For many of us, Thanksgiving will be a little more intimate this year. That means less time spent slogging away in the kitchen, and more opportunity to treat yourself! Online retailer Tavour is taking out the guesswork this holiday season so you can skip the hassle of beer shopping for hard-to-find brews. With just a couple clicks in the app, you can get highly-rated beer from independent craft breweries sent right to your doorstep. Here are 8 beer styles to pair with your favorite Turkey Day eats:
Turkey with a Smoothie Sour Ale - If the white meat ends up dryer that you had hoped, there’s no need to slather it in cranberry sauce. That sweet and tangy side deserves its own attention on the plate. Instead, try pairing your turkey with a Smoothie Sour Ale. The style is thick as a Jamba Juice, tart enough to cut through the densest proteins, and juicy enough to moisten the driest parts of the bird.
Recommended Brewery: North Dakota’s Drekker Brewing
Stuffing with a Saison - Bland stuffing can be a real downer. You can spice up your stuffing with notes of orange peel, lemon zest, green peppercorn, florals, coriander, and lemongrass found in an invigorating Saison. If your stuffing is already chock-full of tongue-tingling spice, look for a milder, Belgian Saison. But, if it could use some sprucing up, then a wild-fermented Farmhouse Ale take on the style can bring some extra fruity funk to the table.
Recommended Brewery: Texas’ Jester King Brewery
Sweet Potato Casserole with an English Barleywine - Often loaded with marshmallows, sweet potato casserole is a mid-meal dessert. A bold, boozy, slow sipping English Barleywine will surely complement your yams. The ABV of this style ranges from around 7% to 12% — making it a smoother, easy drinking alternative to bourbon. However, like bourbon, an English Barleywine delivers rich flavors of oaky vanilla-caramel that meld beautifully with a bite of sweet potato casserole.
Recommended Brewery: Washington’s Fremont Brewing
Corn on the Cob with a Pilsner - Corn or maize have been part of the Thanksgiving tradition since America introduced the holiday. Corn pairings aren’t talked about too often because these sweet, luscious little kernels often pair with other foods (especially potatoes) themselves. One sure fire-roasted corn companion is a crisp, clean Pilsner. Pilsners often carry nuances of cereal grains, hay, kettle corn, and Fuji apple, that wash down the corn without distracting your taste buds.
Recommended Brewery: Oregon’s Heater Allen Brewing
Cranberry Sauce with an American Wild Ale - One thing a Wild Ale does best is cut through tartness with earthiness and funk — it’s something the brewer evokes using spontaneous fermentation. So, during Thanksgiving dinner, a Wild Ale will lend hints of funk and spice that soften the cranberry sauce acidity.
Recommended Brewery: Colorado’s Casey Brewing and Blending
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy with a West Coast IPA - Mashed potatoes and gravy sure dispense a rich creaminess to the festivities. It takes the dank, resinous potency of a West Coast IPA to pierce this coma-inducing comfort food. A true-to-style WC IPA packs a piney-ness and a bitter bite that will keep your taste buds on their toes even when buried in the depths of the creamy taters.
Recommended Brewery: California’s Moonraker Brewing
Green Bean Casserole with a Pastry Stout - One of the most fun things about this November holiday is how it’s perfectly acceptable to indulge in as many desserts as you’d like. The creaminess of a casserole goes great with the silky-smooth mouthfeel of a Pastry Stout. And cream is the ultimate pairing for cookies and cakes. If you’re the type that likes to cut a sliver from each dessert on the table, this would be the ideal time for a Pastry Stout flight.
Recommended Brewery: South Carolina’s Westbrook Brewing Company
Apple Pie with a Milkshake IPA - If you enjoy your pie à la mode style, not many beers can compete with a Milkshake IPA. There’s something about how the cool creaminess sweeps over a sweet, cinnamony slice of apple pie that has the power to widen smiles past their typical reach. Many pie fans enjoy a glass of water or a cup of milk to wash down this trademark American dessert. But, a hint of hop bitterness on the finish of an IPA can be even more refreshing!
Recommended Brewery: Montana’s Mountains Walking Brewery
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