A Thanksgiving Six-pack

(Note: updated November 2017)
Thanksgiving comes with tasty roasted turkeys, savory smoked hams, earthy and spicy side dishes, and all of those scrumptious desserts. Family and friends, good conversations, lively debates, giving thanks for the all that we have: these are the things we all look forward to every year at this time. The meal though, that is the centerpiece of the celebration. Our family Thanksgiving meal usually leans toward traditional dishes. Besides some standard wines, what craft beers would pair with each course of the meal? Here are my favorite styles and suggestions for each part of your Thanksgiving dinner.

Try a Saison with hors d'oeurvres, salad and the poultry. This beer style pairs with almost anything so it's hard to go wrong with any good saison. A very good choice is Ommegang Hennepin or Blackberry Farm's Classic Saison.

New Glarus Cran-Bic will be served during our meal specifically to pair with turkey, any cheeses, and the cranberry sauce. Perfect pairing indeed. A good lambic always complements a big meal; acidic and tart play well with Thanksgiving foods. 

Orval also pairs superbly with poultry and ham. This Belgian Trappist Ale lends a spicy and strong palette to offset and complement the smoky ham and the herb-brined poultry. It also happens to be one of the best beers on the world. 
Locally a great substitute for Orval is Alliance Brewing Company's Belgo 3.0. 

If your guests prefer something just a bit more hoppy or your bird or ham is smoky and spicy, then try Sierra Nevada Celebration to complement the big flavors. This IPA will compliment any spicy dish with it's spicy pine hop profile and nice bitter linger. Bold enough for any Thanksgiving meal. 

Now we're ready for dessert. What better beer to serve with pumpkin pie than Schlafly Pumpkin Ale? Same flavor profiles as the pie, rich and delicious. It is pumpkin pie in a bottle. 

Not into pumpkin beers, pumpkin pie, or pumpkin pie spices? Want to impress the in-laws? Then try Southern Tier Creme Brulee - an Imperial Stout brewed with vanilla beans. Big, sweet, rich, definitely a beer you will want to share. Dessert in a glass. Might blow their minds while you're at it.

After dinner and dessert usually calls for coffee at our Thanksgiving dinners. Why not a coffee brew? Why not an Imperial stout aged on coffee, chocolate, vanilla beans, and ancho chili peppers? Prairie Artisan Ales Bomb! is perfect for that craving.

Okay, maybe I listed more than six beers, but who's counting? There are always great craft beer choices to pair with every meal, especially the Thanksgiving meal. Enjoy your Thanksgiving meals and beer pairings. Enjoy your family and friends. Give thanks to all that you are grateful for and all for which you are blessed. 

Fall FWD: Top 10 Reasons to Love Autumn

There is a hint of cooler weather in the air. Tolerable nights, bluer skies, leaves hinting at turning colors, can mean one thing: autumn is near. It is the most desirable season in East Tennessee; I always look forward to fall. Post-Labor Day means that many loved things will begin in earnest.

The Top Ten great things to love about autumn (from a Southerner's perspective):

  

10.  The World Series, The Fall Classic. Baseball in cool crisp fall weather is near-perfect. 

 9.  The annual craft beer releases of Oktoberfest Märzen and Pumpkin beers mean that Oktoberfests are near - think German food, beers and Oompah music.

 8.  Apples. Our annual seasonal pilgrimage to Rowell's Orchard in Crossville, TN means apple pies, apple cider, apple cakes, apple fritters, apple butter... apple anything is good with me.

7.  The annual Blues, Brews and BBQ Hootenanny: great food, beers, and music. @HootenannyTN

6.  Cooler weather, which leads to the fall colors, more fire pit usage and even more cookouts and BBQs.  Autumn turns East Tennessee into the most beautiful peaceful place on earth.

5.  Pumpkins. They're usually orange, tasty, big and just plain fun. Pick your own at the pumpkin patches (which, locally, is right next to the corn maze.)  Like apples, you get pumpkin pies, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spice lattes, even pumpkin beers. Also used for Jack-o-lanterns during...

4.  Halloween. Many children's favorite day; candy and sugar overdose day. What other day do kids AND adults get to go out in costume? All Hallows' Eve.

3.  Fewer mosquitoes. Mosquitoes love me. Late summer means I must slather myself in DEET-fortified insect repellent just to walk the dog. Fewer bugs in general is a good thing. Don't underestimate my hatred of mosquitoes; they are the bane of my summer existence. 

2.  The annual feast of epic proportion that is Thanksgiving. There is not one negative thing that can be said about this Holiday. We all learned how it started. We all need to give thanks. We all need a nap after eating.  Then we watch...

1. FOOTBALL. It is said that in the South there are three seasons: football season, recruiting season and spring practice. High school, college, NFL - football is king. In the South, SEC football absolutely rules.  Tailgating. Massive stadiums. Rivalries. Tradition. Championships. Football brings families together, or tears them apart. Please do not schedule a wedding on a football Saturday in the South.  Football is 24/7/365 around here. And that's the way we like it.

Did I miss any? What are your Top Ten things about autumn?  

Enjoy the fall weather, get out to a local festival or two, get some apples and pumpkins, but most of all, enjoy your favorite football team - tailgate, cheer for your favorite team and Just Win, Baby!