Make the Most of Thanksgiving with Great Drinks

By Steve Graham

On Thanksgiving, the food takes center stage and the drinks can become an after-thought. The kids are probably going to drink some sparkling grape juice. But you don’t have to pretend. You can have the real deal, and we won’t even make you drink any more pumpkin beers. Here are a few suggestions for other local Thanksgiving drinks.

Warm up from the inside

You’re in Colorado, so we’re assuming you will get some outside time before the big game and the big feast.

When you come back in from hiking, chopping wood or tossing the pigskin, warm up with a good strong ale, such as This Is Not An Exit from Fiction Brewing in Denver. The coffee and chocolate notes blend with strong plum and raisin flavors, and give way to a warming aftertaste of roasted Hatch chiles. Start with a small pour, as it’s deceptively smooth for its 9.5 percent ABV.

Fiction also brews a second equally strong dark ale called Ye Who Enter Here, with more cherry and chocolate and less coffee and chili flavors.

Cook while you drink …

Pretty soon, it’s time to start cooking the bird (or the Vegducken) and you’ll want to switch to a light and sessionable beer to sip while you make all the sides.

At 5 percent ABV and 15 IBUs, the 8 Second Kölsch from Elevation Beer Co. in Poncha Springs fits the bill. It was originally brewed for the local rodeo, but became a light, crisp year-round staple for the brewery.

And it’s widely available in bottles and cans, so you don’t need to drive to Poncha Springs.

Or cook with your drink

There are also plenty of ways to cook with your local craft beverages, from bourbon cranberry sauce to brandy gravy. One of our favorites is turkey smoked with Odell’s Friek, a fruity sour that blends a raspberry framboise with a cherry kriek. Odell provides the full recipe here, including tips on converting an oil drum into a turkey smoker (that’s some straight-up Colorado DIY spirit right there).

Be Colorado proud

Speaking of Colorado, share your state pride with your out-of-state Thanksgiving guests. You can’t get much more Colo-riffic than Ska Brewing’s Hop Ivy, a citrus-y all-Colorado ale made with only local ingredients.

The Durango brewing powerhouse also recently started canning a new sour apple gose, made with Colorado apples and fermented in barrels from Palisade’s Peach Street Distillers. At 5.1 percent ABV, it’s easy drinking with apple on the nose and citra hops packing some lemony tartness.

“Sour Apple Gose is my new favorite beer for the season,” said Kristen Muraro, director of sales and marketing at Ska. “It tastes like you’re sipping on a crisp apple juice with a bright tartness that’s refreshing, not drying.”

Pair a beer with the meal

Now for possibly the biggest challenge of the day: pairing a beer with the diverse Thanksgiving feast. May we humbly suggest the seasonal Cranberry Saison from Lone Tree Brewing, which was just released in 22-ounce bombers. It’s a slightly tart Belgian farmhouse ale aged with fresh cranberry puree, and it should complement most of the flavors on the table.

Drink your dessert

If you are too full for apple pie or need a gluten-free alternative, try the Spiced Apple Pie cider from Wild Cider in Firestone (again, it’s widely available, so you don’t have to find Firestone: click here for a map to find Wild Cider).

It’s creamy and smooth, with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and orange.

Flavor up your coffee

At least for my family, coffee and an open mic session are the traditional Thanksgiving closers. Sure, you can make the traditional Irish coffee, or take it to the next level with Arrosta Coffee Liqueur from Vapor Distillery in Boulder. I like to mix some Arrosta and cream into my coffee for a real treat. Vapor also offers recipes for a Black Russian and a few other fine after-dinner cocktails.