Beer and candy? You better believe it. We’ve told you time and time again that beer goes with everything. Appetizers, main courses, sides, dessert—if you can eat it, there’s a beer out there to help you wash it down.
And while that includes plenty of fine, hand-made, local chocolates and sweet treats, it also includes store-bought, mass-produced candy handed out indiscriminately in fistfuls every October 31. So whether you plan on raiding your kids’ haul or will take full advantage of November 1 discounts, here are 10 Boulder County beers you should have on hand for the sugar rush.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Liquid Mechanics Brewing’s Peanut Butter Porter
According to candystore.com—an online outlet that has compiled 14 years of candy purchases to determine the top sellers—Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups reign supreme as the nation’s favorite candy. No surprise here, nor is the obvious pairing of Liquid Mechanics’ Peanut Butter Porter. It even sniffs like a Reese’s. Sometimes like belongs with like.
Skittles and Crystal Springs Brewing’s Blood Orange Kölsch
Life might not be all Skittles and beer, but tonight, it is. With lemon, lime, strawberry, grape, and orange making up the OG bag of Skittles, you need a malty body to back up all that sugar. Kölsch gets the job done, but Crystal Springs’ gold medal-winning Blood Orange Kölsch does the job times three with the flavors of sweet orange, tangy grapefruit, and tart cherries.
M&M’s and 12Degree Brewing’s Midnight Fog
Belgian ale and a handful of M&Ms is a match made in heaven. 12Degree’s Midnight Fog is a Belgian-style quadruple dark as molasses with the taste to match. We’re talking loads of chocolate, coffee, and brown sugar. Live a little and enjoy with a bag of Peanut M&Ms. Rare are the moments this good.
Starburst and Knotted Root Brewing’s Thick Strawberry Goo
There’s a hint of creaminess in a soft Starburst square that just begs for a glass of Knotted Root’s smoothie-style Berliner Weisse, which comes loaded with sweet strawberries, creamy lactose, and rich Madagascar vanilla beans. If you thought the Belgian quad and Peanut M&Ms pairing wasn’t decadent enough, then here’s the two for you.
Hot Tamales and Twisted Pine Brewing’s Ghost Face Killah
Twisted Pine’s Ghost Face Killah is not an easy beer to drink. Brewed with Anaheim, Fresno, jalapeño, Serrano, habanero, and Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper), Ghost Face will peel the paint off of the wall and open every damn pore in your face. That may not sound pleasant, but dear reader, you’ve never felt quite as alive as you do drinking this nuclear wheat ale. The best way to make your way through Ghost Face is to order an additional beer, Homeslice Cucumber Kölsch is the way to go, and alternate sips. Or let the red cinnamon and white sugar of Hot Tamales coat your tongue. Ghost Face will strip that baby clean as a whistle, and you won’t have to worry about any gooey gunk stuck in your gums.
Sour Patch Kidsand Upslope Brewing’s Citra Pale Ale
They’re chewy, gooey, fruity, sweet, and tart. Upslope’s Citra Pale Ale is floral, citrusy, and prickles the cheeks and gums with hoppy goodness. Together, they’ll make your taste buds sing.
Hershey’s Kisses and Left Hand Brewing’s Nitro Milk Stout
According to candystore.com, the most popular candy in Colorado is the Hershey Kiss: Beautiful teardrops of milk chocolate and nothing else. Unwrap a dozen and shovel them in between sips of Left Hand’s creamy, sweet, and roasty milk stout, and you’ll want for nothing.
Snickersand Wibby’s Moondoor Dunkel
Nougat, caramel, and peanuts wrapped in milk chocolate—sounds like a job for velvety chocolate malt wrapped in mouth-watering hop bitterness. And the beer finishes clean, which means you’re gonna need more Snickers.
Tootsie Pops and Oskar Blues Brewery’s G’Knight
It doesn’t matter what flavor of Tootsie Pop you start with; they all end in a sticky, gooey clump on your molars. That’s no issue for Oskar Blues’ aromatic and malty red hop bomb. Bitter enough to obliterate the Tootsie Roll, sweet enough to play nice with the candy shell.
Candy Corn and Odd13 Brewing’s Hoperella
There are those who love Candy Corn and those who do not. There is no in-between. For those who do, Odd13’s Hoperella, which leans heavily on orangey aromas and flavors, a rounded mouth, and plenty of hoppy prickle is the way to go. Many hop-bursting IPAs will do, but Hoperella holds its own against all comers.
