Thanksgiving Ales

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Schemy

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So the wife has requested something for the thanksgiving, but wanted something other than a pumpkin ale.

I am drawing a blank as to what to brew. Anybody got any suggestions?

I'm an all grain brewer. Brew pretty much everything.
 
You could go the Jones Soda route and make basically a liquid Thanksgiving with several courses. Just kidding, I don't really have anything more to contribute.
 
A Strong Begium beer would go really well with Turkey. Keep the banana taste down and emphasize the clove and cardamom. You could also add some spices. It sounds great, now you have me thinking.
Or an Old Ale (strong ale).
 
So the wife has requested something for the thanksgiving, but wanted something other than a pumpkin ale.

I am drawing a blank as to what to brew. Anybody got any suggestions?

I'm an all grain brewer. Brew pretty much everything.

Oktoberfest ale is pretty tasty for Thanksgiving.

I had Biermuncher's OktoberFAST ale ready for Thanksgiving last year. Went over well.
 
Fresh hop like Sierra Nevada Celebration - piney citrusy malty easy-drinking IPA
Some fall brown ale; add beer to the gravy too
And +1 on any lager/amber/o-fest type. Solid.
 
If you are literally going to be drinking it during the Thanksgiving dinner, consider making something that isn't of stupefying strength. It's a long day and there's plenty of time to drink, and you don't want people getting wasted at the meal. So I would think something of medium strength that also goes well with food would be a good choice.

Along those lines, you might consider an Oktoberfest or an amber. Those are both versatile food beers, I think, with enough taste to stand up to full-flavored food but not so heavy, alcoholic, bitter, spicy, etc. that they get in the way of food. An amber would also have the virtue of being American!

Other good medium-strength ideas: a lightly sage-infused porter (goes with stuffing); an APA; a fuller-flavored German lager (e.g. bock).

edit: oh yeah, and I tend to find that acidic beers go well with food. Maybe something cranberry-based would be good, or a sour. But a cranberry-infused beer gets some of the depth of sour beers without actually using a sour process.
 
I have been considering making a sweet potato beer.... see if I can get it to taste like candied yams... all carmelly with a sweet potato/squash flavor and thivk mouthfeel.
 
I have been considering making a sweet potato beer.... see if I can get it to taste like candied yams... all carmelly with a sweet potato/squash flavor and thivk mouthfeel.

That sounds interesting. You are right something with a bit of sweetness or neutrality for turkey. Anything too bitter or roasty will devastate many of the subtle flavors like turkey, potatos, etc. I guess that is why people drink white wine with turkey. I don't care for it. I always drink a Pino Noir or some other red, but this thread has got me thinking.
 
If you are literally going to be drinking it during the Thanksgiving dinner, consider making something that isn't of stupefying strength. It's a long day and there's plenty of time to drink, and you don't want people getting wasted at the meal. So I would think something of medium strength that also goes well with food would be a good choice.

Along those lines, you might consider an Oktoberfest or an amber. Those are both versatile food beers, I think, with enough taste to stand up to full-flavored food but not so heavy, alcoholic, bitter, spicy, etc. that they get in the way of food. An amber would also have the virtue of being American!

Other good medium-strength ideas: a lightly sage-infused porter (goes with stuffing); an APA; a fuller-flavored German lager (e.g. bock).

edit: oh yeah, and I tend to find that acidic beers go well with food. Maybe something cranberry-based would be good, or a sour. But a cranberry-infused beer gets some of the depth of sour beers without actually using a sour process.

I like the idea of the sage. I've had a saison with sage. I have a wonderful brown saison recipe, that I am wondering if adding sage would work with that.

Maybe a cranberry witte. Or perhaps a cranberry kolsch.
 
A nice lager is good.. even a Bo Pils and german pils is great during this season if you don't go with something darker or heavier.

I personally think Porters, and Stouts are the main stays of the season. But that's just me I think.
 
Do a buffalo sweat clone, very easy drinking stout and it might change peoples mind about stouts or darker beers in general
 
I actually like the saison idea. My first thought was to not do beer, and just do dry cider, but a nice dry saison would work well I think.

There's going to be enough heavy things on the table, I think that balancing them with things like an acidic vinaigrette dressing, or a dry fizzy beverage might be the way to go.

Note: put salad dressing on salad, not in glasses
 
I actually like the saison idea. My first thought was to not do beer, and just do dry cider, but a nice dry saison would work well I think.

There's going to be enough heavy things on the table, I think that balancing them with things like an acidic vinaigrette dressing, or a dry fizzy beverage might be the way to go.

Note: put salad dressing on salad, not in glasses

I will actually have a cider as well. I need to get that together soon.

I think the saison will pair well with Turkey, dressing, cranberries, etc.....

I'm wondering if maybe a dessert beer maybe in order. Do a chocolate milk stout.
 
