Flight School

The glamour and glitz of New York and Dallas are overshadowed by a strong community brewery in Brooklyn and a humble distillery 95 miles south of "Big D" in Waco. Image credits (L-R): Business Insider, D Magazine, Brooklyn Brewery, The Beer Haul

You (hopefully) just read my in-depth analysis of the teams playing in tonight's NFL Kickoff game, and what you can drink from the respective cities/regions involved. I finish up the Opening Day special with the two teams playing on Sunday Night, which will be the norm for this series; I would be here all day and night if I tried to come up with recommendations for every game of the season!

Where Sunday's score will be settled this week in prime time. Image credit: Dallas Cowboys

The first Sunday night game that counts in the 2017 standings is being played by two teams Eagles fans wish would be wiped off the face of God's green earth: the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. These are two teams that drive massive ratings anytime they are on television (to the chagrin of the Eagles fan) and hail from two states that are booming in all three phases of alcoholic beverages: beer, wine, and spirits. It's not going to be an easy decision.

The Giants call themselves New York, but play in New Jersey, so I have been given some leeway with where I can choose from. However, I am going to stick to my place of birth for the New York/New Jersey choice. I was born in pre-trendy Brooklyn, New York that looks nothing like it does today. When Brooklyn Brewery first opened for business 1988, the goal was to revive the brewing scene in New York City that was hit hard by both a hop shortage and then Prohibition. Co-founder Steve Hindy took the approach of donating his brews to local events, mostly in creative arts like music, theater, and museums, but also in other business launches, according to their web site. The foundation was formed through ties to the Brooklyn community and spread from there. Today, you can find Brooklyn beers on the shelves nationally, with a killer range of products.

For the Dallas area drink of choice I head south to Waco, where Balcones Distilling is located. I had made mention of their Texas Single Malt Whisky in the past, but never really went into great detail about the company. Balcones got started in an old welding building in 2008, knocking down walls, bringing in copper stills and started distilling by 2009. The goal was simple: make authentic Texas whisky (note the lack of 'e' in whisky, sort of an homage to the Old World), where malted barley plays a key role in their products as it does in Scotch whisky production. However, the hot days in Texas offer an aging environment different from Scotland, where the spirit matures in barrel faster, leading to a different flavor profile. Balcones also uses corn in their products as is common in Bourbons from Kentucky, but sourcing in the American Southwest leads to a different flavor from Kentucky Bourbon. In a mere nine years, Balcones has put itself on the map as a fantastic whisky producer with distinct products.

So I'll be honest: I am a Giants fan. I will be sitting on the couch rooting for my team with beer in hand, but in a showing of support for the greater good of alcoholic beverages, I will recommend a Balcones whisky for you and I to enjoy...it's just really good and impossible to ignore! Here's what you (yes, you too, Eagles fans!) are drinking Sunday night:

Brooklyn Brewery Oktoberfest ($10/6-pack): Malty and creamy, but balanced with the right amount of hops. It's like drinking a loaf of dark, crusty bread with a touch of baking spice. Enjoyable on a cool, late-summer night.

Balcones Brimstone ($70): This is a deep, bold, unique whisky that imparts an incredible smokiness thanks to a proprietary process using local Texas scrub oak. Tobacco, red chiles, tea, and a flavor I can only describe as "Texas BBQ rub" based on black pepper with a long savory finish. If you are a fan of strong, upfront flavors and aromas in your whisky (I am looking at you, IPA beer drinkers), this is one to sample!