Give thanks that there’s a beer for every bird

One of the great things about the huge variety of flavors in beer is that it’s possible to get a great pairing with almost any kind of food.

Though Thanksgiving is all about turkey, there are so many ways to prepare it and almost as many settings to eat it in, there’s no one beverage that fits in every case. But there’s still a beer for every one.

First, let’s take the formal family that sets the table with the nice china. They baked the turkey without any strong spices, so it’s a moderately flavored white meat. For them, I’d suggest a Belgian-style pale ale or a tripel.

Both are fairly malty, so they will stand up to hearty foods, but light on hops, so they won’t overshadow the flavors of the dishes. The Belgian yeast strains used to make them add some pome fruit and light spicy phenols, so they don’t seem flat by comparison.

A Belgian pale ale is the lighter of the two, typically having around 5 percent alcohol by volume and a fairly clean character for a Belgian style. They’re typically dry but much less bitter than an American-style pale ale. De Koninck and Palm Speciale are examples of this style, but when you shop for them, check that they are in date since they do not age well.

Tripels are much more substantial beers, topping out at over 10 percent ABV. Despite this strength, they hide their alcohol well, which can be dangerous if you don’t realize what you’re drinking. The yeast provides a perfumy, fruity aroma, while the malt underneath is smooth and dry.

Good examples abound, from Trappist beers like Westmalle tripel to secular versions such as Duvel or Save the World Princeps Pacis. It’s common to serve these beers in stemmed tulip glasses, which will fit right in on the formal table setting.

For those that like to smoke their turkeys, different rules apply. Smoke is a pervasive flavor that lingers on the palate, so a paired beer needs to be more assertive. I’d look to the hoppy aisle for a selection here.

Hop bitterness lingers on the tongue as well, so unless you’re really a fan of a mass of strong flavors all at once, avoid the super bitter IPAs and shoot more for the middle of the road. Real Ale Axis IPA, Saint Arnold Art Car IPA or Ranger Creek OPA work well here. All have substantial hop flavor to stand up to a big dose of Texas mesquite smoke.

A tradition not quite as old as serving turkey on Thanksgiving, but just as fervently held by some, is watching the Dallas Cowboys play while eating a plate full of food in front of the television. I’m going to hazard a guess that no matter what the particulars of the turkey preparation are, lighter beers are more popular here. These days, it’s quite possible to skip the big three (Bud, Miller, Coors) and patronize a Texas-based company for beers like this.

Big Bend Brewing Co., which is based in Alpine but will soon open its second brewery and tap room in San Antonio, has its Tejas line of lighter lagers. The Prima is the lightest, a 4.6 percent ABV American lager. Its straw-yellow color, fleeting perfumy hoppiness and very light malt character won’t necessarily do much to complement the meal, but it will certainly wash it down.

That said, it’s made well and lacks the obvious fermentation flaws that come from maximizing alcohol content in an adjunct-rich light lager. (Adjuncts are nonmalt fermentable ingredients in beer, typically rice or corn, used to lighten the character of a beer.) Some other choices in this category are Alamo’s Golden Ale, Robert Earl Keen Honey Pils, brewed by Pedernales Brewing Co., and Real Ale Firemans #4.

Whichever style of celebration suits your family’s fancy, happy Thanksgiving, and don’t be afraid to enjoy a brew with your bird.

Markus Haas is the beer columnist for the Express-News.