TODD COLEMAN

Party Like the Pilgrims

Published on October 21, 2011

With the Appetizers

Serve flutes of Orval Trappist Ale (330ml; $5.99), a triple-style ale from a Trappist Cistercian monastery in southwest Belgium, to start the meal. Its sage, pear, and apple notes meld with a winter squash and apple soup, and its champagnelike effervescence and refreshingly dry finish always make it a wonderful aperitif.

At our house, the drink of choice for Thanksgiving isn't pinot noir or prosecco; it's beer. The yeasty, malty brew goes great with generously spiced fall foods, and we figure if it was good enough for the Pilgrims, it's good enough for us. We pair each course with a different beer.