Craft Beer & Candy Pairings (Halloween 2021)

Why should kids be the only ones indulging in candy on Halloween? Candy is fun, but candy with beer is a good time. Whether you are “inspecting” your kid’s trick-or-treat bag or raiding the aisle for discounted goodies, you deserve to kick back with your favorite confection and cold brew. I am no beer expert, but I have learned a little something something over the years. I also called on my friend, Caroline King, of Bitch Beer Podcast to give some insight on some delightful crafty beer and candy pairings.

Porters & Stouts

Porters and stouts are full bodied with thick heads and generally dark brown to near black in color. They are often silky, velvety, and creamy. Porters have more chocolate characteristics while stouts tend to have more coffee notes. They may even carry hints of licorice, molasses, and even vanilla.

Candy Pairings:

• Hershey’s Chocolate Bars
• Snickers
• M&Ms
• Almond Joy
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Beer Picks:

• New Belgium Brewing Piano Keys (collab with Ale Sharpton) – 10% ABV
• Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter – 5.4% ABV
• Pontoon Brewing Tall, Dark, & Smokey (collab with Rasheed Philips of Philips Barbeque Co.) -7.5% ABV
• Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Koko Buni – 6.5% ABV

Amber and Red Ales

Like the name states, these ales are typically opaque and rosy gold or copper to mahogany in color. Red and amber ales tend to have medium to high malty flavors with mild to bold hoppy components. They are balanced out with flavors like caramel, toffee, dark fruit, pine and/or figs.

Candy Pairings:

• Milk Duds
• Twix
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or Pieces

Beer Picks:

• New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire – 5.2% ABV
• Atlanta Brewing Company Laughing Skull Amber Ale – 5.3% ABV
• Eventide Brewing Red Headed Hailey – 5.3% ABV

Lagers and Pilsners

Lagers and pilsners are the more popular beer choice here in the states. They are light, crisp, refreshing, and easy to drink. Some think of them as palate-cleansing. Pilsners are often light and golden in color while lagers can range from pale yellow to dark. Pilsners are a type of lager with a stronger hop characteristic.

Candy Pairings:

• Smarties
• Twizzlers
• Swedish Fish

Beer Picks:

• Halfway Crooks Deset – 4.0% ABV
• Fire Maker Brewing Co. Way Down Yonder – 4.8% ABV
• Round Trip Brewing Company Pilsner – 4.5% ABV
• Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Bibo – 4.0% ABV

Wheat Beers

There is a large variety of wheat beers, and they may seem similar. However, there is quite a bit of difference between the styles. They are similar in that they are all brewed with a significant amount of wheat. American wheat beers are usually crisp, have more hop characteristics and can be clear or cloudy. Witbiers are cloudy and have notes of citrus and spice. Hefeweizens can be clear, hazy or amber in color. They tend to have strong notes of clove or banana.

Candy Pairings:

• Candy Corn – That’s it. This candy (which I happen to enjoy) will work across all wheat beers

Beer Picks:

• Second Self Beer Co. Thai Wheat – 5.1% ABV
• Victory Brewing Company Golden Monkey – 9.5% ABV
• Good Word Brewing & Public House Isabella – 4.9% ABV
• Bell’s Brewery Oberon – 5.8% ABV

Indian Pale Ales

Indian Pale Ales (better known as IPAs) are my personal favorite. IPAs are hoppy which can lead to hop bitterness is and that turns some people off. Not me- I enjoy it. There are English IPAS, West Coast, East Coast, Session… the list goes on. IPAs are pale gold to copper in color and can be clear to hazy. They tend to have higher alcohol content and be fuller bodied than lagers. IPAs have citrus, floral, fruity and sometimes piney characteristics.

Candy Pairings:

• Sour Patch Kids
• Dots
• Skittles
• Starbursts

Beer Picks:

• Wicked Weed Brewing Pernicious – 7.3% ABV
• New Belgium Brewing VooDoo Ranger – 7% ABV
• Crowns & Hops- HBCU West Coast IPA – 7% ABV
• Monday Night Brewing Slap Fight – 5.8% ABV

Sour Beers

Sour beers are, you guessed it, sour! They are unique in that they are made with wild bacteria and yeasts. Sours have a distinct acidic or tart taste and can be light and fruity or mouth-puckering. Just like the other styles, there are different types of sour beers. They can have notes of berries, vanilla, lemon or even coriander and can be earthy, salty, or herbaceous.

Candy Pairings:

• Skittles
• Smarties
• Nerds

Beer Picks:

• Three Taverns Brewery Lord Grey – 5% ABV
• Great Divide Brewing Co. Strawberry Rhubarb – 6.2% ABV
• Westbrook Brewing Co. Key Lime Pie Gose – 4% ABV
• Pontoon Brewing Rainbow Smiggles – 7% ABV

This blog post is dedicated to my dear friend, Paul. It is because of him I developed a love of craft beer. My you rest in peace.