I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! In my latest print article, which came out before the holiday, I revisited an article I wrote seven years ago on beer and food pairings for the holiday. While these new-and-improved suggestions were nominally for Thanksgiving, they apply equally to your Christmas and other holiday feasting.

[Taliing about turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, but applies just as well to ham with raisin sauce and other dishes.] This medley of flavors needs a rich, complex ale to complement it, and this calls for a Belgian-style dubbel. One of several styles that originated with monasteries in Belgium, dubbel is a moderately strong, malty, amber-colored brew with characteristics that can include dark fruit, caramelized sugar, and toasted bread crust.

Dubbel or Nothing from Monkless Belgian Ales is the natural choice, an award-winning example of the style that can stand up to a wide range of foods. It’s 7.2% ABV with 23 IBUs, with notes of figs, raisins, cocoa and dates, as well as a gentle spiciness. If you were to select only one beer for the meal overall, Dubbel or Nothing could fit that bill.

While Monkless’ Dubbel or Nothing could hold its own throughout, I highlight a number of styles and beers for various courses. And a note on the “Yam Sesh” I highlighted from Crux Fermentation Project: that name is wrong, one I pulled initially from Untappd, but in fact the beer is called My Yammy Vice, a spiced ale made with yams (similar to pumpkin).