Beer for Halloween

October 29, 2009

When selecting which beer to drink on and around Halloween, there are two variables to consider: the beer's flavor and its name. Even if you ordinarily prefer a hoppier brew, Halloween beer should taste like candy, since the whole point of Halloween is candy. Oh sure, some would argue that Halloween is all about dressing up and pretending to be someone else for a day, but isn't the ultimate reason children wear costumes to trick-or-treat to bring home candy? The name of a beer is also important. For instance, how many days of the year can you say, "gee, this Witches Brew is tasty" with a straight face? Whether you're looking for something special to pair with a Halloween feast, or simply a beverage to relax with after a long night of trick-or-treating, here are a few suggestions. If you like chocolate bars, try a Milk Stout or a Chocolate Stout. Milk stout is a stout brewed with the addition of lactose, the sugar in milk, for extra sweetness. While the chocolate flavor in most chocolate stouts is due to the roasted malts, some breweries do add actual chocolate to the brewing process.

If you like Jolly Ranchers, try a sweet fruit lambic or fruit beer. Lambics are spontaneously fermenting beers, meaning they are brewed without the addition of yeast; the fermentation is caused by environmental microbes. Fruit lambics are simply a traditional lambic with fruit added to the brewing process. While most fruit lambics are quite sour, several breweries put out versions that are very sweet. Similarly, fruit beers are also created with the addition of fruit to the brewing process and vary according to the style of the base beer.

Lindeman's lambics: Pomme , Framboise, Cassis, Kriek, Pêche,
Belle-Vue Kriek and Framboise
Unibroue Ephemere

If you like Sour Patch Kids, try a Sour Ale, such as a Berliner Weisse, Flanders Red, or Oud Bruin. Sour ales are just that, ranging from from mildly tart to completely mouth-puckering. The sour flavor is created by naturally-occurring bacteria allowed to grow during an extended aging process.

Ghoulishly good names:

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Any other suggestions or recommendations?