This Year Invite a New Beverage to the Table
Enhance your Thanksgiving feast with beers that add dimension to the meal and enrich the flavors we look forward to all year. Beer offers a new dynamic to the classic meal because it highlights the zests that are unattainable without the pairing.
“The Thanksgiving meal traditionally hits all palate notes, including hearty, savory, sweet and tart,” said Marc Sawyer, director of brewery & distributor relations, World of Beer. “Beer is the only tipple that offers flavors in the same categories to complement the large spread and tastes.”
Overwhelmed with so many options? No need to be. World of Beer’s director of brand marketing and Certified Cicerone, Hannah Davis and Marc Sawyer sat down with Brooklyn Brewery’s chef and head of culinary programming, Andrew Gerson, to create the beginners pairing guide.
“When it comes to the fall forward flavors of Thanksgiving, I always reach for a Brooklyn Oktoberfest or Brown Ale,” said Andrew Gerson, chef & head of culinary programming,
Brooklyn Brewery. “Whether it’s perfectly roasted turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce or your aunts roasted green beans, the malt forward caramel nuances of these beer styles can help to elevate your turkey day experience.”
Check out the trio’s other recommendations below:
- Sweet Potatoes: Belgian Dubbel – Typically prepared with lots of butter and spices, the Belgian yeast spice will help to complement. Rich and complex with a malt sweetness that will match the sweetness of the yams. (Sawyer)
- Cranberry Sauce: Berliner Weisse – The sweetness and citrus of the cranberry sauce tame the sour qualities of the Berliner Weisse. Try the Berliner Weisse with a traditional woodruff or raspberry syrup added for a touch of sweetness to contrast the tartness of the cranberries. (Sawyer)
- Mashed Potatoes: White Wheat – The richness of the mashed potatoes should be complemented with something with a similar mouth feel. Creamy on top of creamy. We are indulging after all. The tiny bubbles that give you the creaminess in the wheat beer will also help to cleanse your pallet after each delicious bite. With the slight coriander spice and orange flavors from the beer, it helps brighten up the buttery side dish. (Davis)
- Green Beans with Bacon: Rauchbier – If you’re going to have greens on your plate, they might as well taste like bacon, right? The German Rauchbier is made with smoked malts that literally make the beer taste like a piece of smoked meat. It’s going to complement the bacon in the green beans perfectly. (Davis)
- Pumpkin Pie: Post Road Pumpkin Ale – When it comes to pumpkin pie the best way to enhance your dessert is through a pumpkin ale. The combination of the pumpkin flavors will take you back to the original dinner between the pilgrims and Native Americans through the richness of the combined, beloved fall flavor. (Gerson)
World of Beer (WOB) is the ultimate craft beer haven that offers guests a global beer experience right from the barstool. The original craft beer tavern complements its database of more than 24,000 beers with a signature tavern fare menu featuring a variety of elevated comfort food that provides the perfect marriage of food and beer for an unparalleled experience. Because, the way WOB sees it, guests should do more than drink a beer, they should drink it in. World of Beer encourages guests to drink in the moments they encounter at the tavern, whether it be through the bottle, the glass, the menu, the live music or the company, WOB offers the best craft variety on the planet to the beer aficionado and casual beer fan alike. Taverns are currently open in 21 states including AL, AZ, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, LA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA and WI and will be opening soon in IN, KY, MA, MN, OK and PA. Visit www.wobusa.com.
