Thanksgiving at The Beer Thrillers<\/em> household usually means one thing: yes, the kids are arguing over who gets the wishbone, the pies are cooling on the counter, and the Macy\u2019s parade is droning in the background \u2014 but most importantly, a Pennsylvania craft beer is getting cracked and poured into whatever dish I\u2019m cooking. Because if you\u2019re not using local beer in your holiday feast\u2026 what are<\/em> you doing?<\/p>\n This year, we\u2019re going with a full-on PA-powered centerpiece: a Maple\u2013Brown Ale Glazed Turkey<\/strong>, roasted low and slow, basted in a malty, caramel-rich glaze made with one of Pennsylvania\u2019s best fall beers: Troegs\u2019 Troegenator Doppelbock<\/strong> or Victory\u2019s Festbier<\/strong> (both work beautifully and are easy to find statewide). The result is a turkey that\u2019s juicy, glossy, sweet, savory, and unapologetically Pennsylvanian.<\/p>\n Below is the complete recipe, along with a few craft-beer-pairing side suggestions to turn your Thanksgiving table into a full flight of PA brew goodness.<\/p>\n Maple\u2013Brown Ale Glazed Turkey Recipe Card<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See our other Thanksgiving themed articles:<\/p>\n Pick one<\/strong> of these PA craft beers depending on your flavor goals:<\/p>\n Troegs Troegenator Doppelbock<\/strong> \u2013 Dark fruit, caramel, toffee; slightly sweet. Victory Festbier<\/strong> \u2013 Clean, bready, slightly sweet malt. Weyerbacher Merry Monks<\/strong> \u2013 If you want a more Belgian, fruity twist.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n For the recipe below, I\u2019ll assume Troegenator<\/strong>, because very little says \u201cPennsylvania in November\u201d more than that purple-labeled doppelbock.<\/p>\n 1 whole turkey (12\u201316 lbs), thawed<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2 tbsp kosher salt<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1 tbsp black pepper<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1 tbsp smoked paprika<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 2 tsp garlic powder<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1 tsp dried thyme<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 1 tsp dried sage<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Olive oil or melted butter (2\u20133 tbsp)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Remove giblets and pat the turkey dry.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, and sage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rub the turkey generously with olive oil or butter, then coat with the seasoning blend.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Stuff the cavity with the orange, onion, garlic, and herbs.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Place on a roasting rack in a large pan.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n In a medium saucepan, combine Troegenator<\/strong>, maple syrup, cider, soy sauce, Dijon, and brown sugar.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bring to a simmer and reduce by roughly one-third (about 15\u201320 minutes).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Whisk in the butter until glossy.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Remove from heat and set aside \u2014 it will thicken slightly as it cools.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n This stuff smells like caramelized heaven. Resist the urge to drink it.<\/p>\n Preheat oven to 325\u00b0F<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Roast the turkey uncovered for 1 hour<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Start basting with the beer glaze every 20\u201330 minutes.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Continue roasting until the internal temperature hits 165\u00b0F<\/strong> in the thickest part of the thigh (usually about 3\u20133.5 more hours).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n If the bird is browning too quickly, tent with foil.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Your kitchen will smell like a brewery decided to host Thanksgiving. This is a good thing.<\/p>\n When the turkey reaches temp, remove from oven and let it rest 20\u201330 minutes<\/strong> before carving. Brush once more with warmed glaze for that Instagram-ready shine.<\/p>\n A Troegenator glaze gives you:<\/p>\n Deep caramelized sugar from the doppelbock malt<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Notes of date, fig, and dark fruit<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rich mahogany color<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A slightly sticky, sweet\u2013savory crust<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Incredible drippings for gravy<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n If you go with Victory Festbier instead, the turkey comes out lighter and more bready-malt forward \u2014 still spectacular, just less intense.<\/p>\n Serve your turkey with any of these PA craft beer gems:<\/p>\n Troegs Blizzard of Hops<\/strong> \u2013 juicy, bright, seasonal, balances the turkey\u2019s sweetness<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Neshaminy Creek Shape of Hops to Come<\/strong> \u2013 for hopheads who want bitterness with the rich glaze<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Rotunda Cran-Gose<\/strong> (Annville) \u2013 tart, salty, and the sleeper hit of the meal<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Imprint\u2019s Schmoojee Cranberry variants<\/strong> \u2013 dessert in a glass, but pairs amazingly well<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Because why stop at the turkey?<\/p>\n Stir \u00bd cup of slightly warmed Troegs Sunshine Pilsner<\/strong> into your mashed potatoes with butter and cream \u2014 it adds a grassy, herbal brightness.<\/p>\n Use Lancaster Brewing\u2019s Winter Warmer<\/strong> or Yards Brawler<\/strong> in your stuffing liquid. Absolute game-changer.<\/p>\n Glaze roasted sweet potatoes with Yuengling Hershey\u2019s Chocolate Porter<\/strong> (still PA! still craft-adjacent enough!). Chocolate + sweet potato = chef\u2019s kiss. (If you have any left. They stopped making this two years ago. A good new substitute would be Troegs Chocolate Elf.)<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a regular reader of The Beer Thrillers<\/em>, you know that Pennsylvania isn\u2019t just a craft beer state \u2014 it\u2019s the<\/em> craft beer state. From the giants (Tr\u00f6egs, Victory, Yuengling) to the small-town killers (Boneshire Brew Workst, Rotunda, YAH Brew, Sworn Brewing, Sterling Pig, Forest & Main), the Commonwealth knows how to brew something for every season.<\/p>\n And Thanksgiving \u2014 with all its comfort, nostalgia, chaos, and warmth \u2014 is the perfect canvas to show off what Pennsylvania beer can do in the kitchen.<\/p>\n If you end up making this recipe, send pictures or tag us on Instagram\/Facebook\/Twitter. And let me know which PA beer you picked \u2014 I\u2019m always curious what everyone\u2019s pouring and cooking with.<\/p>\n Happy Thanksgiving, and cheers from The Beer Thrillers<\/em>!<\/p>\n For more updates on Pennsylvania brewery news, closures, openings, and expansions, follow The Beer Thrillers<\/strong> on social media and subscribe for the latest articles on the state\u2019s ever-evolving craft beer scene. Search for us on all of your favorite social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky, etc.) \u2013 search \u201cTHE BEER THRILLERS\u201d.Thanksg<\/p>\n If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!<\/p>\n Cheers.<\/p>\n Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. 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For More Thanksgiving Themed Articles<\/h3>\n
Beer Recommendation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Perfect for a deep, rich, almost BBQ-like glaze.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
Lighter, more delicate, but still beautifully malty.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\nThe Turkey<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Aromatics (for inside the turkey)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Beer\u2013Maple Glaze<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n1. Prep the Turkey<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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2. Make the Beer Glaze<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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3. Roast the Turkey<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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4. Finish & Rest<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nHop-Infused Mashed Potatoes<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Brown Ale Stuffing<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Stout Sweet Potatoes<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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