Northwest Beer Guide: Thanksgiving Pairing: 2017: Don't forget those sides!

Thanksgiving. “Doors open 6 AM on Thanksgiving for those early shoppers.” “After Thanksgiving dinner, stop in for door-busting deals.” Sound familiar? Same here. 

There used to be a time when a holiday’s sanctity was desecrated, not by the cacophony of sales but by the flatulence escaping from your reclining Uncling positioned in front of the television. After all, who didn’t enjoy a traditional meal? We, of course, speak of tradition, whether it’s a Friday ‘leftover sandwich’ or the sound of snoring family member, resting after consuming copious amounts of dark or light meat, drowned in poultry gravy and cranberry sauce.

For us, we look forward to not only the latest attempt at “Mom’s Pumpkin Pie” but also the many beers, released during the conception of Thanksgiving dinner, while at the dinner table, or as a reward for finishing several plates of food that will be recalled from the olfactory consciousness for years to come. You can probably guess where we are going with this, another beer and food pairing.

Like the sanctity of the holidays, food and drink pairing traditions are slowly mutating away from the vineyards of California, France or Australia to something paired with hops from the Yakima Valley or grains smoked in a salmon-friendly smoke shack in Alaska. As this is website has continued to champion beer and it’s versatility at the table we offer the following suggestions, provided by brewers and through some personal experiences.

Side Dishes

Whether it’s a mountain of mash potatoes, some pull-apart dinner rolls, or a stuffing (straight from the bird) covered in a tsunami of gravy, there’s nothing like a side dish. But if it helps to justify those 6 tablespoons of butter-soaked mash potatoes, you can tell people the turkey was lonely. Here are some beers to not only compliment the meal but also what’s on the plate. 

First acquaint yourself with a few of these, based on availability and geography.

• Idaho. Selkirk Northern Cross Amber
• Idaho. Edge Odelay Vienna Style Lager
• Idaho. Edge Amber
• Idaho. Payette Mutton Buster Brown Ale
• Oregon. Deschutes Bachelor Bitter ESB
• Oregon. Breakaside Pilsner
• Oregon. Wayfinder Party Time Pilsner
• Oregon. Heater Allen Bobtoberfest
• Washingon. Chuckanut Vienna Lager
• Washington. Mollusk Winter Brown Ale.
• Washington. Georgetown Rogers Pilsner
• Washington. Stoup German Style Pilsner

Dressing. Cornbread, croutons, you pick. If you need a suggested recipe, try this one from Homebrew Chef which includes an ESB (Extra Special Bitter) and made with ciabatta bread. or another which features an Amber Ale.

From the brewery mailbag, Stoup Brewing suggests their German Style Pilsner, at slightly over 5% and 40 IBUs. But if you're looking for something with more citrus, Stoup Brewing co-owner Lara Zahaba stands behind their low-IBU (at 50) Citra IPA, which will mediate any dinner plate disagreements without wrecking your palate.

More on Stoup's German Style Pilsner and Citra IPA

German Style Pilsner: ABV: 5.1% IBU: 40 SRM: 4
Imported German 2-row barley and Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops give this German-style pils it’s crisp, clean character. Warning: this beer’s subtle grain sweetness, spicy hop aroma and refreshingly dry, hop-forward finish may elicit a spontaneous Prost!

Citra IPA: ABV: 5.9% IBU: 50 SRM: 4
We like to call this one Sunshine In a Glass … or Sunshine In Your Belly because it won’t stay in that glass long. Our Citra® IPA is designed to be light and bright in both color and body. Your first sniff will elicit images of tropical fruit and citrus thanks to a healthy dose of Citra® hops. Enjoy a pint of this and you might just find yourself gazing skyward, pondering how in the heck sunshine made its way into your glass. 

Dinner Rolls. One of the more divisive companions to any meal is the dinner roll. Be you practicing a low-carb diet or dismissing any gluttonous-condemnation by pointing to the calendar, we won’t be passing judgment (or recipes). Instead, we only ask that you select something that you will enjoy having the next day with those leftovers.

Cranberry Sauce. Canned or made from scratch, you either love or loathe a bowl or cranberry sauce. If you’re on the fence and want to try something adventurous, then try making sauce from scratch with this recipe made with Deschutes' The Dissident or try Cooking and Beer's air stab at cranberry sauce. 

Mash Potatoes. The name pretty much explains itself. But if you need a few suggestions then might you try one with IPA and basil, substituting of course with your favorite mid-range IBU (e.g. 50) to three-quarters IBU (e.g. 75) IPA. Just don’t forget the gravy. Or you can visit the nearest grocer and pick up a bottle (plus five others) of New Belgium's Voodoo Ranger IPA.

Georgetown Brewing's brain trust suggest if you want to do something the “hard way” add their Manny’s Pale Ale to your poultry gravy recipe. Or just purchase a bottle of ready-made gravy. 

More on Georgetown Manny's Pale Ale

A careful selection of Northwest hops, premium barley, and our unique yeast give this ale a rich and complex malty middle with a snappy hop finish. Crisp, clean and smooth with hints of citrus and fruit.

Black olives. Whether adorning fingers or on flatware, Georgetown thinks you should try their Lucille India Pale Ale. Else you’re more than welcome to pair black olives with any of the beers mentioned in this guide. 

From the brewery mailbag, Fremont Brewing has this to say about an overlooked side dish, the green bean casserole.

To have a truly ”green“ Thanksgiving sensory experience, pair Lush IPA with green bean casserole. Lush’s dry sweetness combined with its tropical fruit, dank hop, and floral notes will complement the salty and cream flavors of the green bean casserole.

More about Fremont Lush IPA

We bring this tropical treat to you as a gift from the Pacific Northwest. Lush is brewed with a hand-selected blend of malts and lush, tropical hops reminiscent of lime, mango, and guava…Because Beer Matters! “For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen.” – Douglas Adams

That's it. Look for some of the beers mentioned here or find a dissimilar-named beer but associated with the same style and above all, have fun. 

Thumbnail, coutesy Creative Commons and found here https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/3062587135.