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PAC-12 Pints: A UCLA Football return to the Arizona beer scene

By Michael Chavez

2 Dec 1998: General view of the mascot for the UCLA Bruins in action during the game against the Delaware State Stinging Hornets at Pauley Pavillion in Los Angeles, California. UCLA defeated Delaware State 109-67. Mandatory Credit: David Taylor /Allsport
2 Dec 1998: General view of the mascot for the UCLA Bruins in action during the game against the Delaware State Stinging Hornets at Pauley Pavillion in Los Angeles, California. UCLA defeated Delaware State 109-67. Mandatory Credit: David Taylor /Allsport /
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It’s another PAC-12 conference game for the UCLA Football team which it’s time for another edition of “PAC-12 Pints” where we look at breweries from every Bruins’ conference opponent’s home state. This time we go back to Arizona beers as UCLA prepares for ASU in the Rose Bowl Saturday.

While no one can say with any certainty how the ASU vs. UCLA Football game will turn out we can say for sure there will be plenty of running. The Sun Devils will look to pound the Bruins into submission with the run game while UCLA will be holding onto dear life trying to slow it down. The only running you need to really worry about this weekend is your beer run.

We’ve covered Arizona beers before when the Bruins took on the Arizona Wildcats but there are still more beers from the Grand Canyon State that you need to try. Check them out below.

Related Story: PAC-12 Pints: Is UCLA Football opponent Utah secretly a craft beer utopia?

We’ve talked about Four Peaks Brewing before in previous look at Arizona beers but we have to go back to them for a couple more solid options you can find here in Southern California.

Hop Knot IPA isn’t your typical west-coast IPA. Instead of looking to blow your taste buds out of the water with aggressive, over the top hop notes this beer provides hop bitterness balanced exceptionally well by the malt backbone of the beer. There are notes of pine and grapefruit but also a finish that gives you hints of light caramel malts. Think of this beer like ASU RB Kalen Ballage. You see a six-foot-three, 235 pound RB and think he’s just a hammer in the run game. That’s not true at all of Ballage. He’s athletic, well-balanced and is incredibly versatile.

Staying with Four Peaks, let’s look at one of their more popular options here in SoCal, the Peach Ale. Now I know. These are not my favorite style of beer and I can certainly understand the argument for not wanting this beer included but it’s too popular to leave off our list and may even make you a convert. A light ale with peach added to it, it’s an easier drinking option without the cloyingly sweet qualities some other beers with fruit can have.

Our final beer is another hop forward beer. I know many of you may not like the hoppier options when it comes to beer but there’s plenty to enjoy about hops not just bitterness. So I urge all you “hop-hater” to get back out there, go to your local craft brewery and try a flight of IPAs and Pale Ales. I guarantee you’ll find a beer you never thought you’d love.

SanTan Brewing is an Arizona staple but makes some very solid beers you can enjoy for this UCLA Football game. The one I’m selecting for this game is MoonJuice IPA, a west-coast IPA with tropical notes that keep you coming back for more. Galaxy and Nelson-Sauvin hops give this beer a vibrant profile while the finish is filled with notes of guava, grapefruit and the lightest hints of mango. This is an IPA lovers delight and I’m sure more than a few of you “hop-hater” will like it too.

Next: UCLA Football vs. Arizona State 2017: Go Joe Bruin predicts the game

Remember to always make sure to drink responsibly, drink plenty of water so that you can enjoy this list and keep an eye out for the next edition which is going to be a very special edition for all you SoCal locals.