Food Pairings: What Beer to Sip Over The Holidays

The holidays are coming up and that means alot of good food. But it can also mean a lot of good beer to accompany that food. The Brewers Association put together a great list of beer pairings for the various meats you might feast upon in the coming holidays. We made a recap of the list for you, and then we added our very own College Drinker recommendations. Follow this guide to make sure that you are making the best toasts that you possibly can.

Plus you can tell everyone at the party why you choose the beer you did and sound really smart (or really annoying)…

Traditional Roast Turkey: “The roasted and caramelized skin matches well with amber ale, a strong golden ale or an amber lager in the Vienna style.”
College Drinker says: Try Great Lakes Brewing Co.’s Eliot Ness.

Smoked Turkey: “If your local brewery offers a smoked beer, that can serve as a complement to smoked turkey as well. Look for a porter, Scotch ale or amber ale in the smoked style.“
College Drinker says: Try Stone Smoked Porter.

Cajun Turkey: “Celebrated beer writer and New Mexico resident Stan Hieronymus suggests a malty IPA to go with his favorite Cajun turkey recipe. For a malty alternative that will stand up to the heat, try a dark bock or strong Scotch ale.“
College Drinker says: Try Two Hearted Ale (Bell’s Brewery).

Ham: “Like the fruit and cloves often used to prepare ham, the fruity, clove notes in weizen or the stronger weizenbock compliment ham at the dinner table.”
College Drinker says: Try Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat.

Duck: “The darker meat of duck offers a richer flavor than turkey and can stand up to a richer beer as well. Here a Belgian-inspired dubbel or a hearty Oktoberfest lager would go well.“
College Drinker says: Try Allagash Dubbel.

Goose: “Here too a richer beer than you would choose for turkey is in order. A Belgian-style triple or biere de garde would work well or maybe a bock or Scotch ale.”
College Drinker says: Try Shiner Bock (Spoetzl Brewery).

Salmon: “A dunkel lager or Scottish ale can offer a clean toasted malt note to offset the firm flavors of salmon without a lot of bitterness that would overwhelm the fish. Other options would include a mild ale or steam beer.“
College Drinker says: Try Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark.

Leg of Lamb: “Pale ales provide a pleasant foil to lamb with spicy or herbal character to compliment the character of the meat along with some toasted malt notes. Or for more harmony with the roasted flavors of the meat, try a hoppy brown ale or porter.“
College Drinker says: Try Dogfish Head’s India Brown Ale.

Beef Tenderloin: “This rich hearty cut of meat deserves a robust beer as a counterpoint but also calls for some contrast to clear the palate between bites. The ideal companion would seem to be an IPA or Imperial IPA. Other options might include a tripel or old ale.“
College Drinker says: Try Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.

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