Growing up with a German mother, Thanksgiving always had to include a fine bottle of wine on the table. Wine is great a great compliment to the plethora of flavors that tend to grace the table on Thanksgiving day, but good craft beer is sometimes the better and cheaper choice. Great wine can run you $50 to several hundred dollars per 750ml bottle, but great beers can be as cheap as less than $10 to $30 for the same sized bottle. I know that we here in Alabama cannot get 22 oz or 750 ml bottles due to container size laws, but there are still great beers available to us that can be a great compliment to the best meal of the year. Here is a list of great beers (mostly found in our area or nearby) that can a replacement for sparkling, white, red and desert wines.
Sparkling and White
Duvel: This Belgian style Pale Ale is a great replacement for a sparkling wine and will pair up nicely with that huge bird on the table. Do not let the idea of a Pale Ale scare you off because this drinks more like a complex pilsner. Big and crisp carbonation activity keeps this refreshing as you tackle that large plate of food, but the light but still complex flavors from citric fruit, pear, yeast, peppery spice and clove keeps you intrigued by pulling out more of the flavors of the food in front of you. Just don't drink too much. With this being as drinkable as it is while sitting at 8.5% alcohol, it can easily catch up with you. Should be available at Whole Foods, Fresh Market or any craft beer friendly bottle shop.
Hennepin: This beer is a very accessible Saison made by Brewery Ommegang. Has a good amount of carbonation, but not as big as in the Duvel. This beer has a touch more malt to it, creating a more rounded body. Flavors are fruity and spicy with notes of lemon, apple, pepper and more pronounced clove. There is a bit a tart and funky quality to this beer due to the yeast used. Still very refreshing but slightly more body to it. This would fall into the category of replacing a Gewürztraminer or similar white.
Tripel Karmeliet: I am not 100% certain if this beer is available in the Birmingham area, but I know for sure that it is the Georgia market. This beer is a Tripel and is typically enjoyed by those who are Reisling lovers. Nice and light body with a crisp carbonation makes it easy drinking and does not sit heavy. This beer has a great combination of fruit flavors like white grape, lightly tart green apple, peach, pear and sweet banana. Spice yet again plays a role with a touch of clove. This has a very nice and light earthy flavor to it that will work well with almost anything on the main course. If you can not find this beer in particular you can go with other Tripels like La Fin Du Monde or St. Bernardus Tripel, but flavors will vary.
Another notable beer is a good Hefeweizen like Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen. If you want something a little less complex but just as amazing, Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen is arguably one of the best beers in the world. Flavors are going to be heavy in wheat, freshly peeled banana, and slight bubble gum. This is a very earthy brew that can be enjoyed with just about any course.
Red Wines
Flying Dog Horn Dog Barley Wine: This Barley Wine style ale can easily replace a sweeter red you intended to put on the menu. Good amounts dark cherry and dates mingle with malt, caramel, brown sugar, and a touch of chocolate. A hefty dose of hops cuts the sweetness a bit and then you have a pretty good and robust flavor. A little more of a sipper that would work well with ham and game, but could also work as an after meal digestif. Other Barley Wine's can work as well, but be warned that flavors can go from excessively malty to hoppy depending on the brewer's take on the style.
Chimay Premiere (Red): This is the Chimay offering that can be found wearing the maroon label. This beer is Belgian Dubbel and would work well to replace a full bodied Merlot. This has a good amount of peppery spice to it along with a bit of clove and cinnamon. Fruity flavors of figs, prunes and raisins add a dark fruit character. Let this one warm up a bit and all of these flavors will be more pronounced. This is great to bring out flavors in you starches like dressing/stuffing with sausage and mashed potatoes and gravy.
Another notable beer is Duchesse De Bourgogne. This is a Flanders Red and falls into more of the sour arena. I think this can easily replace a grape like a Pinot Noir because this beer does have that earth and leather funk to it that you can find in a Pinot Noir, but the grape flavor is more in the area of a Merlot. Still this beer has a grape quality to it with a good amount of berries as well. The sour is light here, just a touch of light vinegar which also brings this to closer to a wine than some would expect. Carbonation is crisp and enjoyable, making this a very easy drinking pleaser at the holiday table. This is incredibly accessibly for the beer novice and loved by many craft beer enthusiasts. This will work greatly with salads and cranberry sauce, and can also work during the dessert course (chocolate and fruit dishes) as well. I am, yet again, not 100% sure if this has hit the Birmingham market yet. I have so many bottle of this in my cellar that I do not look for it when I am checking what is new on the shelves. If you cannot find it in town, this also can be found in the Atlanta area and maybe you can pick up a bottle or two if you have to pick up any family that may have to fly into Atlanta airport. Thanks to CB for reminding me to throw this one of the list.
Dessert Wines
Lindeman's Framboise: This is a lambic by Lindeman's that can be found just about everywhere these days. It is a bit syrupy and sweet for a lambic, but it works as a pairing with tarts and cheesecake. The flavor is all sweet raspberries, all the time. You can find Lindeman's in assorted flavors other than Framboise (raspberry) such as Kriek (cherry), Cassis (currant), and Peche (peach). Your pairing really depends on what you are serving, but be warned that they are on the sweeter side for lambics. If you can find more traditional lambics, some of them can even be served with the main course because they are far less syrupy and sweet. Cantillon Saint Lamvinus is a lambic that is a great example of how close a beer can get to a wonderful, dark red wine, but it can not be picked up in Alabama. Craft beer stores in Atlanta (Hop City or Green's) should carry Saint Lamvinus and they run about $30 for a 750 ml bottle.
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout: You really cannot beat a good Russian Imperial Stout (RIS) with dessert any day of the week, so why not with Thanksgiving dinner? A RIS typically has big bold flavors that are cut with some sweetness which are perfect to match up with chocolate desserts, pumpkin pie and pecan pie. Old Rasputin is wonderful because it is a great quality at a pretty affordable price. You are going to find notes of dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla in flavor profile. The hops are going to keep this from being too sweet and actually pretty easy drinking for the size and style of this beer. There are many other good examples of RIS's in the area such as Great Divide Yeti, Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout, and Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. If you want to keep it local and if Dee's Package or another growler station has it on tap, pick up a growler of Good People's Fatso. Fatso absolutely holds up against any of the great RIS's produced in the country.
There you have it, people. If you have any questions about the beers, shoot me a comment or email, or just ask you local craft beer retailer for advice. Also, remember to serve these beers in glassware that will allow these beers to reach their potential in both aroma and flavor. Actually, all of these beers can served up in wine glasses and be given justice. If you have questions about glassware, drop me a line in that regard as well. Give beer a shot on the Thanksgiving table and you will not be disappointed. The variations in flavor can easily work a palate just as well, if not better, than a good wine. Prost to you, and best wishes during this holiday season.
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