The turkey is in the oven, someone’s been assigned potato duty and there’s a questionable amount of cheese on the appetizer table. Must be the holidays.
Whether you're hosting the whole family or bringing a dish to a friend's place, good food deserves good beer. And while wine tends to get all the attention at the dinner table, craft beer has plenty to bring to the feast.
The trick is finding a beer that works with what's on your plate. Some beers bring a crisp, refreshing finish to a rich meal while others complement roasted flavours, sharp cheeses and sweet holiday treats.
Here's how to pair a few Beau's favourites with the good stuff this holiday season.
1. Roast Turkey and Lug Tread
Turkey is the main event for a reason. It's savoury, a little earthy and usually surrounded by gravy, stuffing and enough roasted potatoes to feed a small army.
For a meal like this, reach for Lug Tread, Beau's original lagered ale. It's crisp and balanced, with a gentle malt character and a clean, dry finish.
That refreshing finish makes it a natural match for roast turkey and all the rich, savoury sides that come with it. The subtle malt notes also sit nicely alongside golden roasted skin and herby stuffing without taking over the plate.
It's the kind of beer that belongs on the table from the first serving to the last leftover potato.
2. Glazed Ham and Barn Burner
If ham is your holiday centrepiece, you've got a different flavour profile to work with. Between the smoky, salty meat and that sweet glaze, there's a lot going on.
Enter Barn Burner, Beau's amber ale. Its malt-forward character makes it worth trying alongside the caramelized edges of a glazed ham and the savoury flavours of the meat.
The general rule here is to look for a beer that can stand up to the sweetness without making the whole meal feel even sweeter. An amber ale is a good place to start.
Add some roasted carrots or crispy potatoes to the plate and you're in good shape.
3. Stuffing, Gravy and All the Fixings
Let's be honest. The side dishes are doing some serious work at a holiday dinner.
Stuffing brings herbs and savoury flavours, gravy adds richness and roasted vegetables bring out those sweet, caramelized notes. You want a beer that can handle all of it without drowning out the food.
Lug Tread is a solid option here. Its balanced malt character works with the toasted flavours in stuffing while its clean finish helps cut through the richness of gravy.
If your stuffing leans heavily on sage, thyme or rosemary, those herbal flavours give you even more reason to experiment with a crisp, balanced beer.
And if you're someone who builds an entire plate out of sides before even looking at the turkey, we respect that.
4. Cheese Boards and Appetizers with Wonder Crush
Before dinner even starts, there's usually a spread of cheese, crackers, nuts, dips and whatever snacks people keep sneaking from the kitchen.
This is where Wonder Crush, Beau's hazy IPA, gets its moment.
With notes of lime and mango, a soft texture and restrained bitterness, Wonder Crush brings a bright, citrusy contrast to rich cheeses and salty snacks. Try it with a creamy cheese, sharp cheddar or a plate of salty pretzels and see what works for you.
The citrus character can help balance richer bites while the beer's fruit-forward flavour brings something different to the usual holiday spread.
One tip for putting together a beer-friendly cheese board: mix up the textures and flavours. A creamy cheese, an aged cheddar, some crunchy crackers and a handful of nuts give everyone something to work with.
5. Apple Pie and Juiced AF
Apple pie might be a holiday classic, but that doesn't mean you have to stick to the usual pairings.
Juiced AF, Beau's hazy IPA, brings big aromas of pineapple, orchard peach and citrus. It's juicy and tropical, with a creamy, silky mouthfeel and a hop-forward finish.
Those fruity flavours make it an interesting pairing to try with baked apples and warm spices. The key is balancing the sweetness of the pie with the beer's hop character, so give it a go alongside a slice and see how the flavours play together.
And if pie isn't your thing, try Juiced AF with a sharp cheddar board or salty appetizers instead.
6. Build a Holiday Beer Lineup
Hosting a crowd? You don't need to stock the fridge with a dozen different beers to keep everyone happy.
A simple selection of a few different styles can cover plenty of ground.
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Lug Tread: A crisp, balanced lagered ale that works well with roast turkey and savoury sides.
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Barn Burner: An amber ale to try with glazed ham, roasted vegetables and other caramelized flavours.
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Wonder Crush: A citrusy hazy IPA that brings a bright contrast to cheese boards and salty appetizers.
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Juiced AF: A juicy, tropical hazy IPA to try with apple pie or a spread of savoury snacks.
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Beau's Lite: A light lager for guests who prefer something crisp and easygoing.
The idea is to offer a little variety without making things complicated. If you're not sure where to start, pick two different styles and see which pairings your guests enjoy most.
And don't forget the basics. Keep the beer properly chilled, have some clean glasses handy and make sure there's something non-alcoholic available for anyone who wants it.
A Few Tips for Pairing Beer with Holiday Food
You don't need to be a beer expert to put together a good pairing. Keep a few simple ideas in mind:
Match the intensity. Lighter dishes can get overwhelmed by bold flavours while richer foods can stand up to a beer with more character.
Look for complementary flavours. Toasty malt notes can work with roasted foods while citrus and fruit notes can bring contrast to rich or salty dishes.
Don't forget carbonation. A crisp beer can help refresh your palate between bites of rich food.
Experiment a little. There isn't one perfect pairing for every dish. The best match is one you actually enjoy.
Make Room for Good Beer This Holiday Season
The holidays are all about getting people together, sharing a good meal and making a bit of a fuss over the things we enjoy. Beer deserves a place at that table.
Whether you're pouring Lug Tread alongside roast turkey, trying Barn Burner with glazed ham or opening a Wonder Crush or Juiced AF to go with the appetizer spread, there are plenty of ways to bring a little craft beer into your holiday traditions.
Explore the full Beau's beer lineup and find your favourites for the season. You can also use our Find Our Beer tool to track down Beau's near you.
Good food, good beer and good company. That's a holiday dinner worth sitting down for.