The Games Cabin’s Conor has prepared a special Friday feature that pairs alcohol with video games. He’s our resident Irishman, so we’re inclined to believe he’s something of an authority on booze. Enjoy!
Booze has been paired with various other things, such as cheese and meals, for centuries – but never before has it been paired with video games (or at least I haven’t bothered checking if it has been). Well The Games Cabin is here to rectify this most unholy mistake with a brand new Friday feature where we find out what booze goes with what games. Just don’t take it too seriously – we’re just having a bit of fun.
How does it all work, then? Well, each week we’ll pick a game and a drink we think should pair well together, and then we’ll find out if they do. Now we’re no booze snobs here in the Cabin, but we’ll try our best to describe the drink in question to you each week under these categories: Scent, Look, Taste, and Gameplay. After that is done, we’ll conclude with whether or not the game and drink actually paired well.
This week’s game will be FIFA 16. Now football has been described as many things, including “the beautiful game,” but in my opinion Oscar Wilde hit the nail on the head when he said “rugby is a game for barbarians played by gentlemen… football is a game for gentlemen played by barbarians.” What will pair well with this barbaric sport you ask? Well, I assume it’ll be none other than a dirt cheap lager.
What lager will it be, then? Tesco’s store brand lager, which clocks in at four 440ml cans for €2.64 (£1.90), should fit the bill nicely. There is also a premium version for the ritzy ladies and gentlemen among us, which will set you back a steep €3.69 (£2.65) for the same amount of cans. Housed in a blue can with a big old L in the centre of it, I can only assume this will be the perfect beer at the perfect price for a few matches in FIFA.
Armed with a demo of FIFA 16 (yeah, this is going to be a low budget week), a cool can of Tesco Lager, and my trusty 21st birthday pint glass, it’s time to get cracking.
Scent
The can opens with a satisfying click just before it releases a pungent and visible gas which proceeds to cascade down the side of the can. This really can’t be too good for the atmosphere – or my liver… After the gas settles, the scent calms a little, leaving the air filled with the lingering scent of stale beer.
Look
It’s time to tilt the pint glass and release the lager from its can. It sails down the inside of the glass landing in the bottom with a rather elegant splash leaving a light golden liquid – that can be best compared to the colour of dehydrated piss – fizzing in the bottom of the glass. The beer’s head is a tiny wisp of foam that quickly bubbles away never to be seen again. Still, better than what you’ll get served by the suspiciously young bar girl at your local Wetherspoon’s…
Taste
It’s time to take a swig and see if this beer is as bad as it looks. The answer is a shocking no! I’m not exactly getting fruity aromas and hints of caramel here – I’m getting a rather watered down stale beer, but it’s honestly not too bad considering the price. After all, a cheap lager is perfect for a game of footy.
Gameplay
Not good, but what would you expect? The TV was moving, there were twice as many players on the pitch (or did I see double?), and I’m almost certain the Ref was making all the wrong decisions (my alcohol fueled judgements couldn’t possibly be wrong). Alright, that might’ve been a bit of an exaggeration. While the gameplay might not have resembled a “beautiful game,” the 1v1 couch matches were a blast, although switching to Rocket League later on was not the best idea.
Do they pair?
Well, it’s cheap lager and football – so yes, they paired quite well. However, I’m going to give this pairing a 6/10 due to the fact that it’s just not a football classic. Sure Heineken, Budweiser, and Miller will strain your budget just a little bit more, but you get a higher amount of alcohol per volume, 60ml more per can, and let’s just face it: they’re the classics that will please any non-beer snob throughout a game of football or a few dozen matches of FIFA.
That’s all for this week folks. We’ll possibly be doing a total of ten pairings to see if we can match the perfect drink to a game, so check back next week to see what goes with The Witcher 3 next time. Have any of your own ideas on what drinks might pair with what games? Let us know in the comments!
Remember to drink responsibly.
