Do you know what’s amazing about the World Cup final? No one really remembers how you got there. Was it touch and go at one stage? Maybe, but who cares, baby; we’re in! That’s right – this Saturday we face off against the English, so I’ve put together the perfect beer-drinking list to help you deal with the stress. (Disclaimer alert: I wrote this under the assumption that we’re going to crush the English, which we are. But in the unlikely event that things go bad, the list will still work – the final IPA might just taste extra bitter.) Let’s go!
Build up beer: Castle Lager
As you settle into your comfortable chair to listen to the studio team give their thoughts, you need a familiar friend to calm your nerves. A good ol’ Castle lager is the perfect beer for the job, and it just feels right considering they’ve been behind the Boks since forever. It has the perfect amount of toasted malt sweetness to balance the hop bite, and it finishes slightly dry. The perfect start to a World Cup final.
Kick-off beer: Cape Brewing Company Pilsner
The tension mounts, the crowd roars and it’s go time! When the whistle blows, you need a beer that’s equally as snappy as a solid kick-off into enemy territory. Cape Brewing Company’s green-and-gold pilsner is the beer for the job. It’s packed full of biscuit malt and floral hop aromas and flavours. It finishes with a long, lingering bitterness reminiscent of the way the English still feel about their 2007 World Cup final defeat.
20th-minute beer: Stout Hoek
We’re 20 minutes in and you’ll either be praising Faf’s box kick as his luscious locks stream out behind him, or you’ll be cursing him for kicking away possession, again. Should it be the latter, that means it’s time to mix up strategies even if Rassie won’t. The call is a 50/50 blend of Castle Milk Stout and Windhoek Lager. It sounds crazy, but it’s a power duo that gives you all the rich chocolate and coffee character of dark roasted malt tempered by the crisp, clean bite of a pale lager.
Half time and the first 20 beer: Darling Brew Bone Crusher
With any luck, we would have scored a try just before the whistle and it’s time to celebrate with the half-time classic, sliced oranges. Bone Crusher is a classic Belgian-style Witbier and it’s brewed with orange and coriander to give it a distinct citrus and spice character. It’s super refreshing and the name is a good reminder of what the boys need to do for the remaining 40 minutes.
60th-minute beer: Mad Giant Killer Hop
At this point, I’m going to assume that the Boks are playing out of their socks and we’re 50 points ahead. Even so, this is not the time to hang back and defend, because this is a final. We need to reinforce our killer instinct and there’s one beer for the job: Killer Hop. It’s punchy pale ale that’s bursting with tropical fruit hop character and a snappy hop bite that will have you singing the lyrics to Eye of The Tiger for the rest of the day.
Celebration Beer: Devil’s Peak King’s Blockhouse IPA
The end is in sight and we’ve got possession. It’s just a matter of running the clock down a few more seconds before the final whistle blows. To make sure we celebrate our third World Cup victory in style, we need a beer fit for the kings of rugby: King’s Blockhouse IPA. It has a new look, it’s now double dry-hopped, and it’s the perfect celebratory beer that’s packed full of tropical fruit aromas and flavours. Congrats to the Bokke on another World Cup victory!
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