Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and no matter what you think of the holiday and its dubious origins, it is a chance for everyone to take some time out for a break. We hope that you will all be able to spend the holiday with your friends and families in safe comfortable surroundings. We here at Beer Loves Company will be taking full advantage of this by (over)eating, relaxing, franticly checking our fantasy football scores and enjoying some fantastic Craft Beer. So here are a few brews we think will go well with different parts and portions of your Turkey-Day.
When kicking off a day in which you will most likely be consuming more than a few adult beverages it is often best to begin with something that lends itself to this. To that end we are suggesting you start off with a session beer. Session beers are defined, loosely, as being in the 4-6% alcohol by volume range and with flavors that lend themselves to being consumed in a single “session” (more on these to come in a future article). It would be great to start off the day for yourself and your guests, or hosts, with something like a Brooklyn Oktoberfest which has nice flavors and aromas of fall. A brew like this should mingle well with whatever finger foods will be wetting your appetite. Slight roasted, caramel and bitter notes keep this a fairly light brew and it drinks on the lighter end of medium which means it will not fill you up. Other good choices would be, Ayinger Oktoberfest, Paulaner Oktoberfest or you couldn’t go wrong with a Sierra Nevada Autumn Tumbler.
When it comes to a full Thanksgiving dinner you can expect a rich, hearty meal. With that in mind it may be time to switch up from the session ales to something more substantial. When pairing beer and food you can look at the situation through several lenses. The beers we offer here should leave you with options to be able to cut, compare, contrast and of course compliment. If you want to bring some fall spiciness to your meal, inside a festive bottle, we recommend Chatoe Rogue Pumpkin Patch Ale. This beer has cinnamon, clove and other pummpkin spices on a medium light body finishing with a slight bitterness. If you are looking for something with a bit more weight but also seasonal falvors we suggest Fisherman Pumpkin Stout. This offering will have more roasted hints mingling with its spice notes in a medium but not heavy stout style brew. If you like the idea of roasted and almost coffee notes while washing down bits of stuffing but do not want any spices choosing Blue Point Brewery Entitlment Porter (full bottle review coming soon) would be a great idea. This limited realease is only available on Long Island but we feel a shout out to our home is deserved after all that it has gone through recently. Plus this brew is only $4 per bomber! Any of these would be a great accompianent to your dinner.
By the time dessert rolls around, you may be ready to roll around. We know we will most likely be blown up like Violet Beauregarde after dinner. But we still will save room (more like cram in) a piece of pumpkin pie. If you have room, or can cram like us, fantastic but if not these next two suggestions could be served as dessert all by themselves. Southern Tier Pumking is a higher abv, sweet, spicy and rich brew. It can be savored, chilled, in a tulip glass and enjoyed all on its own. This seasonal offering could also pair well with other spiced treats. If you want something even a bit stronger, with its toe in the Winter Seasonal end of the pool, we recommend Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale (full review coming soon). This is another reasonably priced brew, at $4.99 per 750 ml cork and caged bottle. A Belgian strong dark ale, this will offer a rich body, nice warming alcohol, delicious seasonal spices as well as notes of rasins, figs, cherry and yeast. This is one to savor with friends and family as the evening winds down. It is nice chilled and alluring as it warms.
Whatever you choose to do tomorrow be safe, have fun and enjoy. We wish everyone a great Thanksgiving and holiday. Cheers from us here at Beer Loves Company!
