See John Brown’s companion post at his “WineBoy” blog on picking the best wines for a turkey feast. 

All of us have beer to thank for Thanksgiving. Yes, you read that right! If it were not for man’s love of beer, the first Thanksgiving (as we know it) would have never even taken place. When the Mayflower set sail for the “New World,” among its most important cargo were the kegs of ale that were to sustain passenger and crew until they reached a suitable spot near northern Virginia. (The religiously fundamental Pilgrims saw no evil in a pint of ale, so we can’t blame them for the twisted views held by today’s neo-prohibitionists)

I guess they really liked whatever was on tap because they quickly ran out of it. By the time they stopped near Plymouth Rock to gather firewood, the ship’s log recorded the depth of their despair: “We could not now take time for further search or consideration, our victuals being much spent, especially our beere…” The decision was made to call Plymouth Rock home for the time being.

We all know the rest of the story about the harsh winter and how the local natives provided the Pilgrims with sustenance to get them through until spring. The settlers toiled through the spring and summer (brewing maybe?) and then they reaped a glorious harvest. The pilgrims then invited the natives to join them in a celebration of thanks for the bounty and for the freedoms God had bestowed upon them.

Not to whine about wine (as I am oft accused), but why can’t one of the leading foodie magazines grow some gizzards and show a cover picture of Thanksgiving’s bountiful table with the correct beverage for once? One would have to be a real turkey to believe that the drink at the first Thanksgiving was anything other than beer! This brings me to the point of “Flippin the Bird” (read that anyway you like…)

I will be the first to say that I have had several very nice wines with my Thanksgiving feast over the years. But for a real “First Thanksgiving” experience, beer is the way to go. There are several very nice ales and lagers that are available around town to pair well with nearly every course at the table. Let’s concentrate on the bird…

A traditional roasted turkey is going to have that wonderful caramelized skin and should be moist all the way through. The white meat is very delicately flavored, so we have to be careful not to overpower it with too strong a beer. I like festbier (Oktoberfest) with my bird and it should be easy to find Penn or Sam Adams Oktoberfest on the shelves. (Try not to buy the ones that have been sitting in the warm aisle or open six-packs that have been exposed to light.) Other good choices would be Harpoon Dark or Mountaineer Brewing Company’s Red Ale. If you are doing up the bird deep-fried Cajun style, then a beer like Red-Hook ESB, or even Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale will stand up to extra spicy kick but won’t overpower the nice roasted flavors of the skin.

Dessert is another great place to insert a beer into the menu. Pumpkin pie, carrot cake and the like, do very well with American pale ales and IPA’s. They also pair well with spiced winter beers or even pumpkin beers to give a complementary flavor (A little less interesting, but safe). If you are doing tart pies like cherry, try pairing it with a stout. I really like Mountaineer Brewing’s stout; it’s very chocolatye, yet roasted and dry.

So this year, let’s raise a Thanksgiving toast to the beverage that made the holiday possible. Repeat after me: ‘Gobble-Gobble, Cheer-Cheer! We give thanks for all our victuals — especially beer!’

See John Brown’s companion post at his “WineBoy” blog on picking the best wines for a turkey feast.

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