It's football time again, and that means it's time for drinking beverages and watching games in various places. Here's where the OTE crew will be this weekend. Please chime in with your location and beverage in the comments so we can all keep tabs on each other (and by we, I mean the NSA).
MNWildcat: I will be in Chicago, enjoying a beach tailgate with NUMBallums at the North Avenue Beach. To drink? Whatever the hell I please -- that probably means crappy beer and the occasional gin-based drink. If I decide I want to be fancy, I'll bring some New Glarus down, though not that Spotted Cow nonsense--there's so much better New Glarus out there. Game time will be either at a friend's place or Kincade's. I plan on having no fingernails and no liver left by the end of the day -- I'm sprinting the marathon that is the 2013 NU football season.
Candystripes for Breakfast: Saturday, I'll probably be sitting in my preferred chair at home, watching whichever game I can get on basic television. Unlike many others, I'll probably be drinking Vanilla Coke, because I've yet to find the alcoholic beverage that I truly appreciate. Thursday, when my team actually plays, I'll be sitting in front of my computer, watching/live chatting the Hoosier game. I'll probably have Vanilla Coke then also, because Vanilla Coke is the best non-alcoholic Coke.
(Ed. note: The opinions expressed about Vanilla Coke by C4B do not constitute an endorsement of Vanilla Coke by Off Tackle Empire, SBNation, or its parent company Vox Media.)
babaoreally: I'll be in Cincinnati in a sold-out stadium watching the first game that Darrell Hazell and Tommy Tuberville coach for their new teams. After the game I plan on stopping by the Hofbrauhaus and drinking a liter of Dunkel, so it will be a good day regardless of how the Boilers look. Then I checked the weather; it is supposed to be 99 degrees, so maybe it will be miserable.
Graham Filler: I'm actually a huge fan of this Friday Spartan game. I will be right here, snuggled comfortably between the Red Cedar River and Spartan Stadium. And I believe, but cannot confirm, that the tailgate selection will include Shorts and Bells.
Brian Gillis: I'll be in the City of Angels, where I'll be ringing in the new season by reacquainting myself with some of my favorite sports bars.
Mike Jones: I will be in Iowa City watching the Hawkeyes take on Northern Illinois. This is my first year having season tickets so I'm pretty excited about it. For my drink? Well, there's no drinking in the stadium...so I may or may not smuggle a flask of Jack Daniels in. Allegedly.
C.E. Bell: Thursday night I'll be at home in Chicago, flipping over to the games frequently while eating dinner/drinking wine at home with my wife. Friday night we'll be driving up to Murray Lake and my in-laws, where I'll spend Saturday morning golfing (most likely), and then alternating between swimming/reading/lounging on the pontoon boat and watching college football all afternoon evening, before settling down in the recliner at 10:30 pm ET to watch Northwestern begin its undefeated season. As for drinking, it's the last weekend of the summer and I'm in Michigan, so that always means Bell's Oberon (but I might have a Maker's Mark Manhattan at some point in the day).
Jesse Collins: Thursday through Saturday night are probably some amalgamation of living rooms in Omaha in which I immerse myself in football watching (allegedly... proof remains to be seen). I finally stepped up my game and got DirecTV so that I could sucker myself into more and more channels of football, and intend to make that a good investment. I wish I was going somewhere, but not this weekend at least. As for a drink? Great question. I'm guessing lots of water because holy crap is the Midwest hot right now. Maybe some Simply Lemonade too because really, it's the best non-homemade lemonade out there. I'm Korean. Alcohol consumption is a lot of work for me. Especially when it's super hot out.
Hilary Lee: I will be starting the day on my couch with some coffee and then the last of the New Glarus I smuggled back from a Wisconsin camping trip. Then, I'll head to Cheesie's here on the north side of Chicago for some grilled cheese, beer, and more fooootbaalllll.
Ted Glover: I'll be home in suburban St. Louis. I'm going to be smoking a whole chicken and drinking either Leinie's Honey Weiss, Leinie's Canoe Paddler, or Angry Orchard Hard Cider. Might have a couple folks over, but right now, looks like I'll be watching the game solo.
If you're interested in reading more about adult beverages, check out this old post: Off Tackle Empire's Top Michigan Beers.