
Troy Aikman Eight Beer
Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman becomes the latest celebrity to hop on the get-an-alcoholic-beverage-and-market-it-as-a-famous-person train, joining the likes of George Clooney, Ryan Reynolds, Kendall Jenner, and Matthew McConaughey — to name a few.
The three-time Super Bowl champ recently released a light — very light — beer called Eight. The eight, by the way, is neither the number of calories (90) nor the percent of alcohol per volume (4) and is simply the number he wore as a Cowboy. If you were unaware of this not-so-trivial knowledge, we’re assuming you’re only reading this because you like beer and have very little interest in the former Cowboy.
As you can tell by the calorie count, the beer is marketed toward the health-conscious, something that’s quickly becoming a common trend in the alcohol beverage world. In addition to partnering with some big hitters in the beer industry, including Doug Campbell of Brewery Ommegang who serves as co-CEO of Eight, Aikman collaborated with Oregon State University’s Food Science and Technology department. According to a press release, the science behind this low-calorie brew required two years of research — perhaps not a bad master’s thesis for an aspiring nutritionist.
The beer has zero additives or added sugars and is made with organic grains and Hallertau-Taurus hops, which are rich in antioxidants. This explains how they trimmed the brew to a slender 90 calories — most beers clock in at over 150.
We were fortunate enough to get a sneak peek (or, umm, swig) of this healthy concoction of hops when Eight sent us a single 12-fluid-ounce can of their Elite Light Lager.
For you Fort Worth beer snobs, this is not a craft beer; it lands somewhere between a Martin House brew and a Budweiser — think Jimmy Buffet’s Landshark. I’m not a big craft beer guru. Most craft beers lean in to heavier, hoppier recipes (IPAs, stouts, porters, etc.), and I’m not a fan of drinking my meals or getting bloated from malty liquid. I’ve long preferred crisp beers with a bite — something that can borderline quench a thirst. I say this to show my credentials as a lager lover, which should make me a decent critic of this brew.
On first taste, the beer has the aforementioned bite. And, similar to a cerveza, it has a good deal of citrus tones. Despite its low calorie count and total lack of additives, the Elite Light Lager is surprisingly flavorful. Perhaps its closest competitor would be Michelob ULTRA, one of the first beers targeted toward athletes. Compared to ULTRA, Eight tastes more like a traditional lager — not watered down like a glass of skim milk. Whatever science experiments they conducted in the Cascades of Oregon State undoubtedly contributed to a delicious beverage.
I suppose you could say the beer mirrors the quarterback’s career: it’s solid, if imperfect, and it gets the job done.
The Elite Light Lager is available exclusively at bars and restaurants in the Lone Star State. We don’t know of any specific bars or restaurants in Fort Worth that currently have Eight on tap, but we’re sure it’ll reach this market in no time. For those looking to purchase a six-pack, cans of the beer will be available in March. So, until then, you’ll just have to barhop.