NEW YORK CITY — On the list of Super Bowl party must-haves, beer — and lots of it — is pretty high up there.

But even if your game day beer run just means hitting up the corner bodega, there’s no need to default to cans of Bud Light.

With help from local beer experts, and a quick trip to the corner store, DNAinfo has gathered some recommendations for crafting your perfect party pack.

It's easy to create your own mix-and-match six pack. Most bodegas will let you buy individual bottles and, if there are empty beer holders around, let you fill up your own pack. You can also make, or buy, your own beer holder.

In general, the key to scoring with your beer selection is having some flavor variety, but keeping it a crowd-pleasing mix, experts said.

Brews with deep bitter or pungent kicks can be great, but not necessarily for hours of drinking and wings-and-chips-and-dip eating. You also don’t need beers with a very high alcohol content, since you’ll likely be sipping them for hours.

“You want beers that taste great and that are easy to drink,” said Hayley Jensen, the beer sommelier at Gramercy’s Taproom No. 307. “You’re going for beers that will be generally pleasing to lots of people — most people at Super Bowl parties end up drinking beer, but not everyone is normally a big beer drinker.”

Grab a couple of each of the beers detailed below at your closest market to create your own 6-or 12-pack, and you’ll be ready for some football on Sunday.

An Easy IPA

Indian Pale Ales, better known as IPAs, have become one of the more popular kinds of beers — and if you want an expert beer party pack, “you’ve got to have one,” said Leland Estes, the general manager of craft beer bar Clinton Hall in the Financial District.

Estes recommends Founders Brewing Co.’s All Day IPA. “It’s not too boozy, and it has a good, balanced flavor,” Estes said. It has the expected “hoppy” flavor of an IPA, but it isn’t overwhelming. Jensen called the brew a “people pleaser.”

He also suggested Lagunitas DayTime as a well-rounded IPA.



► BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT LOCAL BAR AND RESTAURANT OPENINGS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Citrusy, Light and Refreshing

For an easy to drink, light-bodied beer, experts recommended a citrusy Belgian wheat beer — it’s the “crisp palette cleanser” of the pack, Jensen said. Allagash White is a widely available favorite brand of our beer connoisseurs. The brews are a great pairing for the greasy, spicy and salty eats of Super Bowl parties.

A Stout That's Not Too Heavy

If you have light beers, it's not a bad idea to vary your flavor profile with some dark brews, too. Stouts that aren't too heavy are a nice addition to the pack. Experts recommended Left Hand Brewing's Milk Stout, which has a chocolatey, smooth taste. Dragon's Milk is another "very approachable" stout.

Throw in a Cider, or some Gluten Free Brews, Too

It's not a beer, but the refreshing, bubbly and sometimes sweeter taste of cider is solid choice for long hours of football watching, experts said. It's also a gluten-free alternative to beer. Experts recommended, Nine Pin, Angry Orchard and Ace Berry — a sweeter cider that tastes like "candy, like a green Jolly Rancher," Estes said. There are also some tasty gluten free beers you can find rather easily, like Omission Beers, experts said.

Feel Like Cracking Open a Can

"You're at a party, you want to drink some cans of beer," said Henry Joseph, the general manager of craft beer haven The Pony Bar. For a flavorful safe bet, Joseph recommends Dale's Pale Ale. For those who want the equivalent of cheap, hipster favorite PBR, Estes recommends Narragansett — a newly popular choice in hipster beer drinking (it's also a Rhode Island beer — Patriots territory).

Drink For a Team

A fun way to pick some beers for a game day party is buying brews from each team's hometown. The New England Patriots represent a few states, but Boston's Samuel Adams beers are a solid, easy-to-find beer choice. It's a little harder to find brews from Seattle, but if you can get ahold of brews from Elysian Brewing Company, which are sold in New York, experts recommended grabbing some of those.