To know your enemy, you must become your enemy.

Sun Tzu probably never thought about that term outside of combat but it seems to be pretty appropriate when talking about a football match. Although  it would be easy to just talk about tactics and who can act more childish with match officials there is a certain psychology needed to be a quality footballer and quality supporter.

To be at the pinnacle of either field one must be in peak shape (either to run for ninety minutes or to stand and dance while watching said match,) a good constitution, and a firm knowledge of one’s opponent. For the footballer that requires hours of video and practice. For the supporter that requires a solid background of all the slights that one’s opponent has and to understand what the other team drinks. Since most of us will never make an MLS roster we are forced to perform our civic duties for the latter. As Sun Tzu would probably say nowadays:

To know your enemy, you must drink your enemies beer.

So as part of our D.C. United coverage here on Prost Amerika we are going to be doing a weekly (or sometimes bi-weekly, depending upon if Don Garber wants to put multiple games on the calendar) at the local beers of their opponents that United supporters should try. Given the proliferation of the micro beer movement it seems like an apt time to discuss the best beers in MLS territories.

Don Garber thinks Heineken is a great beer sponsor for the league. We disagree.

Two caveats before we begin. One, if you think that there is a better beer from your region let us know! We may not be able to cover the beers that are brewed out of that basement bar that is only available within a five block radius of said bar but we will do the best that we can. I am sure that you think that there are plenty of other great beers to talk about but if you don’t like a particular beer don’t be a beer troll.

Second, keep in mind this article is written for the layman beer drinker. While there will certainly be talk of the different types of hops and yeast used at times the terminology may be simplified. Having worked as a professional beer taster for years I have found the best way to talk about beer is not with a certain sense of snobbery but with an excitement to learn. Its beer, not Jeopardy

So with that in mind let’s talk about Elysian and their Space Dust IPA. I had my first Elysian beer just about a year ago when I traveled to Seattle, Washington to see the Sounders host Vancouver Whitecaps. Apparently that is a pretty big match. To pregame I had the Stardust IPA since India Pale Ales are some of my favorite beers and the region is known for them. Elysian, also as a brewing company, is held in high esteem across the United States. Plus, my friends and I were discussing Starfire Academy when ordering. Damn you, subliminal messaging!

Ten months later it is still one my favorite beers to drink from the region. When drinking it for the first time one definitely gets a taste of the Chinook. Although it is not a particularly strong IPA (8.2% Alcohol By Volume) it does have a bit of a kick to it. It carries a very similar flavor that many beers in the Northwest do, that pine taste with hint of a citrus to it in the end. For someone who is looking for a beer that is strong but will not knock them on their rear end this is the beer for them.

What also makes this beer such an enjoyable drink is how smooth it is. Many breweries when they make IPAs or double IPAs tend to believe that more hops equals a better beer. That may be true sometimes but often the hops can overpower the flavor of the beer. Star Dust IPA seems to provide the best of both worlds with a beer that one can drinking a sixer before a match or just one with a good meal. You can thank the Amarillo for that.

In general the Seattle, Washington area did not disappoint in terms of their beer selection and quality. Beyond just their staples it seems like a beer culture that is diversifying and coming up with different ways to turn some hops and yeast into something that is enjoyable.

While D.C. United supporters might not appreciate the Sounders team or supporters (or the fact that they have an 11pm EST kickoff time) they should appreciate Elysian’s Star Dust IPA.