11 Best Beers For Thanksgiving Gobbling & Gathering

While wines, punches, and fizzing champagnes all make their due appearances, delicious craft beers, too, earn their rightful place at the festive holiday dinner table. Whether you need a light lager for those who like it crisp and clean or a creamy stout for those who go dark and bold, we’ve got a little bit of everything. So grab your glasses and get ready to crack open some tasty brews with that turkey leg! Here are some of the best beers for Thanksgiving dinner.

Two Brothers Brewing Domaine Dupage | French Style Country Ale

With an attractive amber color and malty notes of vanilla, oak, rye, and bread, this easy-drinking farmhouse ale makes a perfect pairing with all the working parts of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner: a butter roasted turkey breast, roasted vegetables, and yes, even those sweet potatoes too…

Brewer Notes: One of the most award-winning craft beers (period), Domaine DuPage is a French Country Ale that offers a toasty caramel sweetness with just enough hops to cleanse the palate. A true original, both in style and taste, this decorated ale continues to shine as the flagship beer of Two Brothers.

Percent ABV: 6.2% | Beer Advocate Rating: 86

Great Lakes Eliot Ness | Amber Lager

This rich dark amber ale is the perfect beer to pair with cheeses and fruity jams before the meal. Pair with baked brie with jammy toppings or even medium cheese like cheddar or gouda. Pair with smoky cured meats from a simple charcuterie platter at appetizer time.

Brewer Notes: Almost untouchably smooth. Armed with lightly toasted malts and noble hops.

Percent ABV: 6.1% | Beer Advocate Rating: 91

Hofbräu | Oktoberfest Beer

Pair this full-bodied Festbier alongside the roasted poultry in your main course whether it be roasted chicken or the star of the show: a Thanksgiving turkey. This classic German beer is super drinkable and will pair well with different courses throughout the night.

Brewer Notes: The Hofbräu tent at the Oktoberfest is known for its lively atmosphere. Here is where the world comes to celebrate. Down Under in Lederhosen. Of course, the most popular folk festival in the world wouldn’t be complete without a very special beer: Hofbräu Oktoberfest beer is a full-bodied, bottom-fermented specialty beer.

Percent ABV: 6.3% | Beer Advocate Rating: 80

Schlafly Pumpkin Ale | Spiced Ale

If it’s warm roasty toasty spice you’re after, look no further. This pumpkin beer is one of my favorites to sip throughout the fall season. I’ll serve it right up through the Thanksgiving holiday. Warming yet mellow pumpkin spice swirls around in every sip giving you the sensation of a slice of pumpkin pie! Pair with salty, warm roasted nuts before the meal. Enjoy with a savory apple sausage stuffing. Pair with after-meal Thanksgiving dessert such as pecan pie, pumpkin pie, mini apple tarts, or these easy pumpkin pinwheels.

Brewer Notes: Hailed as one of the best beers of its kind, it’s the reason why fall is your favorite season. Our Pumpkin Ale is well-balanced from start to finish, with notes of caramel and ginger throughout. Fermented in pounds of fresh pumpkin squash and a brewer’s wort and sugar mix before being filtered through a spiced infusion of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, it turns out exactly how we intend it to taste: like a slice of pie in a bottle.

Percent ABV: 8% | Beer Advocate Rating: 93

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace Saison | Farmhouse Ale Saison

Saison most definitely always makes the list because it pairs so darn well with comfort foods. Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about, after all? Pass around those mashed potatoes and that cranberry sauce while you pour this very special beer infused with Japanese hops. Crisp and effervescent with notes of yeast and citrus, this farmhouse style beer is a crowd-pleaser across the board.

Brewer Notes: Brooklyn Sorachi Ace is a classic saison, an unfiltered golden farmhouse ale, with a clean malt flavor and the quirky Sorachi Ace hop standing front and center. Dry-hopping releases Sorachi Ace’s bright, spicy aromatics to tickle the nose before ascending into a fine harmony between pilsner malt and playful Belgian ale yeast.

Percent ABV: 7.2% | Beer Advocate Rating: 91

Rogue Hazelnut | English Brown Ale

Rogue Hazelnut is dark brown ale that goes down smooth and easy with creamy delicious flavors. Well balanced with nutty undertones, you could easily pair this brown ale with roasted root vegetables. Serve it with roasted squashes, alpine cheeses, and baked desserts.

Brewer Notes: From the hazelnut capital of the United States, this nutty twist on a European brown ale was originally crafted by Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s good friend and avid home-brewer, Chris Studach. Hazelnut Brown Nectar offers a hazelnut aroma with rich nutty flavor and a smooth malty finish.

