Yay for Easter! All of the candy goodness! Or not so much…
I must say that most Easter candy is not super appealing to me. Sickeningly sweet and over-dyed packages of pure sugar designed to make children annoy everyone within earshot. There must be some way to redeem these nostalgic favorites and give them a big girl twist?
Obviously the answer is put a beer with it!! And so I present to you my 2016 Easter Candy and Beer Pairing Menu. Sure to liven up any Easter brunch. Enjoy.
Peeps (classic flavor)
Balancing this sweet treat with a beer that is also sweet but not quite so overwhelming is the key. We suggest Hay Maker Honey Wheat. The mild bready flavor given by the wheat balances the sugar while the honey adds a layer to the existing sweetness.
Blue raspberry Peeps
Flavored peeps tend to taste artificial. Balance that out by pairing them with real berry flavor such as Berry Cider. Let the bubbles cleanse your pallet!
Milk chocolate bunny
Chocolate and beer pairings are nothing new! So this year, eat the ears off of your bunny with a Milk Mustachio Stout by your side. Milk and chocolate is a classic combination. The roast in the beer pairs well with the bitterness in the chocolate while the sweetness of each balance. Yum!!
Reese’s Peanut Butter eggs
Is there a way to go wrong with peanut butter? This has to be the lesser of the evil’s among the Easter candy collection. I recommend matching these up with a Scotch-o-late. The grain bill in this beer screams peanut butter and chocolate so you won’t be disappointed.
Cadbury Crème Egg
The most decadent, mouth-coating wonder of the Easter candy world. This indulgent treat is easily too much for most beers to handle. We have to bring in the big guns here: Stein Wine. Barley wines are big beers with high alcohol content. The alcohol serves to clean the pallet of the thick filling and get you ready for another bite. The malt and hops in the beer can stand up to the richness of the egg so that neither component is lost. Win-win.
Mini Robin Eggs
These chocolate-covered malt balls have a distinct flavor and crunch that require just the right pairing. Let’s give it a Double Plow Oatmeal Stout. Not too sweet, not too hoppy, similar roast flavors.
Jelly beans
Planning on throwing down a handful of jelly beans? Sweet meet tart. Wash it down with a Berliner Weisse. Dough flavor and tartness ease the sweetness and the high carbonation was away the residual sugar.