Thanksgiving. A celebration of family, friends, and food. On this American holiday, 46 million turkeys will become the main dish on tables across the country. But what will you serve with yours? Whether it’s mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry relish, or a pumpkin dessert, you’re going to want something delicious and delightful to drink.
We’ve turned to the Auburn Alehouse, Old Town Auburn’s premier craft brewery and restaurant, for some beer pairings that are sure to make your holiday dinner even tastier.
Here are some perfect beer pairings to serve at your Thanksgiving celebration, course-by-course.
Pilsner
Before the meal begins, put out a light beer offering that won’t overwhelm taste buds or fill up the guests while they mingle and munch on appetizers. A pilsner is the perfect pairing for pre-dinner delights, complementing brie, goat cheese, mild cheddar, basil, apple, and berry-containing dishes.
Auburn Alehouse’s most award winning beer, Gold Country Pilsner is brewed as a traditional American-style Pilsner - a popular beer enjoyed by early settlers in our region. This Pilsner is pale in color, has brilliant clarity and a soft white head. The subtle up front biscuit flavor balances well with the delicate hops that contribute to this beer's dry, snappy finish.
Classic English Brown Ale
If you’re serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal you can’t go wrong pairing a classic English-style brown ale with the main course, like Auburn Ale House’s award-winning Old Town Brown. Brown ales have a very low hop-bitterness and a smooth, medium-bodied flavor. They’re very versatile and can complement a number of dishes with a great balance between sweetness and dryness.
Old Town Brown has a smooth yet complex maltiness derived from a special blend of roasted chocolate and caramel malts. Styled after the classic English Brown ale, this beer is chocolatey, roasty, smooth and earthy. And at only 3.8% it’s an easy drinker; go ahead and have more than one.
Stout
After the main course, it’s time for dessert and a stout. Stouts have a malty, thick sweetness that is perfect for pairing with flavors like chocolate and espresso. The deep, roasted flavors of stouts can often overwhelm lighter foods or dishes, but it’s a perfect match for the rich desserts that follow your main meal.
Pair a rich, decadent dessert with Auburn Alehouse’s Shanghai Stout: a nitrogenated oatmeal stout that is full-bodied with roasted coffee undertones and a smooth, creamy profile.
Barleywine
Another great option to finish up your meal is a barleywine, a complex beer that can be cellared for years and ages like wine. Despite its name, barleywine is a beer made from grain, not fruit. But in strength and complexity, the name definitely fits.
This Thanksgiving, try a barleywine like Auburn Alehouse’s Old Prospector Barleywine. Aged for several months, this strong ale has wonderful notes of roasted plum, fig and raisin flavors that will be the perfect complement to pumpkin pie or other seasonal dessert favorites. This is the perfect ale to share around a table of family and friends, or enjoy sitting in front of a fire.
This holiday season, let your dinner soar to new heights by pairing it with the perfect beer for each course. No matter what culinary twists your family adds to this traditional American meal, you can’t go wrong with a light beer for your appetizers, a classic brown ale to accompany the main course, and a full-bodied beer to end the evening. Cheers!