Beer fans, and beer makers, can get all foamy with all this holiday talk about what wines to pair with what dishes.

What about beer?

More and more people are getting hip to the science, or at least fun, of matching certain brews to certain foods.

To help you, and maybe help sell some craft beer, the Boulder, Colo., Brewers Association has poured up a Web site with the tasty name of www.beerandturkey.org.

On it, you'll find suggested pairings, such as traditional roast turkey with amber ale, a strong golden ale or a Vienna-style amber lager.

Beer writer Stan Hieronymus suggests a malty India pale ale to go with his Cajun turkey recipe, which he provides. (You could try the new "Thunderhop" IPA that the Church Brew Works in Lawrenceville recently started bottling to mark its 11th anniversary.) Some might prefer the more malty bock or Scotch ale.

On the site, you can also take a gander at pairings with other holiday fare, from goose to salmon, and other tasty tidbits, such as serving tips, and one beer industry person waxing euphoric over bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with sweet potato pie and vanilla ice cream. Still not sold?

The site notes, "The Pilgrims were ale drinkers and most likely enjoyed beer at the first Thanksgiving."

Speaking of pairing food with beer, Downtown's Bigelow Grill is doing another vegetarian dinner with brews from Homewood's East End Brewing Co. It's not until Dec. 19, but they're taking reservations now for one of the 60 seats to get a crack at nine courses (412-281-5013).

Speaking of East End Brewing and December, the mostly one-man show holds its annual Charity Open House on Dec. 8.

You can buy tickets to one of three sessions: Noon to 3 p.m. or 5 to 8 p.m. ($35 until Dec. 1, when they go up to $45) or the 4 to 5 p.m. VIP session (purchased with an evening ticket for $15 more), which owner Scott Smith has dubbed "Bigs, Bugs, Bottle Conditioned" because you can sample "a collection of long-lost East End Brews from my personal stash, some sour ales, and some vintage bottles -- and maybe a surprise or two."

All the ticket money goes PLEA, an agency that helps autistic children such as Mr. Smith's daughter. For more, visit www.eastendbrewing.com.