Halloween is around the corner, and some of us have already succumbed to the temptation of the seasonal displays of candy at the grocery store and bought a bag…or three. But we aren’t counting how many bags you go through for the next six weeks. All we want to know is what your favorite Halloween candy is.
Personally, every October I find myself making snacks such as Rice Krispie Treats and popcorn balls, tossing back handfuls of candy corn as if the world depends on it, and taking my excellent dental health for granted with caramel apples. I’m also chasing those breweries with seasonally appropriate beers. But this year I’m going to take a new approach: I’m going to brew some Halloween candy–inspired beers.
What You Need to Know
Adding candy or flavors that will replicate a candy flavor to your homebrew will add a lot of sugar. To balance the sugar, you’ll need to do some tweaking to your recipe. If your recipe calls for a cup of sugar in the boil, for example, instead of adding the 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of candy, cut the sugar and use the candy instead. I suggest boiling a cup of the candy in some water to liquefy it before you add it to the boil. The yeast will eat the sugars from the candy, leaving behind the flavors.