Thanksgiving is a time for love, appreciation, memories, family recipes, and great food but behind all of that…{the elements that nobody wishes to discuss: the grudges, the distractions, the insults, the insecurities, the secrets, the embarrassing times, the family history… the list is endless} is something really special: the things that make family holidays more joyful and desirable than they are! Heck, if they weren’t so absolutely fantastic and desirable, we would do them more than twice a year, right?! We all have our vices  that get us through. Whether it be the long week of shopping, the late night of prepping {mostly because you go out Wednesday to hang with the “old buddies” and hoop it up because everyone is home} or simply because we are hosting and that could be traumatizing enough depending on the situation. In any case, my anecdote is some really delicious craft beer and local bubbles.   Here are my must haves for this Thanksgiving, whether it be to get you through or to pair with your dish, these treats will do the trick.  St. Florians’s IPA:  a hometown brew. When they first started selling their awesome craft beer, we were conveniently having our wedding so we were able to get a keg for the party! Next up is the Wunderlust IPA from one of my favorite breweries in Portland: Breakside. In a recent venture to PDX we sought out Breakside and it was the best thing we did that day! The bartender passed us this hoppy delight from behind the bar because we seemed like we were serious beer drinkers and really loved the hops. It’s not on tap but I highly recommend a bottle to accompany any part of this Thanksgiving feast, especially the prep. Finally, something very close to my heart, the Harvest Moon Sparkling Gewurztraminer. Now, I may be bias to this exceptional bottle of bubbles because my dear, dear friend Erin { @SparklingLover} is the main gal there BUT I do have to say, I have had many great holidays with this in hand. It’s well balanced, fruit forward, dry and crisp. Harvest Moon’s bubbles pair beautifully with any classic or new/hip recipe for the holiday season. A must have. So, that’s what I choose to have in my glass while I create the deliciousness that will be my Thanksgiving feast tomorrow.