Craft Beer and Halloween Candy Pairings

Everyone loves Halloween – kids and adults alike can dress up and party for no particular reason, candy is readily available for those who ask, and parents can dig into their child’s plentiful stash as soon as they slip into a sugar induced coma. Beer, like wine, can be paired with certain food items to enhance the overall flavor experience, and Halloween is no exception to the rule. Grab your favorite local craft beer, break open that candy stash, turn on your favorite horror flick, and settle back to indulge your senses and prepare for the rush that only comes with pairing alcohol and sugar.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups + Cream Ale 

A fresh cream ale nicely compliments rich chocolate and peanut butter goodness.

• Cream Ale – Lexington Avenue Brewery (LAB)
• Farmer Ted’s Cream Ale – Catawba
• Schenk’s Cream Ale – Highland Brewing Company

Snicker’s Candy Bar + Milk Stout

The slightly bitter roast of a milk stout cuts the sugar of this hunger curbing candy bar, while the added lactose in the beer will enhance the creaminess of the chocolate.

• Strongman Coffee Milk Stout – Hi-Wire Brewing
• Skillet Donut Stout – Burial Beer Co
• MacGregor’s Milk Stout – Thirsty Monk South

Candy Corn + Light Lager or English ESB

Wash down the familiar taste of the iconic Halloween candy with smooth lager that finishes dry. Candy Corn gets the light buttery flavor from diacetyl, which you can catch a hint of in English ESB beers as well.

• Green Man Brewery – Green Man ESB
• Clawhammer OktoberFest Pumpkin Lager – Sierra Nevada
• Foothills Torch Pilsner – Foothills Brewing

Pop Rocks + Sour Beer

Accentuate the tart, sweet surprise of the bubbly Pop Rocks of your childhood with a fun sour ale. The combination will leave your tongue tingling and your mouth begging for more. There isn’t a better place to get your fix for all things sour than Wicked Weed’s Funkatorium located Downtown Asheville.

• Black Angel Cherry Sour – Wicked Weed Brewing
• Serenity – Wicked Weed Brewing
• Oblivion Sour Red – Wicked Weed Brewing

Kit Kats and Twix + Brown Ale 

The smooth finish of a classic brown ale is a great compliment to these two favorite candy bars

• Stuntman Brown Ale  – Asheville Brewing Company
• Flemish Style Brown Ale – Wedge Brewing
• Gaelic Ale – Highland Brewing Company

Tootsie Rolls

Use the rich taste of an Imperial Stout to compliment the sweet, chocolate goodness of the classic Tootsie Roll

• Black Mocha Stout – Highland Brewing Company
• Voorhammer Imperial Stout – Burial Beer Co
• Dark Arts Imperial Stout – Wicked Weed Brewing

This is just a small sampling of the pairings you can make with candy and beer. Try not to limit yourself to simple chocolate pairings – think outside of the box! Caramel apple suckers pair deliciously well with hard cider, and Hot Tamales work well with your favorite IPA. This Halloween season, try your hand at pairing your candy and craft brew, and let us know the results!