If you’ve even once perused our shelves, you know we’re stocked to the gills with hop monsters and double-digit-ABV barrel-aged stouts. We concur that those are the right hype-beasts for the share on Thanksgiving eve or the weekend after. But what about for the feast itself? The food pairing rules of thumb - intensity, resonance and contrast - disqualify these bitter and boozy behemoths for all but the richest dishes.
Let us proffer a few “no, duh”s, “never fail”s and “hear me out”s to harmonize with your spread.
Monday Night Brewing’s Chef Series: Ford Fry is, by their description, a salt and pepper Pilsner. Yes, a chef-inspired clean lager style is a bit of an obvious suggestion for food pairing, but it’s a truly flawless beer and deserves a seat at the table. An assertive and slightly rustic malt backbone from heirloom Barke malt is counterpointed by the bitterness and aroma of Noble hops. The salt and pepper play only supporting roles, but the entire package is refreshing, moreish, and just bold enough to cut through gravy-soaked everything. ($10.99/6pk)
Yazoo Brewing’s Zure Bruine is a tad outré, as it’s a Nashville-produced take on a Flanders oud bruin, but there’s certainly a place for slightly puckering, oak-aged brews on the Thanksgiving table. See if you can’t guess which side dish (condiment? 🤔) with which this beer is most simpatico: it pours a gorgeous ruby-brown, and offers raisin and fig dried fruit notes, a zippy, almost balsamic-like edge, and barrel-derived tannins and spice. ($19.99/750mL)
I conceive of Brewery Ommegang’s hall of fame classic, Hennepin, as a saison spiced like a witbier. It’s knife-edge dry, fizzily effervescent, and has the fermentation fingerprint of a peppery saison yeast. On top of that, the aroma also delivers lovely, zippy, fruity contributions from ginger, orange peel, and coriander. Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, this beer will find and play oh-so nice with the bready-herbal elements of that dish. ($14.99/4pk)
The consummate food pairing multitool that is Saison Dupont is now available in 16.9 oz cans. Say less. ($20.99/4pk)
Finally, we got a drop of three stunners from Anxo, a DC-based Basque-inspired cidery: Great Valley Cuvée, Harrison, and Hewe’s Crab. All of them are dry, puncheon-fermented, and 8.4-9.5% ABV. The Cuvée, fermented from a blend of eight apple varietals, gives stone fruit, vanilla, and citrus zest. Harrison and Hewe’s Crab are named for their single featured varietal. The former is bold and full-bodied with high acid and tropical fruitiness. The latter is a shade more delicate, with honeysuckle and spicy oak. ($21.99/750 mL each)
