CONCACAF Gold Cup

USA vs. Belize, Beer of the Day: America the Impalers

Belize's president thinks they are going to win. Seriously.

By Ryan Rosenblatt Jul 9, 2013, 10:38am PDT

If you've been following the run-up to the United States national team opening game against Belize tonight you may have stumbled across this quote:

"I call on our national team to not only beat the United States but to humiliate the United States."
That gem came from Ruperto Vicente president of the Football Federation of Belize' speaking to a local newspaper in Portland.

BWHAHAHAHAHHAHA. (Deep breath) AHAHHAHAHAHA!

Perhaps this gentlemen has been imbibing a bit too much on all the fine beers that Rose City has to offer, but you've. got. to. be. kidding. me.

Last Friday's warm up match against Guatemala, like we called it, was an impressive "victory at sea". We destroyed a team that has actually been competitive in CONCACAF before and now Belize thinks they are going to come into one of the best soccer cities and stadiums in the country and "humiliate" us?

We say that sounds "un-Belize-able."

AMIRITE?

(crickets)

Moving past fake outrage and to what you all came here for... our beer of the match recommendation.

Portland calls itself "Soccer City USA", but the beer's not half bad either.

Duh.

Portland's beer scene offers so many choices. It has more breweries per capita than any other city in the country. Additionally, it's the epic center of the India Pale Ale (and it's bigger brother the double or imperial IPA) and "hop bomb" beers.

So many good choices and we're going to go against convention just a bit here.

Instead of hoppy we're going to pick another style that Portland is making a name for itself.

Meet Cascade Brewing Company and their "Vlad the Imp Aler" sour. The quality and craft of their beers is inversely proportional to their website's.

Not that we like to be a party pooper (OK we do), but we're a little more "sour" on Belize's chances against this well-stocked USMNT.

In fact the real Vlad the Impaler might watch this game and say "whoa guys... calm down a bit."

The beer. Yes. the beer. Cascade's "Vlad" is low on hops (6 IBUs) and big on alcohol (10.3%). It's most definitely for sipping and sharing, not slamming. And, of course, it's sour. Really sour.

Cascade describes the beer as such: "This strong north-west sour is a blend of strong blonde quads and tripels aged in oak and Bourbon barrels, then further blended with spiced blondes and left to condition for an additional five months."

That's beer with a lot of variety, loads of flavor, and aged well.

This Gold Cup squad could be described similarly.

What are you drinking tonight?

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