No. 19 WSU vs. Utah football: Baxter’s beer of the game

Baxter is healthy and ready to go for WSU vs. Utah. After playing nowhere near 100 percent for most of the season, he is back in full force. Now, while injured he still crushed it like a hobbled Bryce Love on Friday night against Washington, but he’s ready to really finish the season strong.

For the game against the Utes, Baxter has went with an interesting style: the Baltic Porter. Most porters are ales, which means they use ale yeast and are fermented at higher temperatures (typically around room temperature). Baltic Porters, while having similar appearance and even taste to their porter brethren, are lagers. They are brewed with lager yeasts and fermented at lower temperatures. They typically are high in alcohol and intense, roasted flavor.

Breakside Brewing Cultivating Mass is a Baltic Porter aged in bourbon barrels for 18 months. That long aging process gives it a nice barrel and whiskey presence, but the style of beer means it is not the same sweet syrup bomb that some other big beers aged in barrels can be. It’s got a little bit lighter body, but with plenty of depth. The 12-ounce bottle goes down easy with no help required.

I kind of stumbled across this beer at one of my local beer stops and was intrigued by its description. I’ve since seen it at many different beer stores, so if you are looking to try it out, there’s a decent chance somewhere near you that carries maybe a little bit beyond what you’d find in a standard grocery store.

That’s what Baxter and I will be having as the Cougs take on the Utes. Let us know what you’ll be drinking.