This weekend marks one of the largest sporting events in the world.....the Superbowl. From the game itself to the commercials and halftime show, people look forward to the event for varying reasons. But one thing many look forward to is an excuse to get together with friends and family to indulge on a Sunday afternoon.

Similar to last week's article (LINK), we're going to examine each team's hometown beers and cocktails and select a few great selections to compliment your Superbowl party.

Denver:

Denver and the surrounding area is home to some of the biggest and best breweries in the country. There's New Belgium's Fat Tire and Anheuser-Busch in Fort Collins, Coors in Golden, and dozens of other smaller craft breweries strewn throughout the region, making this place a beer lover's dream. So what beer do you serve at your Superbowl party? Following are a couple of ideas.

New Belgium's Fat Tire - Nationally available, tasty, decently priced and with a great story behind the brand, New Belgium's Fat Tire is sure to please just about any craft brew fan looking to throw back a few during the big game.

Coors Original/Coors Light - Okay, we know there are tons of better beers out there that we could have selected. But this is a selection for those individuals who aren't fans of the craft brewed beer, or maybe someone looking to keep an eye on their figure. Regardless, Coors was founded in Golden Colorado over 100 years ago and no other mass-produced beer screams Colorado or Denver like Coors does.

Now with beer covered it's time to move on to a cocktail reminiscent of the mile high city. Following is a great choice for that cocktail connoisseur or for when a beer just isn't strong enough (like maybe Denver's losing).

Tree Line - This "official" Colorado Centennial State Cocktail was created by Marnie Ward during the inaugural Colorado Cocktail Contest. Described as tasting like Colorado--sunshine, cherries and whiskey--it is a great way to bring a piece of Colorado to your Superbowl party.

Ingredients:

2 Bing cherries
2 oz. Whiskey
.5 oz Leopold's Three Pins Alpine Herbal Liqueur
.5 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup

Directions:

In a shaker muddle cherries, lemon juice and simple syrup. Add whiskey, Three Pins and ice, shake. Pour into a rocks or martini glass and garnish with lemon.

Seattle:

Having the second most breweries of any state (as of 2012) the state of Washington is no slouch when it comes to beer, so selecting just a couple is a monumental task.

Redhook ESB - We listed this in our last article and we continue to stand by our selection. Light to medium body and well balanced this Extra Special Bitter (hence the ESB) is a great addition to any Seattle fan's Superbowl party.

Boundary Bay Brewery IPA - This traditional IPA is a favorite among Seattle natives and beer connoisseurs alike. Full-bodied, not too bitter yet aromatic, it's a great beer for the Superbowl or anytime your in the mood for an IPA.

Onto the cocktail.....

The Sodo Shaker - Created as Seattle Magazine's signature cocktail by freelance mixologist A.J. Rathbun, this tasty cocktail is similar to one of our favorite cocktails, the Old Fashioned. Mix it up in celebration of victory or to ease the pains of a loss.

Ingredients:

2 oz. Bourbon
.5 oz Carpano Antica Formula (Red Vermouth)
.25 oz Luxardo Maraschino
.25 Cherry flavored simple syrup

Instructions:

In a cocktail shaker add all ingredients and ice, shake well. Strain into cocktail glass and serve.

Whatever you choose to drink we hope you enjoy the game and the time spent with family and friends. Cheers!!