Lana Del Beer's Beer & Candy Pairing Party 2015

Last week, I decided to host my first ever craft beer and Halloween candy pairing event! This blog has quickly become one of my passions, and I was ready to share that enthusiasm with my friends. I've been pairing candy and beer for years, so why not make it an official event.....instead of on my couch!? Challenge, accepted.

How  Do  You  Host  A  Beer  &  cANDY  pAIRING  pARTY?

First things first: you must have 1) food and 2) music. I provided a few dishes such as guacamole and cheese dip, but I also encouraged guests to bring a plate as well. We had a cheese plate (which is obviously my favorite plate at a party) and peanut butter eyeballs to name a couple. For the music, I turned on a Halloween playlist, but also had Hocus Pocus ready to play too!

​I began the evening with an aperitif of Brooklyn Brewery's Local 1. You could use any effervescent blonde or champagne-like beer to get people in the right mindset. We talked and nibbled on appetizers for the first hour and then began the tasting. 

I had someone pour the beer while I gave a little background on it and give people a chance to try it without the candy. Next, I passed around a plate of candy for everyone to take a piece. While that was happening, I gave a quick note about why I paired the two and what to expect from the pairing. I took a few minutes to let guests savor the goodness before heading on to the next pairing!

It turned out to be an incredible way to celebrate the holiday! I am a believer that there's no wrong way to pair beer and candy because they are two wonderful entities. I can't wait to host it again next year! I have a year to plan it this time *evil laughter*.

Here is my list of recommended pairings from this year:

Ommegang  Iron  Throne  +  Candy  Corn

Ommegang Iron Throne is a Belgian Blonde clocking in at  6.5% abv that pours a straw-yellow with a thick meringue textured head. Aromas of yeast and floral hops fill the glass. This beer was very light on the palate, with faint notes of banana, clove and a hint of spice. The bubbles danced on the tongue leading into a very crisp finish. I chose to pair this with candy corn because there is a common link between the two: the beer is brewed with honey malt and the candy is made with real honey! The flavors of each medium did not outshine the other, but the prickly carbonation acted as scrubbing bubbles to the soft, creamy candy. I think even a Lannister would enjoy this pairing!

dESTIHL  HOPERATION  OVERLOAD  +  sTARBURSTS

Hailing from Champaign, IL, this DIPA clocks in at a hefty 9.6% abv. A caramel malt backbone lends the stage for a resiny assault of hops! Big, juicy notes of grapefruit, pine, and citrus explode once you open the can. Now you may be seeing why I chose Starbursts for this pairing. The juicy fruit flavors in the beer and candy will meet each other with a handshake, while the bitterness of the beer will cut thru the chewy candy. 

Southern  Tier  WARLOCK  +  rEESE'S  pUMPKINS

Southern Tier Warlock is one of my must-have beers for the month of October. At 10% abv, it may even be called one of my "goodnight beers". It pours a deep black color with a taupe colored head. On the palate, you get flavors of roasted barley, pumpkin spice, graham cracker and a touch of vanilla. This is a full-bodied brew with a punch of flavor. I paired it with Reese's because pumpkins and peanut butter have similar textures. The malts of the beer complement the chocolate while the pumpkin, graham cracker, vanilla notes chime in with the peanut butter to create perfect harmony. 

And yes, the pumpkin shaped Reese's are WAY better than the regular shaped ones. 

Deschutes  Black  Butte  XXVI  + Midnight  Milky  Ways

I was very pleased to find this beer during my trip to Illinois a few weeks ago. Let me give you the commercial description:

Our 26th anniversary Imperial Porter was aged in bourbon barrels (50% for 6 months) and dry spiced with Theo Chocolate's cocoa nibs, revealing hints of vanilla and chocolate. Pomegranate molasses and Oregon cranberries complement the robust flavor with a hint of fruit and just enough tart to make you smile. 10.2% abv

This beer was OUTRAGEOUS. Full-bodied with flavors of bittersweet chocolate and vanilla with an undertone of tart red fruit. This is something I would love to savor....I should have bough two bottles! It was phenominal with the candy. The flavors of chocolate and vanilla complemented the same ones in the candy while the fruit notes added another dimension of flavor. The bitter notes from the malts help cut thru the nougat to reveal every level of flavor in the beer AND the candy. Everyone's tastebuds were saying, "WOW WOW WOW!".

​*Needless to say, this was the favorite pairing of the evening.

The  Bruery  Terreux/Beret  +  Smarties

I originally wanted to use Pop Rocks for this pairing, but I could not find them anywhere! So if you have them in your town, I think it would be a fun experiment. Anyways, this beer is a sour Belgian Wit with raspberries at 9% abv. A tart, refreshing wheat beer with a funky nose, full body, and finishing with a tart raspberry flavor. A nice way to wrap up the tasting! Speaking of wrappers, I decided to pair this with Smarties because of the tartness factor. What happened was that the tartness of both parties melted into each other, and that allowed the raspberries in the beer to shine. A fun, simple pairing and a shock to friends who may not have had a sour beer before! Trick or treat!

Happy  Halloween  From  Lana  Del  Beer!

Lana Del Troll!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween! May it be full of tricks, treats & beers!

Cheers, boils & ghouls!

Lana