Join your childhood infatuation with candy with your current love of alcohol and you’re sure to have one fun Halloween. We know that Texas and Boulder culinary arts students like to mix and match food and alcohol to see what flavors help enhance one another. We’ve pulled together some pairings of favorite Halloween candies and the drinks they go well with so that you don’t have to experiment with the entire liquor cabinet.
Chocolates
- Milk chocolate pairs well with milk stout. The lactose in the beer will really bring out the creaminess of the chocolate.
- Dark chocolate goes well with a Belgian-style ale with a fruity tone like raspberries. We already love the sound of that!
- Tootsie Rolls have a good chance of working with what is in your fridge. Boxed wine, light beer and Jack Daniels all bring out the sugary goodness of this enticing treat.
Candy bars
- Butterfingers are delicious. Pair their sweet, caramel flavor with a bock. A traditional German-style beer, this beverage is dark and sweet, just like a Butterfinger.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups work great with barrel-aged beer. Their rich, bold flavors enhance the peanut-buttery chocolaty goodness of the Reese’s.
- Twix add to the magic of the holiday when paired with a porter or a dark rum. These drinks bring out the caramel and chocolate flavors of the candy bar.
Other sugary sweets
- Hot Tamales have that sweet and spicy thing down pat. Try a floral IPA if you’re indulging in these treats. Be sure to pick an IPA that is not citrusy or piney so it doesn’t clash with the candy’s intense flavor.
- Who doesn’t love candy corn? This totally sugar candy goes well with a light lager. The beer’s dry finish will help to bring out the caramel flavors of the candy corn. You could even get a pumpkin lager if you want to get super festive.
- The quintessential Halloween candy, caramel apple suckers, works well with barleywine. The complex and bold flavors of the drink will hold up to the intense, sweet and acidic taste of the suckers.
- If you prefer the exploding flavor of pop rocks, give a sour beer a try. The funky bubbly beverage will combine with the candy rocks for a dry, tongue-tingling finish.
- Sour Patch Kids are out of this world with Prosecco or tequila. Drown a little sour patch kid in a shot for some festive fun. Just remember to drink responsibly.
If you choose to try out these delightful options just remember, liquor before beer and you’re in the clear. Drink responsibly. And brush your teeth when it’s all over. Talk about an adult sugar buzz!
