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You have a good 5 hours before kick-off. The human body can only stomach so many beer-pong beers, racks of ribs, or sausage hoagies.
With any tailgate there is going to be some downtime. My advice…relax and enjoy the freedom. No wife, no job, no screaming kids. Just you, your beers, your food, your team, and your friends. And yea, don’t forget your cigar.
The cigar…the new necessity of tailgating. Sit back, enjoy the conversation and atmosphere, and light the stogie. But before you open that next cold one here are some tips for pairing your cigar and beer for the ultimate enjoyment. (My father has taught me well!)
The first rule for pairing is to remember that the less intense your beer is (think wheat or fruity beers) the smaller your cigar should be. Of course the opposite means you should be pairing the fat, shorter cigars with stout and dark ales.
The second rule for pairing deals with the color of the cigar wrapper. Just remember…the lighter the cigar wrapper, the lighter your brew should be. For example a Don Leo cigar would pair best with a Sam Adams Heavenly Gold.
Now on to my recommendation for the ultimate tailgate. My beer of choice is a dry stout, a.k.a. a Guinness. So in one hand I will have my Guinness and competing for the attention of my lips will be a Maduro cigar. Trust me, pure heaven. With this combination you won’t even care if your team loses.
So next time you are packing up your car are planning your tailgate menu, don’t forget the stogie!
