As if we needed further encouragement to crack open a few beers on Thursday, the National Beer Wholesalers Association is telling us that beer—and lots of it!—is now a mandatory part of any Thanksgiving meal. The trade group trots out Brasserie Beck's Bill Catron, a D.C. beer expert who's actually earned a Belgian knighthood for his knowledge of the stuff, to offer guidance: He suggests matching a cold, crisp pilsner with appetizers like shrimp; a 'spicy' blond ale with pumpkin soup; red Flemish ale with leafy greens; and Witt ale with cranberry sauce. After all that, you may have lost interest in the main course, but for those soldiering on with solid food, there's triple style ale to wash down the turkey and stuffing. And (God forbid) there's also beer with dessert, whether it's a Bier de Miel with pumpkin pie or Framboise Lambics with chocolate. If some of your more teetotal guests take issue with chef John Barleycorn's menu, blame it on the Pilgrims who, according to the NBWA, landed at Plymouth Rock with beer!

—Posted by Noreen O'Leary