GIVE THANKS WITH TASTY BEER
Sure, you could go with an off-dry Riesling or a buttery California Chardonnay. But what will really make your Thanksgiving dinner sing is pairing it with some good beer. The Star’s Josh Rubin did some exhaustive research (you know, to save you the unspea
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace
A Belgian-style beer made by an American brewery using Japanesebred hops? What better beverage could there be to help celebrate a Canadian holiday?
This brew, broadly in the saison style, has a frothy, white head and an intriguing mix of herbal notes and citrus on the nose. The herbal and citrus character are a good complement for turkey and sage stuffing. The almost-explosive carbonation also helps cut through richer elements of a Thanksgiving meal, including crispy turkey skin or buttery mashed potatoes.
LCBO: $9.95 per 750 mL bottle.
Innis and Gunn Original
OK, so you should probably lay off the cranberry sauce if you’re sipping this oak-aged Scottish brew. But the sweetness and buttery, vanilla character make it a pretty solid match for turkey, particularly the white meat.
If you’re serving a harvest-season starter such as a roasted root vegetable soup, this is about as good a match as you’ll find. If you happen to be serving ham, this one would also have the sweet-salty contrast thing going for it.
LCBO: $2.95 per 500 mL can.
Muskoka Harvest Ale
This russet-coloured fall seasonal brew is bold enough to stand up to all the fixings with a traditional turkey dinner.
The generous amount of hops lend a bitterness that helps act in the same way as acidity in wine, cutting right through the richness of dark meat or crispy, bronzed skin. There’s also enough of a malt backbone to keep the hops from dominating things.
LCBO: $14.50/six-pack.
Wellington Imperial Russian Stout
Whether you’re serving pumpkin pie, dark chocolate cake or even a cheesecake, this rich, strong brew is a good match for Thanksgiving dessert. Think of it as a boozy espresso and you wouldn’t be far off.
There are notes of dark chocolate, strong coffee and a hint of sweetness.
LCBO: $3.25/473 mL can