A Beer Strategy for Thanksgiving
All of us at Anderson Valley Brewing Company want to make sure you have a festive holiday celebration. So we’re inviting ourselves to your dinner table (no, not literally) but we’re not coming empty handed. From the football game to the big eat there are many choices at hand and important decisions to be made. As a wise person (possibly Obi-Wan) once said, “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail,” and with relatives involved, the stakes couldn’t be higher. So in the holiday spirit we’ve assembled a comprehensive strategy and Thanksgiving beer guide to get you through the day.
Pigskin Pick
This is the pre-game game. Don’t make a rookie mistake and fill up with snacks or a double IPA before the big meal. Instead, reach for a Black Rice Ale; a slightly hoppy, dark mahogany ale with undertones of roasted malt, dark rye bread. It’ll pair perfectly with the pretzels and chips and at only 90 calories per 12oz can you won’t penalize your appetite.
Zoom Calls with Relatives
As you know video calls with family can go either way, hopefully it’s a great chance to catch up with loved ones but they can also devolve into a tech support session with Uncle Milton and his Amazon Echo Silver. Accordingly, it’s important to have a beer on hand with some flexibility. We recommend a Tropical Hazy Sour. This pleasingly tart and refreshing beer is infused with real guava and passion fruit that will whet your appetite and pairs perfectly with everything from seafood to aged gouda, and, as a bonus we kept it low-calorie and low-carb so you’ll still have more room for dinner.
Break in Case of Emergency
Holiday discourse can be tough. If the socio-political discussions (or the turkey) get a little over cooked, you may need a bit of an escape hatch. Huge Arker, a rich, complex beer clocking in at 15.5% ABV is certainly capable of giving your taste buds plenty of other things to think about and generally send things in a merrier direction. A note of caution: as with all things, moderation here is key.
The Big Meal
From a deep fried bird and marshmallows in the sweet potatoes to an heirloom turkey and smashed fingerlings, everyone has different Thanksgiving recipes and traditions. There are several different schools of thought on the perfect turkey and sides and if you’re a traditionalist at heart we can’t argue with the Boont Amber Ale. It is literally a Hall-of-Fame beer that pairs with nearly everything, pleases just about everyone, and has been a classic here in Boonville since 1987. If you want to get the creative juices flowing, our Cherry Gose will please both the wine and beer lovers at the table and the slightly salty, tangy hint of Montmorency sour cherries offers the perfect complement to a golden brined turkey and a side of cranberry sauce. Serve it in a snifter for added aromatics and bonus points with the in-laws.
Dessert
Congratulations, if you’ve made it this far you officially have an appetite for a proper Thanksgiving production. If you took our initial suggestions and saved room for dessert may we suggest a Salted Caramel Porter. Not only could this slightly sweet porter with subtle flavors of peanut brittle and caramel qualify as Thanksgiving dessert by itself (pour it over scoop of ice cream and you’ll see what we mean), it’s a pie’s best friend—from pecan, to pumpkin, and apple à la mode, this bourbon barrel aged beer is the perfect way to end a day of festivities.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Anderson Valley Brewing Company.
