What to Drink for the 2021 College Football National Championship
Carter Shyheim and Chase Young
The 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship is on January 11th with the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Alabama Crimson Tide playing at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 8pm EST. Two prestigious teams representing the Big Ten and SEC will be taking the field, so put on your favorite jersey or wear your lucky socks as you root for your team (or the one you bet on). Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will be providing play by play and commentary with Maria Taylor on the sidelines for the ESPN televised game.
The question we always ask at the Alcohol Professor is: what do you drink to support your team or its famous Alumni playing in the NFL today? While we may not know the winner of the game yet, we do know winners when it comes to beer, wine and spirits.
Alabama
Spirits
Nick Saban
Head Coach Nick Saban may need a stiff drink before and after this game. To show love to his birthplace of West Virginia we recommend 2020 New York International Spirits Competition West Virginia Distillery of the Year Smooth Ambler from head distiller and fellow WV native John Little.
Wine
Amari Cooper broke a lot of records when he was catching all those passes at Alabama before he signed on with the Dallas Cowboys. If you’re a fan of this successful alum, pour a glass from Gold Medal Winner and Texas Hill Country Winery of the Year Solaro Estate Winery.
Beer
We’re pretty sure that Alabama Quarterback Tua Tagavailoa, currently playing for Miami Dolphins, will be sharing a beer from Florida Brewery of the Year Veza Sur Brewing, a winner at this year’s New York International Beer Competition.
Ohio
Spirits
Ryan Day
Head Coach Ryan Day is still a recent transplant to Ohio, which has several excellent in-state distilleries near him in Columbus. We all know football coaches love consistency, and one consistent winner is Gold Medal Winner Cleveland Whiskey, so if you’re a whiskey fan, fill your glass with one of their unique spirits this weekend.
Wine
Alumni Nick Bosa and Joey Bosa are now playing for San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers - join them as they roam their local liquor store aisles buying exceptional California wines. Look for red and white wines from Merlot Winery of the Year Rutherford Ranch and 2020 Kosher Winery of the Year Baron Herzog.
Beer
A few hours north of Columbus you’ll find Ohio Brewery of the Year Double Wing Brewing Co. Look for their Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, a perfect choice for a chilly winter weekend.
We do expect a few more alumni from these two institutions who are now playing in the NFL to be raising their glasses and rooting for their alma maters in the Championship; it may be Alabama Alumni Julio Jones, Mark Ingram Jr., Josh Jacobs, Minkah Fitzpatrick, or from Ohio State it might be Chase Young, Michael Thomas, Malcolm Jenkins. And all over the country, there will be fans from every walk of life sharing a drink together and enjoying the game. What will you be drinking? Let us know on Twitter!
Check out the International Beverage Competition for a complete list of award winning wines, beers, and spirits from around the United States and the world.