It’s the holiday season, and there are so many things to do! Let us help you plan your beer-centric seasonal menus. Beerwerks breweries offer hundreds of different beers and you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment, but we know that can be overwhelming. Since beers are not equal when it comes to pairing with food, we’ve created a handy guide for your back pocket.
Turkey Dinner
According to TheSpruceEats.com, you should pair a traditional roasted turkey and fixings with Amber ale or a lager-like Oktoberfest, brown ale, or a strong golden ale like triple. If you prepare your turkey in a smoker, you’re better off with a hoppy brown ale, Scotch ale, or porter.
We suggest:
- Amber Ale (from Bedlam Brewing)
- Winter Warmer (brown ale from Devils Backbone Brewing Company)
- 221B Baker Brown (brown ale from Redbeard Brewing)
- Sycamore Porter (from Seven Arrows Brewing)
Ham
Whether you’re sitting down to a fancy ham dinner or just tucking into a VA country ham and hoop cheese sandwich, you’ll want a tall glass of beer by your side. The wheat malt in beers like hefeweizen and witbier pair nicely with the glaze and sweetness of pork.
We suggest:
- Hibiscus Wit (Witbier from Great Valley Farm Brewing)
Pizza
We all have those nights during the holiday season when it just feels right to snuggle up at home with some edible (and drinkable) comfort. You already knew this, but beer and pizza are a perfect combo. The yeastiness of each mirror each other and the beer’s carbonation cuts through the fat. According to Drizzly.com, you want to look at the toppings on each pie to factor into your choice. While a pilsner is best with a cheese pizza, the slight bitterness of a pale lager will offset the kick of pepperoni. And if the tangy sweet and salty flavors of Hawaiian pizza float your boat, you should pair it with a hoppy IPA
We suggest:
- Pillar Pils (Pilsner from Skipping Rock Beer Company)
- Jack Frost (lager from The Friendly Fermenter)
- Brass Knuckle IPA (Queen City Brewing)
Chili
If you’ve ever been up on a ladder all day hanging holiday lights while a “crisp” seasonal wind whips around the corner of your house, you’ll know that nothing warms you better than a steaming bowl of spicy chili and a beer on the side. Dry stouts and amber lagers are excellent choices to pair with the heat of the chili. You might even want to dump a bottle into the pot!
We suggest:
- Night Latch American Stout (from Stable Craft Brewing)
- Lil’ Hellion (lager from Brothers Craft Brewing)
Pie
Team pumpkin, right? Break away from drinking milk with your pie. Some might want to double up on the pumpkin and drink pumpkin ale, but we think you should try pairing your pie with an oatmeal stout. A sweet stout will complement and not overpower the delicate spices in your pie. If seasonal gourds don’t appeal to you, and you like your pie all American, pour yourself a porter to go with your slice of apple pie.
We suggest:
- Gregarious (oatmeal stout from Restless Moons Brewing)
- Sweet Nuthin’ (porter from Pale Fire Brewing Company)
Cookies
First of all, who knew there were lengthy webpages devoted to this topic? Ends up that you don’t want to go washing down any old cookie with any old beer. You first need to determine the dominant flavor of the cookie and go from there. For instance, a ginger cookie will shine with Belgian dubbel or triple that will make the spices pop. A sugar cookie goes with anything, but might taste best with a Belgian blonde or a nut-brown ale. If your favorite treats are chocolate chip cookies, try dipping them in an imperial stout or an imperial red ale.
We suggest:
- Bent Brethren Abby Ale (Belgian dubbel from Shenandoah Valley Brewing Company)
- Belgian Blonde Ale (from Great Valley Farm Brewery)
- Hysteria (brown ale from Three Notch’d Brewing)
- Cacaococonut Grin Stout (imperial stout from Basic City Beer Co.)
