What Are You Drinking on Thanksgiving?

Ginger beer on the table, sparkling apple cider for the toast, and ice-cold mineral water within reach of whoever is carving. That is my answer, and it beats agonizing over a wine list. A Thanksgiving plate holds turkey, buttery potatoes, sage stuffing, cranberry sauce, and a square of sweet potato, all touching. Wine flatters one of those at a time. Bubbles and a little spice handle the whole plate.

What You'll Learn

• Why bubbles and a little spice beat wine on a plate that holds six flavors at once
• How to put the same glass in every hand for the toast, drinkers and non-drinkers alike
• What to pour with pumpkin and pecan pie when nobody wants to brew coffee
• When to order so the bottles are cold by Thursday, November 26

Ginger beer works the whole table

Ginger has a bite that resets your mouth between the gravy and the cranberry, so the fourth forkful tastes as good as the first. Goslings ginger beer over ice with a lime wedge and a few fresh cranberries looks like you tried hard. Kids and adults drink the same thing, so nobody has to ask what is in the other person's glass.

Sparkling cider makes the toast

Somebody will stand up and say something about gratitude, and everyone needs a full glass for it. Martinelli's sparkling cider pours the same flute into every hand, whether a guest drinks alcohol or not. The cousin expecting her first baby and the nine-year-old get the same pour as the host. Chill the bottle for a full day. Cider that is only cool goes flat on the tongue.

Mineral water does quiet work

A heavy meal needs something to reset the tongue, and a bottle of Perrier or San Pellegrino is the cheapest reset on the table. The bubbles are fine and sharp, and they cut through fat. Put a bottle at each end of the table with a bowl of lime wedges. Guests refill themselves instead of flagging you down mid-bite.

Something for the game and something for the pie

Football runs from late morning until the dishes are done, and some people want a beer while it plays. Beverage Universe stocks non-alcoholic beer, so nobody has to switch to coffee at 4 p.m.

Pie wants coffee, and coffee wants a pot and a free burner. Manhattan Special skips both. It is a coffee soda in a glass bottle, made in Brooklyn since 1895, and it tastes like iced coffee that learned to fizz. Pour it next to pumpkin or pecan pie. A diet decaf version exists for the relatives who plan to sleep tonight.

Set it up once

Put a tub of ice, a bowl of cranberries, lime wedges, and a few rosemary sprigs on the sideboard next to the bottles and a stack of glasses. Guests build their own drinks, and you stay by the oven.

Order before the week gets away from you

Beverage Universe ships the next business day on orders placed by 2:00 PM EST, and delivery is free the next day in Manhattan, Williamsburg, Long Island City, and Astoria. Thanksgiving lands on Thursday, November 26 this year. Order the week before so the bottles have time to chill, and nobody has to haul cases through a grocery store on Wednesday night. Buy more than you think you need. Soda and mineral water keep, and nobody has ever regretted leftover ginger beer.

Thanksgiving FAQ

What non-alcoholic drinks go with turkey?

Ginger beer, sparkling apple cider, and bubbly mineral water all work. Spice and bubbles cut through rich, salty food, so every forkful tastes fresh.

How many drinks should I buy for Thanksgiving?

There is no exact formula, since the day runs long and appetites vary. Buy by the case. Sealed soda and mineral water keep well past the holiday, so extra bottles cost you little.

What should I serve with pie?

Manhattan Special coffee soda pours cold and needs no brewing. A diet decaf version is available for guests who want to sleep that night.

When should I order for Thanksgiving?

Order the week before. Beverage Universe ships the next business day on orders placed by 2:00 PM EST, with free next-day delivery in Manhattan, Williamsburg, Long Island City, and Astoria.