Thanksgiving Beer Guide 2023
‘Tis the season! We’re back and ready to ensure that you and your loved ones have a festive holiday celebration by offering a beer to compliment, or dilute, any celebration situation. From football games to staggered binge feasting there are hundreds of potential AVBC beverage pairing combinations, and as Benjamin Franklin once said (and we assume he was referring to beer here): “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” So, go ahead and grab as many AVBC brews as you can carry because we’ve got the remedy for any potential holiday misfires; from burned pies to your quirky uncle Larry.
1pm – Pregame Pick
Start off your afternoon on a refreshing note with Coastal Ale, a light bodied but full flavored brew with a juicy, fruity hop aroma. From tossing the pigskin in the backyard or tossing back a mouthful of pretzels while streaming It’s A Wonderful Life, this beer will leave you feeling grateful without spoiling your appetite for appetizer destruction. As a bonus, 5% of sales of Coastal Ale cans are donated directly to the Surfrider Foundation, so you can be drinking beer and doing good all the while.
3pm – Greeting the Relatives
Hopefully there is a chance to catch up with grandma but often times conversations with the in-laws can be stressful. As such, it’s important to have a beer on hand that can adapt to any situation. This year we recommend a Holy Gose. A) Because it’s super fun to shout if you get frustrated and B) It’s a gateway Gose with a bright, golden color, tight creamy head and earthy undertones with a hint of lemon zest and tropical fruit. As a bonus we kept it low-calorie and low-carb so you’ll still have more room for dinner.
5pm – The Main Event
Just like our favorite TV shows, we prefer our Thanksgiving meal in bingeable episodes that keep us returning for more.
Whether you’re cooking a bird and all the fixings yourself or placing an order for turkey takeout you’ll need a beverage that can stand up to any cuisine and situation. Not only is Brother David’s Triple a conversation starter in itself, with its spicy aromatics, copious amounts of pale malts and the addition of Belgian candi sugar, this abbey-style ale pairs with everything from awkward monastic silence to lively conversations over cranberry sauce and gravy. At 10% it’s not as behemoth as the Huge Arker but you’ll still want to tread lightly if you wish to remain regal. Bonus points if you serve it in a goblet and wear a robe to your feast.
6pm – The Finale
Well done! You’ve made it this far, which means you are officially the winner of Thanksgiving. We’re rolling with the Salted Caramel Porter as our go-to dessert pairing. Sometimes after a large celebratory meal we’re on the fence as to whether we crack another beer or light a cozy fire and slowly sip a cocktail, but with this unique beverage you can have it both ways. This slightly sweet porter is brewed with select additions of crystal malts and sea salt to create flavors of peanut brittle and caramel that complements any piece of pie you have room to put away.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Anderson Valley Brewing Company.
