Turkey on Tap: 2025

As the temperature starts to drop, and leaves begin to fall, there is one holiday on everyone’s mind: Thanksgiving (don’t you dare think about the other holiday, despite what Mariah wants you to think).

Here in the Midwest, an unfortunate phenomenon also starts to happen at this time of year: massive drops in the dew point/humidity. For example, in July in Minneapolis, the average dew point is 60 degrees. In November, dew points drop to just 25! Meaning skin starts to crack, lips start to peel, eyes get itchy, etc.

So, how do you go about being hydrated, while also celebrating the major autumnal holiday? Easy!

Allow me to introduce your family’s next favorite tradition: Turkey on Tap!

I set out on a quest to put together a Thanksgiving meal, only made from Minnesota (and Minnesota adjacent) craft beer. Each beer had to be tied to a specific dish, which resulted in some…interesting…selections. I am by no means a “foodie,” so let me know in the comments below what your thoughts are on the beers that were selected, or if you would have selected other beers!

Once all the beer was collected, and friends had been gathered, we began…

Thanksgiving Dish: Bread Rolls

Beer Equivalent: Inbound - Laser Loon Pilsner

Pairing Rating: 10/10

Pairing Notes: Starting off very strong, this crisp pilsner is very heavy on “bready” flavor, while still being light and crisp. Would say its almost 1:1 to eating a roll with a little bit of butter!

Thanksgiving Dish: Turkey

Beer Equivalent: 56 Brewing – Smoke on the Lager

Pairing Rating: 9.5/10

Pairing Notes: Every year, I am tasked with smoking a turkey for our friendsgiving, so this was an easy choice. This Racuchbier (a smoked beer) provided both the smoky and savory notes I have come to look for in a slice of juicy turkey. The beer itself tastes of campfire, without being too potent. Some other smoked beers rely on ONLY smoked flavor, but this had more to it, without the smoke suffocating everything else.

Thanksgiving Dish: Ham

Beer Equivalent: Hamms

Pairing Rating: 1/10

Pairing Notes: I mean, its Hamms. Nothing fancy, just like a quality honey glazed ham. Mostly selected for the joke.

Thanksgiving Dish: Cheesy Potatoes

Beer Equivalent: Falling Knife – All Nighter Imperial Golden Ale

Pairing Rating: 5/10

Pairing Notes: This category was one of the hardest beers to find. It is a bit of a stretch, I’ll admit, but hear me out: burnt cheesy edges = coffee? I tried to find something that was light and fluffy like potatoes but also had some elements of a toasted flavor. Yes, I could have found a beer heavy on toasted malt, but that felt like an easy way out. Regardless, once you get you head in the cheesy mindset, I thought this beer paired well. Like a strong cheddar, the coffee flavor is potent throughout the beer, with a smooth golden ale base.

Thanksgiving Dish: Tater Tots & Gravy 

Beer Equivalent: Great Lakes Brewing – Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Pairing Rating: 6/10

Pairing Notes: For this beer, I wanted something heavier, but not as heavy as a stout. Something that, as my mother would say, “stick to your ribs.” This classic porter is just that: something that is easy on the way down but is heavy enough to fill you up. Anyone who eats way to much taters n’ gravy will tell you that they need to lie down and think about their life choices. In that vein, I too lay down and think about the 29 men who lost their lives on November 10^th, 1975.

Thanksgiving Dish: Green Bean Casserole

Beer Equivalent: Indeed Brewing Company – Pistachio Cream Ale 

Pairing Rating: 8.5/10

Pairing Notes: Everyone needs some vegetables at Thanksgiving, just to make you feel better about the amount of carbs you have consumed thus far (and we haven’t even gotten to desert yet). This local staple fits right in that category, without getting too vegetal. And let's be honest, can you even taste the green beans in the casserole? Doubt it. That casserole ends up tasting more like sweet mushrooms and creamy onions. That pairs almost perfectly with this nutty cream ale. Plus, the can is green!

Thanksgiving Dish: Sweet Potatoes

Beer Equivalent: Unmapped Brewing Company – Flannel Roots Fall Lager

Pairing Rating: 8/10

Pairing Notes: A lot of yam-forward beer ends up with heavy mulling spices. Which I frankly enjoy, but a sweet potato dish at Thanksgiving doesn’t have any mulling spices (at least in our home). It’s usually sweet potatoes, butter, some brown sugar, and marshmallows on top. All those flavors together end up being toasty, with subtle sweetness. Enter Flannel Roots. Being the only traditional fall beer on this list, it had a lot to prove, but I think it’s copper color, combined with sweet aftertaste, do a traditional sweet potato dish well.

Thanksgiving Dish: Cranberries

Beer Equivalent: The Brewing Project – Puff Tart XL

Pairing Rating: 9/10

Pairing Notes: Anyone who knows Puff Tart XL may be thinking to yourself: “wait, that doesn’t have any cranberries in it. What gives?” Every cranberry ale or lager I have ever had I feel misses the mark when it comes to what cranberries truly are. To quote my sister, “cranberries make my insides sweat.” I wanted to find a beer that captured that strong tartness but also had a sweet side. This sour beer gets even more tart from the strong lemon flavor, but is then backed by sweet strawberries.

Thanksgiving Dish: Corn

Beer Equivalent: Falling Knife - Tomm's

Pairing Rating: 9/10

Pairing Notes: Whether you prefer it on the cob, sweet, rosted, or some other way, corn is a staple of Thanksgiving. This classic lager is like that buttery corn: simple, a little sweet, and so comforting you keep going back for “just one more.” It’s not flashy or complex, but it rounds out the table (or the fridge) with easy, familiar warmth.

Thanksgiving Dish: Mashed Potatoes

Beer Equivalent: Ursa Minor Brewing - Cream Ale

Pairing Rating: TBD

Pairing Notes: TBD

Thanksgiving Dish: Pumpkin Pie

Beer Equivalent: Inbound – Samuin Harvest

Pairing Rating: 9.5/10

Pairing Notes: Well folks, we did it. Time for dessert. There are thousands of pumpkin stouts out there, but again, I wanted something a little different. Most pumpkin stouts end up being very sweet, which I enjoy, but good pumpkin pie isn’t overly sweet. Sugar for sure, but that sugar balances out the mulling spices, brown sugar, and of course, pumpkin. That’s exactly what Samuin Harvest does. Not overly sweet, but still has all the classic pumpkin pie flavors. The only thing I would change: serve it with a cream cheese frosting rimmed pint glass.

So there you have it, our first annual Turkey on Tap. Let us know what you think we should have done instead, or if you agree with our pairings. And remember, anything you do twice is a tradition, so keep an eye out for the 2026 Turkey on Tap beer list!