I love Thanksgiving and I think I always have. Growing up in a large family, every Holiday was filled with a ton of people and food. And it’s hard to argue that there’s a Holiday better for food than Thanksgiving. What makes this Holiday even better is that it lasts nearly a week as I get to enjoy multiple parties with family and friends.
Like many of you, I find myself very busy during the week of Thanksgiving. There’s family functions, shopping and decorating for Christmas that fill up most of my time. Being busy can be stressful but it is also a ton of fun too.
So to help celebrate, I am going to jump into what I look forward to eating and drinking on Thanksgiving. As well as leave you with a few thoughts on Thanksgiving as the official kick off of the Christmas season.
What I Drink On Thanksgiving
But now, it is something that I do consider.
Last year, I remember drinking Rivertown Pumpkin. I mean what’s better than a great pumpkin beer on a day that features pumpkin pie?
But that beer and many other pumpkin beers were not made this year which made me think; maybe I need to think beyond pumpkin for this Thanksgiving.
So this year, I am going to enjoy Christmas ales for Thanksgiving. I am in the mood to kick off the Christmas season and there’s a ton of great ones to enjoy. Remember to follow me on Instagram to keep up with what I am drinking.
What I Eat On Thanksgiving
You’ve got your standard Thanksgiving items: Turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, etc. And those are all great but for me, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce are a must.
For the sweet potatoes, they need to be a step above dessert in sweetness. Covered in butter, brown sugar and marshmallows; I can’t imagine Thanksgiving without them.
But most families have something unique that has become part of their annual Thanksgiving dinner.
My mom has started making a dish that is part squash and part apple cobbler and all parts amazing! While we eat this with dinner, it easily could be served as dessert.
On the other side of the family, my in-laws introduced me to chess pie and now I have another slice of pie that I must eat every year (on top of the pumpkin and mince pie that have been mandatory for years).
Needless to say; there’s a ton of great food to go around.
What I am Thankful For
I started this website just about a year ago and after writing over 100 articles, I can easily say that publishing a new article continues to be a challenging but rewarding process for me.
The time has went by quickly and I am truly thankful for each and every person that takes the time to read what I write.
My goal was to talk about craft beer and start a few conversations. And the only reason I’ve achieved that is because you are willing to give me a shot. I value your time and work hard to ensure that I’ve put in the time to put out articles that are worth reading.
So thank you for being a reader of Craft Beer Joe and I look forward to continuing to learn about craft beer alongside you.
And it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t acknowledge my life outside of craft beer. I am continually blessed by my wife, kids, parents, in-laws, family and friends. Countless people have helped me throughout the year in ways that I can’t possibly repay them.
Giving Back
This leads me to my next thought, this is the time of year when there’s a battle between wanting and giving. Many are compelled to give back but are often distracted by the material things of the season.
And as I’ve often written about the ways that breweries are giving back to their communities, I rarely do the same – at least not in the ways I would like to.
So this year, I am planning to use what has been given to me in ways that impact others. This can sound cliche but if I intend to do it then I’ve got to at least have to make it a goal.
It’s the “most wonderful time of the year”, so let’s end it on a high note. Enjoy some great craft beer, be thankful and give back in ways that you never thought you were able.
What No Craft Beer Talk?
So if you were hoping to read something about craft beer, you are probably disappointed. Hopefully, reading my thoughts on Thanksgiving was at least a little interesting.
But if you want to read about craft beer, here are some of my most popular articles.
