It's time for Thanksgiving, delicious turkey, your favorite pie, football and beer!

When it comes to beer, there’s no one better to talk to than our very own Heather Burns. Not only is she responsible for keeping The Zweben Team on course, Heather is and expert on all things beer. Heather and her husband Ray Darmstadt are the proprietors at the St. Gambrinus Beer Shoppe on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.  Here are Heather's thoughts on the holiday and beer.

I look forward to that huge, comforting, sweet and savory Thanksgiving meal every year.  For me, a lot of what makes holidays so much fun with my family is our mutual appreciation of good drinks and good laughs.  We drink more wine than beer in my family, but I've never really thought wine tasted particularly good with Thanksgiving foods. 

The less acidic quality of beer is better suited to pairing with turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweets like cranberry sauce, and all of the fixings!  Plus, it's fun getting my parents in their 70s and 80s to taste different beers.  While Mom has decided she likes IPAs since they smell like flowers, my step-Dad is still digging in his heels over English ales.

If you would like to do something different this year and pair your Thanksgiving meal with beer instead of wine, I've got some great suggestions. 

If you know you prefer a lighter (colored) beer, this is a really terrific choice.  Allagash is one of my favorite breweries.  It's an established brewery in Maine and the Saison is their classic, farmhouse-style ale.  It's easy drinking, lightly bitter with a bit of spice.  This would go well with a variety of foods and is just a lovely beer for daily drinking!

If you are a Guinness drinker and would like to have something darker to pair with your meal, this Long Island brewery's porter is a perfect choice.  This is a delicious, rich beer with hints of roasted coffee, with a nice dry finish. It can easily pair with both the Thanksgiving meal and all of the holiday pies too!  

Heather Burns, St. Gambrinus Beer Shoppe, Brooklyn, NY