The Soundtrack to Eating: Near and Dear Songs with Beer
Classic college beers are always better with music. We’ve paired each cold one to its perfect song.
The Soundtrack to Eating is a series in which staff writers analyze how food and music are intertwined.
Written by Redding Mickler
Illustrated by Anisha Kamat
Music and beer have a long-standing friendship — you cannot have one without the other. Fall in Austin has brought cooler weather and stellar tangerine sunsets, vibes that perfectly complement a brew we can attempt to embody in a song. Austin, as a music-loving, beer-drinking college town, has a collection of beers everyone can enjoy. With staples such as Kirin flavored with a shot of sake or a crisp IPA, the Austin community gives its warm regards to this iconic duo. Since choosing the song to match the beer in your hand might not be the easiest task, we did it for you.
Corona: “Mis Sentimientos” by Los Ángeles Azules
Photo courtesy of Anna Louise Judson
For many of us, Corona is a go-to, near and dear to our hearts. A light Corona, all yellow, fizzy, and brewed in Mexico, is reminiscent of the summer sun. Though Gary P. Nunn sang about a “Corona con Lima,” the song that truly embodies this brew is “Mis Sentimientos” by Los Ángeles Azules. The song begins with a steady beat before maracas join in with a synthesizing keyboard. Then come the trumpets with a low melody — relaxed, yet content. This duo transports you to the streets of Mexico, where everything is bright and colorful. Grab a cold bottle of Corona, dress it with some chamoy and Tajin or simply a lime, and hit play.
Bud Light: “One Nightstand” by Chris Kleiber
Photo courtesy of Country Summer Music Festival
A can of Bud Light is a staple drink that triggers memories of hazy college nights. Cracking open the chilly can freshly pulled from a sea of ice and hearing the hissssss when you pop the tab immediately signifies that the good times are here. For a beer that gets everyone scream-singing or shotgunning and chugging, you need a song to match. “One Nightstand” by small-town Texan Chris Kleiber imitates the wholesome, hometown vibes that the beer gives off: relaxed and country, with a good story for those pensive Bud Light moments.
Kirin: “Tokyo Drift” by Teriyaki Boyz
Photo courtesy of Adrian Eugene Seet
Kirin Ichiban, or simply “Kirin,” is the big brown bottle that comes alongside warm sake and has found its way into many hearts. The Japanese brand boasts its “attention to detail and awareness.” All I know about Kirin is that in order for it to be bearable, you have to chug. To down those sake bombs and have a drunkenly good time at whatever hibachi/sushi place you’ve found yourself at, there’s gotta be some good music that sets the scene. In a nod to Kirin’s roots, “Tokyo Drift” by Teriyaki Boyz should be played as you sip from the brown bottle. Just the beginning of this song gets you electrified, the same way that a sip of Kirin sends a shiver down your spine. Though “Tokyo Drift” was created for the “Fast and the Furious” soundtrack, I think that playing it whilst fast and furiously downing sake bombs makes better use of the driving bells weaving through the track.
Thirsty Goat: “Someday” by Sugar Ray
Photo courtesy of Wild Edge Farms
Austin’s best IPA, Thirsty Goat, is for those who are willing to spend a little more time and money to enjoy their drinking experience. The only song that could possibly reflect the Goat’s native-Austin spirit is “Someday” by Sugar Ray. The peppy drums and repetitive guitar chord progression transport you onto a paddle board on town lake with your IPAs, obscure coffee-house hat, and mustache and into the Texas fall.
Michelob: “Lovefool” by The Cardigans
Photo courtesy of Kinsley Sellers
Fondly referred to as “Multra,” Michelob Ultra has few calories and a lot of popularity. Despite its perception as a “girly” beer, everyone enjoys a nice aluminum bottle from time to time. This off-beat, more feminine version of a basic beer deserves an unconventional tune to accompany it. Somewhat sultry and sexy, this beer should be drank with The Cardigans’ “Lovefool.” Nina Persson’s romantic voice and mysterious lyrics will make your Michelob pregame a hot and spicy sing-along. “Dear, I fear we’re facing a problem,” if you don’t play this track while I drink my Multra!
Keystone: “Baiana” by Bakermat
Photo courtesy of Redding Mickler
The final college beer isn’t exactly a crowd pleaser. You buy Keystone, a dry, stale tasting beer, when you have no money and one goal in mind: get drunk. When you see this beer at the bottom of the cooler, you push it around trying to see if there's anything else. Realizing that it’s all you have left leaves you defeated, trying to finish it as quickly as you can. Just like the beer, its musical counterpart is an experience you wouldn’t choose to have, rather something forced into your hand (or ears). Listening to “Baiana” by Bakermat with a Keystone in hand just makes sense. The song — a fun listen if played at the right time and place — elevates the Keystone. It adds value to the beer by making the environment you’re in happy and energetic, distracting from the awful taste.
Regardless of your favorite beer-song duo, the important lesson is that you can’t have one without the other. Luckily, a plethora of songs can be matched to any brew. Go grab a cold one, sit in the grass, and turn up the tunes.