What's The Best Beer Pairing For Turkey?

At a classic Thanksgiving feast, you can expect the usual suspects of stuffing, mashed potatoes, some silky pumpkin pie, and, of course, turkey as the default main course. While our plate is usually spoken for, how about our drinks? Beer connoisseurs might wonder what beer pairs best with a turkey dinner. To get some insight, we asked master cicerone, certified sommelier, and former brewmaster Rich Higgins. His personal choice is a fruit-forward, malty sour. "My favorite beer with roast turkey and gravy is a barrel-aged sour red ale like Rodenbach Grand Cru or Duchesse de Bourgogne," he says. These drinks are a part of the Flanders red ale category of beers, which are aged in oak. They're complex drinks full of layered flavors. According to Higgins, this brew style often has notes of balsamic vinegar, sherry, and almonds. "It's basically like cranberry sauce in beer form," he says. 

For those who aren't a fan of sours, saisons are another great option. "A spritzy, lemony-peppery saison like Saison Dupont or North Coast Le Merle would be an excellent, refreshing partner to the meal," Higgins claims. And finally, for fans of darker drinks, he suggests reaching for a porter beer (which is different from a stout) instead. "Americans' Thanksgiving meal is very similar to many English pub 'Sunday Roast' offerings, where pints of toasty, cocoa-y porter add a delicious savory, roasty element to turkey and all the meal's starchy, buttery whites and yellows."

For those who forgo the basic roasted turkey recipe for a deep-fried or smoked variety, let's talk about alternative brews. For a smoked turkey, Higgins recommends beers that offer a refreshing contrast of flavor. "I want to appreciate the food's smoke and don't want it getting muddied by other (beery) sources of smoke. With smoked turkey breast or cold cuts, I enjoy a dark Mexican or German lager like Modelo Negra or Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel." 

For more robust picks like smoked turkey legs, richer beers can stack up. "I'm a fan of darker, spicy, slightly boozy Belgian-style ales like Chimay Première (aka Chimay Red) or Unibroue Trois Pistoles," Higgins says. Deep-fried turkey meat is intensely juicy, and a similarly intense drink won't overpower this meal, either. So, look to suds imbued with a smokiness of their own. Not only does Higgins recommend mellower smoked beers like Schlenkerla Helles, which has a hint of smoke from sharing the same equipment as the brewery's traditional rauchbier (smoke beer), he also suggests the bolder smoked porter from Alaskan Brewing Co., which claims to have helped popularize this German style of beer Stateside. Still, lighter picks can pair just as well for those who prefer. "It can work well with fuller-bodied, smooth German weizenbocks like golden-colored Weihenstephaner Vitus and tootsie-roll-colored Schneider Aventinus, both of which bring delicious fruity-spicy flavors to enliven the savory meat."

Of course, turkey still exists beyond the holidays, especially in popular forms like the turkey burger. When it comes to finding a pairing for this pick, Higgins says it really depends on the toppings. "The turkey patty itself usually doesn't bring a lot of flavor, unless it's doctored up with diced onion, black pepper, and other flavorful mix-ins. So when pairing beer, let the toppings guide you," he says. 

For classic options like bacon, pepper jack cheese, or barbecue sauce, he recommends a dark beer to enhance those deep undertones of savory flavors and sweet brown sugar by sipping a Scottish ale like Odell 90 Shilling, which he describes as having "nutty, caramel aromas and a touch of malty sweetness." For burgers that come with milder toppings like brie cheese or mushrooms, he recommends Allagash White, with its notes of bitter orange peel, coriander, and what he refers to as "earthy, doughy flavors." And finally, for other unique options like an acidic pineapple slice or fried egg, Higgins suggests an IPA like Firestone Walker Mind Haze, which he notes is gently hazy and imbued with a fruitiness reminiscent of the tropics.

There are so many different ways to enjoy a turkey. Get creative with how you cook this protein, and don't shy away from pairing your prized poultry with one of these tantalizing brews.