As we gear up for the AFC and NFC championship games this weekend, most of us are stocking our fridges with food and tasty adult beverages in preparation for some of the best football of the year. To assist our followers and readers in making their party as authentic and true to their favorite city as possible, we are taking a look at each city's unique drinking scene and coming up with a beer and a cocktail that should be featured at your playoff party.

AFC Championship: New England vs. Denver

The AFC matchup is being dubbed "Manning vs. Brady" and with two legendary and future Hall of Fame QB's set to slug it out, the nickname is fitting. So what should you serve at your party?

New England Fans:

The beer selection for New England was one of the easiest to make--Sam Adams Boston Lager. It may not be a New Englander's favorite fermented beverage but few if any beers scream New England or Boston like Boston Lager. Widely available, it should be an easy find coast to coast and is a perfect complement to a bowl of clam chowder or those brats you'll have cooking on the grill.

If you're a New England fan, chances are you've been to (or are familiar with) Boston. And one of Boston's oldest and still most popular cocktails is The Ward Eight. Dating back to 1898 the cocktail was created at the Locke-Ober restaurant (now closed but with new investors looking to reopen it) and is a great way to mix a little history into an afternoon cheering for your favorite team.

To make: Ward 8 Recipes abound, but we like this one--based on the Locke-Ober's original recipe--2 oz. rye whiskey, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz. grenadine, shake with ice and strain into a glass.

Denver Fans:

Denver is a unique city in that some of the best and biggest breweries are in or within an hour's drive of the city. Whether it's Coors in Golden, Blue Moon in Denver or Anheuser-Busch and New Belgium in Ft. Collins, the place is littered with breweries. To keep it true to the area's fine tradition of craft brewing, while picking a beer that is nationally available, we came up with New Belgium's Fat Tire: Locally brewed, American owned and tasty to boot, it is sure to be a hit.

The cocktail of choice for Denver fans has to be The Buffalo Bill. Originally made with hard cider and bourbon--some re-creations feature apple juice instead of hard cider--it was created after Buffalo Bill was told by his doctors to cut his drinking down to one drink a day. He adhered to this rule by mixing a huge glass full of hard cider and bourbon...daily. Simple to make and packing quite the punch it will certainly add to the euphoria of a win or as an aid to drown the pain of a loss.

To Make: Mix one shot of bourbon into 12 oz. of hard cider, serve in a high ball glass on ice...think boiler maker.

NFC Championship: San Francisco vs. Seattle

There is no doubt this is going to be a brutal game. Two divisional rivals who simply don't like each other, two coaches with history going all the way back to their college coaching days, and arguably the best two defenses in the league.....get ready for a ride.

San Francisco Fans:

Selecting Anchor Steam Beer for San Francisco fans was almost as easy as choosing Sam Adam's for New England. Like the namesake of this storied NFL franchise, Anchor Steam can trace its roots back to the gold rush. The original brewery burned down in the fires following the 1906 earthquake and like the home team itself, the beer has made a huge come back in recent years with the increasing popularity of craft beers. No beer's past is more aligned with that of San Francisco or its football team.

William T. “Cocktail Bill” Boothby is thought to have been San Francisco's first native bartender, a claim we aren't sure could ever be proven. Regardless, we do know he was a bartender at San Francisco's historic Palace Hotel and wrote a book on cocktail recipes in the 19th century. Ironically, he is most famous for his self named cocktail, called a Boothby, which wasn't included in his book but was a part of his obituary. Recreated by the owner of San Francisco's Elixir bar, H. Joseph Herman, it is a historic twist on one of the most historic cocktails--the Manhattan.

To Make: 1.5 oz. bourbon, 1.5 oz. sweet vermouth, 2 dashes bitters, 1 oz. champagne, 1 orange twist. Build bourbon, vermouth and bitters on ice in a shaker, shake and strain into a rocks glass, top with champagne, garnish with orange.

Seattle Fans:

As of 2012 the state of Washington had the second most breweries of any state, so it's easy to see that this place is serious about its beer--a fact that makes it hard to recommend a widely available one. We went safe here and have chosen Redhook ESB for three reasons: first, it's headquartered in Seattle, second it's available in at least 48 states, and third it's a pretty tasty beverage.

Few people can argue the turn-around Seattle has experienced since Russell Wilson took the reins of Seattle's football team. As such, a Wilson-themed cocktail known as the Russellmania, created by former bartender and drummer for The Presidents of the United States of America, it is the perfect addition to any Seattle cheering section.

To Make: 1 oz. Oola White Dog, 1/2 oz. Blue Curacao, 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice, lime wheel, espresso grounds and sugar. Shake the White Dog, Curacao and lime juice and strain into a rocks glass, garnish with lime wheel dipped in sugar and espresso grounds.

Cheers, and enjoy the Playoffs!