Drink like a pilgrim; pour glass of hard cider

Puzzled over which wine pairs well with brined turkey, candied yams, garlic mashed potatoes, challah stuffing, cranberry sauce and, possibly, tofu turkey? Why not take another bite at the apple, and think cider instead?

A cold glass of hard cider has been the hot beverage for a while now, with sales growing exponentially. And while many U.S.-produced ciders have leaned toward catering to the American sweet tooth, drier styles are emerging that provide a good underpinning for the rich — and often oddly contrasting — excesses of the traditional Thanksgiving.

“I always think about Thanksgiving as an endurance meal and cider works really well,” says Dan Pucci, cider director of Wassail, a New York City restaurant specializing in cider pairings.

Cider typically is lower in alcohol than wine, averaging 5 to 7 percent, but has enough acid and tannins to do the job of a Thanksgiving beverage. Meaning, it can cleanse and refresh your palate to get you ready for the next bite.

Bonus point: You’re drinking like the pilgrims, who were avid hard-cider fans.

Picking ciders poses a few challenges. Since the cider surge is relatively new, labeling rules and regulations still are being worked out, so you don’t have as much information to work with as you find on U.S. wine labels. Some labels will tell you if a cider is made from eating apples or traditional cider apples, known as bitter sweets or bitter sharps, or a blend of both.

There are exceptions, of course, but generally speaking ciders made with cider fruit tend to have more structure, presence and palate, says Pucci. They also develop more secondary flavors and are earthier. Ciders made from eating apples are going to generally have a more primary fruit profile and are easier drinking.

For the main course, a good choice is Dragon Head Kingston Black, which comes from apple-rich Washington state, home to a thriving cider industry.