Enjoying

the Super Bowl is an all-day event (though it kicks off at 3:30 p.m. PT)—that can get you into trouble if you don’t pace yourself. Along with all the nachos, burgers, hot dogs, bean dips, and hummus you might ingest, beer plays a big role in the Sunday-turned-national holiday. So we wanted to offer a bit of advice on which Seattle beers might work best for ultimate enjoyment of the game. Oh, and GO HAWKS!

10 a.m. Presumably you’ll be awake around now and will begin making decisions: Should I start in on a beer? Should I begin the tailgating? Remember: There are a lot of hours ahead, so maybe this is a good time to have breakfast and set a foundation for the day’s festivities. Let’s be smart!

11 a.m. OK, maybe now you’re into the idea of a drink. (It’s afternoon somewhere, right?) If you’re ready to imbibe, we suggest a schooner (otherwise known as a half-pint) of pilsner or cider. Georgetown never lets you down; with an excellent IPA (Lucille), red ale (Chopper’s), and, yes, pilsner (Roger’s), their beers are clean and crisp. Our pick: Georgetown’s Roger’s Pilsner

. It’s light and never skunky. A perfect sunny start for the early session.

If you want to move from a lighter-style beer or start with a Seattle cider, try Tieton’s Cherry Apple—a medium-dry, slightly tart cider that dances on your taste buds. For a more traditional cider, try Seattle Cider Company’s Semi Sweet Cider

.

12:30 p.m.

Eat lunch! We know you’ll be noshing most of the day, but this is the time to at least have a sandwich. Maybe wash it down with Stoup’s Red Ale, a bright, non-syrupy red ale from one of Ballard’s newest breweries.

2

p.m. You can feel game time approaching. Your hands are beginning to twitch. You’ve researched Richard Sherman’s injuries, made sure Marshawn Lynch isn’t going to be fined (again!), and read Russell Wilson’s inspirational tweets on family, love, and spirituality. Pete Carroll is saying all the right things. The clock can’t move fast enough. It’s time for your first IPA, Seattle’s favorite style of beer. If this is the case, go for Fremont Brewing’s Interurban, a quintessential Northwest hoppy brew. It’s bitter in all the right places—so you don’t have to be.

3 p.m. THE GAME IS ABOUT TO START THE GAME IS ABOUT TO START THE GAME IS ABOUT TO START! Anything can happen in football and anything can happen when you’re watching football, so now it’s time to relax and calm your mind with Odin’s Nordic Amber (previously called their Ruby Red): dark in color with a malty start and an oaky finish. The bonus is that it drinks light. Perfect for a time of uncertainty.

3:45 p.m. THE SEAHAWKS JUST SCORED! (Well, we can only hope.) It’s probably time to go back to the schooner size. We have a long way to go. The Patriots (boooo!!!!) are a good team (booo!!!) and we’re nowhere near out of this yet. So go for another IPA—remember, schooner size! Let’s try Black Raven’s Trickster hoppy beer, which has a touch of malt. Black Raven (out of Redmond) is an excellent brewery and—bonus—resides near where all the players do on the Eastside.

4:40 p.m. The first quarter is done. Drink a glass of water, use the restroom, come back and have another glass of water. It’s the right thing to do.

5 p.m. It’s almost halftime and the score is close. We’re predicting 14-10, good guys. Let’s go back to the smooth, dark side of things (it’s always darkest before the dawn, after all) and sample Maritime Brewing’s Nightwatch Dark Ale. Smooth, smooth, smooth, this malty dark ale is perfect for bringing you from the edge of your seat to the middle of it. Enjoy life—it doesn’t all have to be that tense.

Halftime Walk around, have a cup of coffee perhaps, leave the room you’re in. Use your legs! Weren’t those commercials with animals and Doritos funny?!

5:30 p.m. AAAaaaaannnnnndddd we’re back. Maybe one more glass of water, huh?

6 p.m. Home stretch! Seahawks are winning. Life is good. Schooner of Hilliard’s Amber, please! Refreshing, clean, light enough but not watery whatsoever. Yes, this will be great.

7 p

.m. You’ve bitten your fingernails down, you’ve rubbed your lucky rabbit’s foot, Wilson has scrambled and hit Baldwin for a TD, Lynch has run a couple in, and Steven Hauschka has just given the Hawks the lead with a clutch field goal—it’s 24-17 Hawks. For the last beer of the game, let’s get Georgetown’s Lucille—maybe the smoothest IPA in the entire city. It’s hoppy but floral and tastes like victory.

8 p.m. Postgame. Buy your buds whatever they want, leave your keys in your pocket, and let’s celebrate! We’ve gone back-to-back!

food@seattleweekly.com