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Yesterday, generous reader Van Newell dropped by the SB Nation office in New York to deliver a Publix tote that contained one bag of Golden Flake Sweet Heat BBQ Chips and four cans of this:
Rammer Jammer, a beer that is distributed in Alabama but brewed in Wisconsin, purports to "never been nothin' but a winner." (Obviously, someone did not watch the Sugar Bowl this year.) While I'd normally be happy to review this beverage myself, it's important to get a variety of opinions on such an important product. So I assembled four Vox Media employees as an impromptu focus group to give me their thoughts on Rammer Jammer Light Beer:
- Matt Ufford, dog lover and NFL fan who makes a mighty fine Bloody Mary
- Marissa Bernstein, Florida alumna, part of Vox Media's sales and marketing team, and the youngest member of this panel
- Dan Rubenstein, taco sommelier and serious drinking lightweight
- Jon Bois, your friend who would pick up your mail while you're on vacation but not feed your cat
Each was given a can of Rammer Jammer and asked to review it in several categories.
1. SMELL.
DR: "This smells like a tailgate."
JB: "Sweaty robot."
MU: "It's slightly skunky."
MB: "Weird."
2. PRESENTATION
MU: "It's got a 70s feeling to it. The cans probably got slightly dented in transit, but I'm hoping every can just comes pre-dented straight off the factory line."
MB: "The can looks like it's Coca-Cola."
DR: "I agree about the Coke thing, which makes it ideal for confusing the police when you drink it in public."
JB: "This is the first beer can I've ever seen with nutritional info on it." (Rammer Jammer has 90 calories per serving.)
3. TASTE
MB: "Reminds me of Coors Light."
DR: "Miller Lite."
MU: "It's a light beer that tastes sort of like a heavy beer. Almost like PBR Light."
JB: "Yeah, it's closer to PBR. This has more character than I expect from a light beer."
4. BEST PLACE TO DRINK
DR: "This is a beer that I would happily pour half a can into a pot of chili and then drink the rest."
MU: "I could see playing a couple of games of beer pong with this until switching to an even lighter beer."
MB: "This only belongs on a college campus."
JB: "The best place to drink Rammer Jammer is in Vox Media New York City headquarters with my pals." (Vox's headquarters are actually in Washington, D.C.)
5. HOW MANY OF THESE WOULD YOU DRINK?
MU: "Half of one."
JB: "This beer's all about context. Like, were I sitting at home by myself at night and drinking this, I'd feel awful. But it's a good novelty work beer."
DR: "Two."
MB: "Eventually I'll just get drunk and not be able to taste it anymore, so however many that is."
6. HOW BAMA IS THIS BEER?
DR: "As someone who's had light beer at a Bama tailgate, it takes me back."
MU: "Not very Bama. My only Alabama experience is visiting relatives in Huntsville, and this beer doesn't taste like wishing I'd gone to Space Camp. When I first smelled it, it actually reminded me of Leinenkugel's."
MB "Tastes like Gainesville to me."
JB: "I could see myself drinking this on an Alabama beach that isn't all that nice."