Percent ABV: 5.6% | Beer Advocate Rating: 91

Ommegang Idyll Days Pilsner | Unfiltered Belgian Style Lager

Pour this pale, golden straw colored beer for those guests that want an easy-drinking beer with a little bit of personality. With notes of lemongrass, yeast, baked bread, and herbs, this Belgian style lager would pair well with with your favorite spicy cheeses at appetizer time or your favorite baked casserole. Roasted side dishes make a great pairing for this pilsner as well.

Brewer Notes: Inspired by the tradition and ambience of the pastoral world around us, Idyll Days is a beautifully rustic Belgian-style pilsner. Brewed with authentic floor-malted barley from the Czech Republic, fermented with a Belgian lager yeast, and then patiently cellared until mature. Presented in its essential, unfiltered form, Idyll Days is glorious in its simplicity.

Percent ABV: 5% | Beer Advocate Rating: 90

Founders Porter | Robust Porter

This deep and dark espresso colored beer is full of nutty and chocolatey notes. It also has a little sweet finish at the end. Little notes of bitter chocolate and toasty malty notes layer in with all the rich flavors you would get in a dark porter beer (with a lighter finish than a stout.) Pair with coffee or a chocolate dessert such as flourless chocolate cake or tiramisu. Pair with the charred notes you would get from roasted vegetables and meats. Dishes such as slow cooker pot roast, savory beef stew, or grilled steak often pair nicely as well.

Brewer Notes: Pours silky black with a creamy tan head. The nose is sweet with strong chocolate and caramel malt presence. No absence of hops gives Founders’ robust porter the full flavor you deserve and expect. Cozy like velvet. It’s a lover, not a fighter.

Percent ABV: 6.5% | Beer Advocate Rating: 94

Samuel Smith’s Stout | Russian Imperial Stout

Dark black in color, with hints of dried fruit, fig, chocolate and coffee, this Russian imperial stout never disappoints. The light Molasses-like hints of sweetness mixed in with roasted malty flavors pair well with chocolate desserts. Pair with an airy chocolate devil’s food cake or your favorite homemade oatmeal cookies. The flavors in this stout can easily hold up to charred bbq and smoky flavors as well. If you’re gonna do a smoked turkey or ham, this stout would pour nicely alongside these too.

Brewer Notes: This distinctive type of beer was originally brewed to withstand the abuses of shipping in foul weather to Imperial Russia. It was a favourite of Russian nobility whose taste for the finest food and drink was world famous. A rich flavourful brew; deep chocolate in colour with a roasted barley nose and flavour that is a complexity of malt, hops, alcohol and yeast. Fermented in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’.

Percent ABV: 7% | Beer Advocate Rating: 93

Victory Golden Monkey | Belgian style Tripel

This boozy golden ale is laced with notes of fruity spice, earthy hops, and yeast. Notes of coriander, clove, caramel, allspice, banana, and orange peel, make this craft beer a unique and delicious choice on the ‘best beers for Thanksgiving’ list. Pair this strong tripel ale with bold spicy dishes, cajun seasoned-meats, sausage and potatoes, or pork dishes.

Brewer Notes: Nose is loaded with Belgian yeast character of banana and clove with an equally fruity body balanced with a light, earthy hop character. Savor notes of orange and spice followed by a dry finish.

Percent ABV: 9.5% | Beer Advocate Rating: 84

Lindeman’s Framboise | Belgian Fruit Lambic

This delicious deep pink fruit beer is a most celebrated favorite throughout the year! I’ll enjoy this beer in the summer when I crave a fresh berry-flavored beverage. I’ll pour it during the holidays when I want to share something delicious and special with my guests. Truly, anytime is a good time for Lindeman’s Framboise. A very fruit-forward beer with straight fruit notes of juicy crushed raspberries and earthy sweetness balanced by light tartness. Serve with raspberry cheesecake, cherry pie, fresh goat cheese topped with honey and nuts, or even this simple strawberry tart. Serve with your favorite crisp green Thanksgiving salad topped with a zesty dressing.

Brewer Notes: The appearance of this exceptional beer is matched only by its taste! To make our Framboise, we add raspberry juice to our lambic. That gives it a delicate fruity aroma and a beautiful dark pink colour.

Percent ABV: 2.5% | Beer Advocate Rating: 87

Choose beers for your festive Thanksgiving gathering based on some of the dishes, sides, and desserts that you’ll be serving at the Thanksgiving table. Some of these beers make great dessert beers and some make great options to pair with appetizers. Still other beers are the go-to for enjoying during the main course. Consider the body, mouthfeel, style of beer, and overall flavors in a craft brew when thinking about food pairing. These little tips will help you choose wisely in the craft beer aisle so you can confidently sip the best beers for Thanksgiving on turkey day!

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