Beer for the Playoffs

Chris O'Meara, Associated Press

It sounds trite, but baseball matters. I've been following the epic collapse of the Red Sox all month and last night was just glorious. I went to bed thinking that the best case scenario was a Red-Sox-Rays game to see who would go to the playoffs. But, it all changed, Papelbon blew a save, Longoria pulled a George Brett and said "WE WILL NOT LOSE" and brought the Rays back from 7-0. If there was such a thing as a Rays fan, he would have a memory for the rest of his life. Longoria game 162. For me, it's Motley Game 7, Sundberg's slide, Andujar meltdown, Saberhagen, Brett, 11-0 on the good side and Durham duff and Bartman (not his fault) on the bad side. What other things do you remember from 1985 or 2003? That's why baseball matters.



The playoffs start this weekend and while the Royals aren't involved, I'm sure that every baseball fan will like one team or some players on that team giving you a rooting interest in the games. Over the course of the month, you'll care about these players and teams a little too much. Whether it's Greinke with the Brewers*, Betemit with the Tigers, Sabathia, Lee, Hamilton, Longoria, Upton or whoever, you're going to care, each at bat will matter, every pitch will matter, tension will build.

*This is the Brewers' year. As a Cubs fan, I can count on the World Series to bring a team with a long streak of not winning World Series to bring another team a championship. To Cubs fans this strikes a dagger in our hearts. Since the Brewers have never won one, this is their year.

That's why I always like to have a good higher alcohol beer available for those extra tense times, when you need to calm your nerves a little. Last year, we had Lagunitas Brown Shugga' available, this year it won't be in town until November so we need something else. This year, I'm going with Boulevard Sixth Glass.

Sixth Glass is a monster with 11% ABV, making it perfect for a late night baseball game 2-2 going into the ninth. Pop one of those open, watch the managers empty their bench to face the other team's premier closer, every pitch becoming even more tense. Sixth Glass' Belgian goodness will warm you up, relax you and give you some great taste. Now that Sixth Glass is available in Little Smokies form, you can have 12 ounces of goodness, perfect for a tense ninth inning. Maybe this year's memories you'll experience with Sixth Glass will be, Lee's Perfect Game, Rivera's Blown Save, Greinke's Home Run, Braun's Catch or Pedroia's Tears oh wait, that happened last night. Certainly, this year's memories should be accompanied by Boulevard Sixth Glass.