People love to talk about what food pairs with different beer styles but what about candy? Spring is here so let’s create a Craft Beer And Easter Candy Pairing that will make this Holiday even better.
8 classic candies have been selected and I’ll give a recommendation for each that most of you will be able to get your hands on (depending on where you live). And for those in my area, I’ll also give a Cincinnati craft beer option so you can drink local while you enjoy your Craft Beer and Easter Candy side by side.
Hopefully, I’ll include your favorite Easter candy but if not, please leave a comment below and let me know what I missed along with the beer that you’d pair with it.
Craft Beer And Easter Candy Pairing
Reese’s Eggs
I know people that would probably commit crimes to get Reese’s Eggs year round. There’s something about the chocolate to peanut butter ratio that makes this a perennial favorite among Easter candy lovers.
And it’s hard to deny the attraction of the classic pairing of chocolate and peanut butter; so we will add to the experience with a rich, flavorful craft beer.
Recommendation: Boulder Beer Shake Chocolate Porter
Cincinnati Pick: Listermann/Triple Digit Chickow!
Chocolate Bunny
Most of the chocolate candy on this list is milk chocolate. But my favorite is dark chocolate.
I’ve noticed a lot more dark chocolate offerings over the past few years which means more options that I’ll enjoy.
For example, the classic Chocolate Bunny typically is offered in both milk and dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate avoids being overly sweet and instead provides a rich and often bitter flavor. Which I feel is better overall and pairs quite nicely with craft beer.
To match the rich, chocolate flavor; I have to recommend a stout. Not only does the stout have chocolate notes but it also has the body to stand up to a high quantity of chocolate.
Recommendation: Oskar Blues Ten Fidy
Cincinnati Pick: Christian Moerlein Power Stoutage
Starburst Jelly Beans
Jelly beans are just ok; if you ask me. They are sweet, slightly addicting and come in a variety of flavors. There are probably a few flavors/colors that you prefer over the rest of them – I am not a fan of black jelly beans.
For most of the people I know, jelly beans became a real thing when Starburst Jelly Beans hit the market.
They are the best I’ve had and the big, bright flavors are a great way to welcome Spring.
This means you’ll need a big, bright beer to pair with them. The super popular New England IPA is a great option for this candy.
Recommendation: Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing
Cincinnati Pick: Listermann Sabotage w/ Raspberries
Honorable Mention: 450 North Star Burst
Chocolate Marshmallow Egg
There’s something about marshmallow filling that makes me feel like a kid again. Maybe it reminds me of smores? Not sure but I love marshmallow and chocolate together.
If you leave a Marshmallow Egg laying around, chances are I’ll eat it.
This smooth, rich sweetness deserves something that won’t over do it on flavor or sweetness. So well balanced brown ale will do the trick.
Recommendation: Bell’s Best Brown Ale
Cincinnati Pick: Rhinegeist Squirrel
Cadbury Creme Eggs
I used to love these things but as I’ve gotten older, they are just too sweet for me. But I have at least one each year around Easter.
The over the top size and richness of this “bitesize” candy has a commercial that is probably better known than the actual candy.
This is one of the most iconic treats for Easter. It was hard to think of a beer that was just as iconic as the Cabury Creme Egg but I found ones that has a similar smooth, creamy texture.
Recommendation: Guinness Draught
Cincinnati Pick: Rivertown Nitro Roebling
Peeps
Did I already mention that I love marshmallow? So obviously Peeps are high on my list of Easter candy that I have to indulge in every year.
There are two people in this world, those that like fresh Peeps and those that like them stale. I prefer to let them sit out and get a little stale.
Either way you eat them, these delicate, light but sweet treats are a must and deserve something that can match the light nature. So I’ve went with a tart beer as the pairing.
Recommendation: The Kimmie, The Yink and The Holy Gose Ale
Cincinnati Pick: Braxton Summertrip
Whoppers Robins Eggs
Whoppers are a candy that I eat twice a year; Halloween and Easter. And I’m not sure if I like them or just get instantly addicted to them.
The crunch of the malt ball center along with the sweet outer shell makes this candy disappear fast. The malt is light so you don’t feel so guilty having a few extra handfuls.
Whopper’s Robin Eggs are easy to eat one at a time or by the handful – I recommend the latter.
For this one, we will pair sweet and maltly with sweet and maltly. To me, that means bock beer.
Recommendation: Troegs Troegenator Doublebock
Cincinnati Pick: Christian Moerlein Emancipator
Snickers Egg
They’ve probably been around a lot longer than I recall but I consider Snickers Eggs to be a recent addition to the Easter candy lineup. I mean, you can’t go wrong when you change the shape of a great candy bar to celebrate a Holiday.
Described as nougat topped with caramel and peanuts, enrobed in milk chocolate; Snickers is one of the most popular candy bars. In fact, their sales top $2 billion annually.
To match the rich peanut, caramel combo, I’m recommending a peanut based beer. There’s lots to choose from but check these out if you get the chance.
Recommendation: DuClaw’s Sweet Baby Jesus
Cincinnati Pick: Listermann Nutcase
Final Thoughts
Easter is a great time of year. It’s a critical Holiday for my faith so I always look forward to celebrating. But even if your belief system doesn’t acknowledge Easter, you can still indulge in the bunnies, candies and decorated eggs. And of course, try a Craft Beer And Easter Candy Pairing.
Hopefully you’ve got some new ideas on how you can pair Craft Beer And Easter Candy. I’d love to hear you thought so make sure to comment below or reach out to me.