What about a Rosemary Saison? I also like the sweet potato beer idea, or you could do a pumpkin ale. I'll be doing the latter, a Pumpkin Pie Cream Ale from AHS.
 
For a holiday beer the fiance and I are brewing a Cranberry Brown Ale. Not too heavy, with chocolate and caramel 120L as the darker malts. Will rack it onto a lb or two of cranberries for some flavor and a bit of the sourness to work with the malt. Also on the list for holiday beers: A nice Irish red with local harvested hops, a Molasses and spice brown ale, A pumpkin ale, black forest stout and a Braggot using blueberry-blossom honey.
 
Nothing too malty or too hoppy, and nothing too big. You don't want to compete with the flavors of the feast. I'd do a low grav farmhouse ale with a peppery yeast, or a low grav American pale ale with non-citrusy hops (cluster, liberty, etc), or an English mild, or an English ordinary bitters.
 
I just brewed this recipe I created as a "Harvest Ale" to go well with thanksgiving. Very balanced and smooth. I hoping it will go well with Thanksgiving dinner.

OG 1.060
FG 1.015
IBU 31
Color 12

5lb 2 row
2lb light DME at flameout
2lb Munich 10L
1lb Rye Malt
1lb Crystal 60L
.5lb Wheat Malt
.5lb Flaked Oats
.5lb Victory Malt


Willamette 1.5 oz 60 min Boil Pellet 4.8%
Amarillo 0.5 oz 15 min Boil Pellet 9.5%
Willamette 1.0 oz 10 min Boil Pellet 4.8%
Willamette 0.5 oz 0 min Boil Pellet 4.8%
Amarillo 0.5 oz 0 min Boil Pellet 9.5%

Safale S-04 dry ale yeast.
 
I personally like the suggestion of a Belgian Wit.

I'd also consider any of the German or even the American wheats.

I just think there's something about wheat, and it's connection to fall, harvest, and Thanksgiving, that makes me think it'd be something to consider.
 
I personally like the suggestion of a Belgian Wit.

I'd also consider any of the German or even the American wheats.

I just think there's something about wheat, and it's connection to fall, harvest, and Thanksgiving, that makes me think it'd be something to consider.

I understand what you are saying about wheat, but it's actually harvested in the mid-late summer. Really not fall at all.

That said I think a wheat beer would pair well with thanksgiving dinner.
 
To go with the meal, I'd say go light, like a pilsner or lager. I don't know about you guys, but I'm more concerned about how much food I can squeeze in my stomach. Can't worry myself about getting a couple big beers in there, too!
 
My favorite fall beer is a Brown Ale. If you wanted a lower gravity version, you could go the route of an English Mild.
 
Ok. Here is what I am narrowing it down to.

-Brown Saison w/ Sage
-Cranberry Witte
-Dark Graff
-Hefeweissen
-Table Saison
 
I'd save the sage for another time. The table will be loaded with all things savory, including sage, so I think I'd want a beer that offered a break from that.
Same with the cranberry wit & graff; even if nice and dry, the tartness I think could be overwhelming with all the flavors on the table.

So I agree with the thoughts above - a simple, easy-drinking table beer sounds really good with an overwhelming amount of food.
Hefe is always great, saison works too, and I'll mention again the O-fest ale or grainy amber because they are tasty.


But honestly, any decent homebrew would be great, so if you like the sage or cranberry, don't let me dissuade you.
 
Same with the cranberry wit & graff; even if nice and dry, the tartness I think could be overwhelming with all the flavors on the table.

Adding a can of cranberry concentrate at kegging time won't make it that tart nor even dry. Lots of sweetness in that concentrate.

Just a thought.

I've never brewed a wit but I've done hefe's before - but not with crans. Worth a try though.

MC
 
Updating this.

Decided with a Saison, that I am going to keg tonight with cranberry concentrate. The saison is pretty dry as it sits right now. I am anxious to see what the cranberry does to it. I'm going to start with 1 can, and if need more I'll adjust with aditional concentrate as needed.

I also brewed a graff, but failed to read the ingrediant list on the cider which had potassium sorbate. 5 gallons down the drain. It was really disappointing. Live and learn.
 
Yeah I read that, and I think you're nuts. But good luck to ya on that.
 
So how'd the saison w/ cranberry turn out? Happy Thanksgiving, btw!

We went out for turkey day today (I know, blasphemy - but the wife had to work tonight, and neither of us felt like cooking everything), and I opted to go Belgian as well. They only had a few offerings on draft (all local here around Austin), so I opted for the Tripel - Devil' Backbone, from Real Ale Brewing Co. Was a great choice with the turkey and turducken I had, as well as the sides. Second choice was (512) Brewing Company's Pecan Porter... Unfortunately the restaurant didn't have any pecan pie for dessert - was really looking forward to combining the two...
 
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