Rubio Oscar

There are lots of reasons to celebrate in May: it’s graduation season, Cinco de Mayo, better weather, and of course the most important of all, Mother’s Day. I could write an entire column with beer suggestions for each one, but let’s not limit ourselves. Here’s a list of fun drinks for every occasion the month of May has to offer.

Graduation Season: Most beer columnists are highly educated, as you have probably already learned. I have graduated a number of times, and my present to myself everytime I earn another degree is a bottle of Auchentoshan Whiskey. I would never break that out at a graduation party, it’s for the real ones only. When it comes to graduation party ragers, I suggest Miller Lite. You heard me, crispy bois are a timeless classic. Brewed with noble Saaz hops, Miller Lites is just 4.2% and 96 calories per 12 ounce serving. This means you can celebrate educational milestones without getting wasted. Ride that buzz until the early morning hours because six months from now your student loans are going to kick in. This actually leads me to my next point, Miller Lite is affordable. A 30 rack of Miller Lite is under $30 and it doesn’t take a college graduate to tell you that’s a good deal. Want something with a little more substance because you think you’re too good for Miller Lite? Try Allagash’s seasonal summer lager, Surf House. You really can’t go wrong with anything from Allagash, and this is a fun, drinkable beer. It’s 5.5%, so not quite as crushable as Miller Lite, but a great choice as the weather warms up.

Cinco de Mayo: I had a roommate who was from Tennessee and she LOVED Modelo. She would always get Modelo Especial in cans, put hot sauce on the rim and squeeze a lime in it. I’m not a big hot sauce fan, but Model always hits the spot. The Especial is light and crisp, while the Modelo Negra is a dunkel, smooth and balanced. Both styles are very drinkable, with Negra clocking in at 5.3%, while Especial is 4.4%. Honestly I kind of forgot about Modelo, but their “Fighting Spirit” marketing campaign is really clever. I love the one where the girl and her abuela make homemade tortillas together to celebrate with their family at a big dinner. Wholesome content always gets me.

Mother’s Day: I feel like Mother’s Day is typically associated with brunch, mimosas, flowers, manicures and so on. Let me tell you something, these are all stereotypes most likely created by men who don’t understand what moms really want, alcohol and to be left TF alone. Forget about bougie cocktails and check out Prairie Artisan Ales, the oldest brewery in Oklahoma. They have a bunch of really good sour ales, but my favorite is Slush, and not just because the can art is cool. Slush is 6.1%, and brewed with strawberry, raspberry, lemon and lime. YUM. It packs a punch and you only need a couple to forget that there are 364 thankless days before your next day off. If you really want to get crazy, try their 12% coffee aged imperial stout, Bomb. 

Ultimately, beer always tastes better when you’re celebrating with friends and select family. Let’s all just enjoy the warm weather with some tasty brews and try to forget that the ultra rich are profiting off our labor while they destroy the planet and be thankful World War Three hasn’t started yet. Cheers!