A Time For Giving Thanks

It’s the time of year for giving thanks. Thanks for all of the wonderful things that we have — family, friends, hope, and love. Let’s try to be positive and look for the good things in life. And, one of the good things we have is beer.
This week, as you plan out your holiday meal and prepare to give thanks, you’ll likely notice articles in papers and magazines or recommendations from friends or even experts on what wine to pair with your Thanksgiving meal. Do you go with Beaujolais or chardonnay, or something spicier like a zinfandel?  Sure, those fermented grapes can go well with the bird, but I suggest you make your friends, and yourself, happy and serve beer with the meal.
It’s rumored that the pilgrims cut their trip short due to a shortage of beer, so that fine spirit is perfect for the banquet. However, while there are Christmas ales, summer brews, fall fest beers, and spring offerings, there is not really such a thing as a Thanksgiving seasonal. Yet, many quality crafted beers with impeccable ingredients and flavors will work in conjunction with your fowl and fixings. And, as you might have guessed, I’ve got great suggestions for your table on Thursday.
Now, of course, there’s no rule saying you can’t have a cadre of brews, one for each portion of the dinner. This would be a brilliant suggestion. You can pair a beer with every part of the meal, and what a feast it would be. Something light with apps and salads, something balanced for the meal, sweet and strong for dessert.
You can always begin the meal with an aperitif. Stay light and crisp, go for a beer that will offer some zing and awaken the taste buds of your guests. Czech and German pilsners are great lighter, spicy and clean finishing beers. You could also go with an all malt lager like Brooklyn or Sam Adams. Stick with a beer that is not too strong or overpowering.
As the food starts to come out, and appetizers are presented, pair with the offerings. Salads go well with wheat and fruit beers. Cheese, crackers, and nuts would need a bit more hops, so possibly a pale ale. Heated starters and dips can be paired with balanced beers like ESB, an English pale ale, or even an Irish red ale.
You have the most options for the main course. With so many foods, diverse flavors, and heavy and lite items, it can be tough to pick only one beer. If you want to enhance and compliment the meats, a brown ale or even a porter could work. Belgian ales are always a great option with the meal, as their typically higher alcohol levels will help cut through fat and heavy foods. Also, these beers are complex enough to settle in with a variety of flavors.
One other unique and rare option is a French Bière de Garde. An earthy beer that offers some malty sweetness along with a decent amount of hoppy bitterness, the Bière de Garde is similar yet more rich and rounded than a saison. They are moderately complex beers, and they have a dry finish to clear the palate.
Not a bad decision if only choosing one beer for the entire meal, Bière de Garde is complex enough to withstand most of your Turkey day dishes, yet not so strong or boozy as to annihilate any particular culinary flavor. A complex, funky and malty example can be found in Biere de Mars from Michigan’s Jolly Pumpkin. However, I prefer the classic French made 3 Monts Amber on Lees from Brasserie de Saint-Sylvestre or the twangy and tasty, fruity and yeasty La Choulette Ambree from Brasserie La Choulette.
As for dessert, many types of beer go great with sweets, and can compliment your last course. If you are offering the traditional pumpkin pie, a sweeter pumpkin ale is just what you need; I have saved several Dogfish Head Punkin ales and a few others for the job. The stronger stouts, Imperial and double, are also great options for the dessert course. Some of these beers are so powerful and filling, they can serve as the dessert itself.  Beer is very versatile, and you may find a perfect match to any food this holiday. Have a great one … Enjoy the brews. Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.