or its just not worth it. Everyone's description of fun varies, I'm sure some of the things we describe here will just seem like too much work to some but, others will find the challenge right up their alley.

A major portion of the series will focus directly on a topic near and dear to my heart, beer. There is not a single thing about beer that I don't like. Technical talk on water chemistry all the way to the cool enjoyment of the glass. As well, the business of beer and brewing are right on spot. Questions welcomed.
We're going to talk about the breweries in the region of Blacksburg, from the parts in NC close to us and the New River and Roanoke Valleys, all of Virginia and in the vicinity of all the areas where VT will play a football game this coming year. Im also going to hit on targets of opportunity. If I hit a brewery town like Ashville, NC or a particularly interesting brewery, expect a post.
If you are a Hokie beer enthusiast located in a city where we will be playing one of our 13 football games this year, drop me a message so we can do some coordination regarding breweries or other beer interest opportunities such as pertinent museums, festivals, hop farms, malting houses, etc.
We'll also touch on any areas of interest to the various Hokies located around the world. I'll definitely need input as to that so, don't be bashful. Logistics, technical and practical problems of the tailgate such as how to cool the grill for transport, troubleshooting a foamy keg and how to keep your mayo from making your guests sick are well within scope here.

Lets talk about beer for a bit so we don't get lost.
I like it, its good stuff and snobbiness wont be tolerated even though I am a craft beer enthusiast. People have different taste, means, goals and logistical concerns so, whether your favorite is Busch lite in a can or Pliny the Elder poured into a proper IPA glass at exactly 42 deg F, well be inclusive here.
We have several choices for beer delivery to the consumer at a game and they all have tradeoffs.

1. Can- inexpensive and ubiquitous, top of the line beers now appear in cans as the improvement in tech has allowed for linings of the cans that don't allow the acidic liquid of beer to taste like the aluminum in which they are stored.
   

   Cans have the distinct advantage of being unbreakable, serving sized and chilled easily and well in a standard cooler. They can be squashed against your forehead for compact storage once empty.
   
   They recycle easily, dont require a separate opener and protect the contents extremely well from sunlight and oxygen staling until opened.

2. Bottle- stack well in coolers, transfer cold very well, may have a labeled cap to easily identify particular beers without having to stir the entire cooler trying to read labels through the ice. Bottles are heavier than cans and do not protect the beer from light, a distinct spoilage disadvantage. More varieties of beer are available in bottles and glass is a much friendlier container to the lips and will not carry a feeling or taste of metal/battery to the lips and mouth.
   Glass breaks and is much less convenient to discard than crushable cans.
3. Growlers- relatively new to the scene, these guys allow you to bring any beer you can get on draft, to the game. A growler is a glass or stainless steel container used specifically to make draft takeout possible. Not available in all states due to rapidly changing laws, growlers are legal in Virginia and NC. In Virginia, any size is legal as long as it is plainly marked on the container but most common are 64 oz, 1L, 2L and quart (sometimes referred to as grenades). I like the stainless ones, they are expensive but very nicely insulated and will keep that beer cold and, for those late fall noon games, the coffee hot. I also collect growlers.
   

   Look for some growlers as a pouch, like a hiker might carry, if you are concerned with breakage.

4. Keg- Ah, my favorite, all that mass makes it easy to keep cold, everybody likes the act of drawing a beer and very economical on a per glass basis. Kegs are heavy, require special equipment, can have problems with foaming and absolutely (well, usually) require a separate container to pour the beer into to deliver to the consumers lips. Which opens other choices, solo cup, pint glass, etc. You need a way to deliver pressure to push the beer out, a way to keep the keg cold and a tap of some sort. Kegs are generally available by barrel (15.5 gallon), barrel, 1/6 barrel (5.1 gallon). You can get just about any beer you want in keg but the volume means youll general have less varieties available at the game. So, that's a limiting factor. You also need to bring the kegs back to the retailer after the game. We will do a series of articles on kegs. Way too much to hit in 1 article.

There are some other options as well and if there's any interest, we can hit on these such as mini kegs, homebrewers Cornelius style soda kegs and such but these are the main choices.

Since this is article #1 and many of you will be asking who the heck is this guy and why does he think he can talk intelligently about my beer. Well, I can't but I'll pretend to anyway. I've sampled beer all over the Pacific rim and on the east coast. I've been homebrewing for over 20 years and I've quit my day job to be a commercial brewer. I'm the Head Brewer at Roanoke Railhouse Brewery, I informally consult with many of the breweries in the Roanoke region and a graduate of Seibel Institute World Brewing Academy. I'm married and living in Roanoke County and drive a Yellow Harley Fatboy.

Article : XXXXII Beer of the Moment

This publication has been powered by: Big Bear Black Stout 8.7% ABV Bear Republic brewery Healdsburg, CA and Chaos Mountain Brewing Chocolate Stout, Callaway, VA.

Joe, I need a Beer Tag.

Drink Responsibly, do not drink and drive. Designated Drivers save Lives.