Beer to Bring to Thanksgiving Dinner: Local Edition

I am happy to see an uptick this year in the number of posts featuring craft beer and Thanksgiving. For the last four years I’ve been urging folks to bring beer not only that pair well with the thankgiving meal items, but also ones that families may embrace, enve if they are not as fanatuic about craft beer as you are. I’m really happy to see that craft beer is slowly but surely earning its place at the Thanksgiving table.

A few highlights:

• Craft Beer Inspired Menu (The Homebrew Chef)
• Randy Mosher’s Thanksgiving Day Beer List (Craftbeer.com)
• Thanksgiving and Craft Beer (Not Your Dad’s Beer)

The list below does not really contain true pairings, but rather great beers that will complement the dinner as a whole, or that your family will enjoy. This year I picked one from each new England state, in hopes to better represent the region!

Bull Jagger: Portland Lager (ME)- This beer has two shining qualities that make it a great choice. First, it’s familiar – non craft beer enthusiasts will recognize the German characteristics. Second, it is flavorful and something that everyone can enjoy. Pick up a few bottles and see what happens.

Throwback Brewing – Dippity Do (NH) – With some of the toasty and earthy flavors of thanksgiving, you need something to stand up to those flavors, but no overwhelm it. Available in growlers, Dippity Do is a great brown ale that will be suitable for anyone’s taste.

Alchemist Pub & Brewery – Heady Topper (VT) – Hit hard by hurricane Irene, The Alchemist Brewpub has decided not to reopen the location destroyed by the hurricane, but to continue on. They just started canning beer, and this one is delicious. A double IPA, it won’t be for everyone, but may cut right through some of the heavy or greasy elements of the meal. Plus, I think it’s great to be thankful for communities coming together in a time of crisis.

Cambridge Brewing Company – The Great Pumpkin (MA) – Cambridge Brewing Company has been a great craft beer destination in New England for years, but this is their excellently crafted debut beer is now available to be purchased in stores. What thanksgiving is complete without some Pumpkin?

Olde Burnside Brewing Company – Dirty Penny Ale (CT) – While admittedly not the most appetizing name, Dirty Penny is a variant of their flagship 10 Penny Ale. Dirty Penny is a 60/40 blend of Ten Penny and a stout. A nice, but not too heavey dark beer to drink with that pecan pie.

Newport Storm – Regenschauer Oktoberfest (RI) – I was lucky enough to sample this at the Harvest Beer Summit in Boston last weekend. A nice crisp fall flavor and a slight sweetness will match a lot of side dishes, but also just be a nice warm up drink with appetizers before the meal is actually served. It is distributed mostly to Rhode Island and Connecticut, so pick it up if you see it!

I’d love to hear more about what beers you chose to bring to your Thanksgiving dinner. Cheers and happy travels!