Courtesy Photo | Saugatuck Brewing Company

"Beer goes with everything"

In celebration of Halloween, Saugatuck Brewing Company decided to pair some of its most popular beers with favorite Halloween candies. The idea was formed by the West Michigan brewery's marketing department shortly after Halloween 2016.

"Beer goes with everything," said Megan Scheerhorn, the brewery's marketing coordinator. "This was a cool way to show beer in a different light. We do beer and food parings all the time here, so this expands on that and shows that beer goes with everything, not just steak or burgers."

Scheerhorn conceded that beer and candy "isn't really a thing," but considering the Halloween season, it seemed like a fun thing to do. Here's a closer look at the brewery's suggestions.

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Courtesy Photo | Robert Antor

Bonfire Brown and Candy Corn

Bonfire Brown (5.5. percent ABV) is a classic American Brown Ale with a hint of smoke and a touch of bitters. Candy corn is a classic American Halloween candy.

"Bonfire Brown is a malty beer so it has really nice flavor to compliment the incredibly sweet candy corn," Scheerhorn said.

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Courtesy Photo |Robert Antor

Cotton Mouth Quencher and Sweet Tarts

Cotton Mouth Quencher (6 percent ABV) is a tart and funky sour ale with blackberry overtones. Sweet tarts, well, they're tart and sweet.

"My favorite combination is the Cotton Mouth Quencher and Sweet Tarts," Scheerhorn said. "It's a sweet an sour mixture so those flavors go really well together. At the same time they contrast each other so it almost brings out the sweetness and sourness."

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Courtesy Photo | Robert Antor

Neapolitan Milk Stout and Tootsie Rolls

This creamy milk stout (6 percent ABV) is made with the flavors of Neapolitan Ice Cream. Taste the rich flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry in one glass.

"This pairing brings out chocolate in beer because it gets it on your taste buds with the Tootsie Rolls," Scheerhorn said. "It's not bringing out every character of the beer, but it certainly makes you think about the chocolate."

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Courtesy Photo | Robert Antor

Singapore IPA and Hot Tamales

Perhaps the strangest combination, Singapore IPA (7 percent ABV) is well-balanced with a sharp bite of bitter followed by a brisk and powerful citrus burst and a smooth, piney finish.

"My other favorite," Scheerhorn said. "Spicy food and big IPAs pair together well because the hops cut through the spiciness of the food, or in this case, the candy. It kind of makes the candy taste different than it normally would. Seek it out, its very interesting."

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Courtesy Photo | Robert Antor

Starburst Wheat and Starburst

This beer and candy share more than a name. Starburst Wheat (5.1 percent ABV) has an explosion of tart, fruity flavors matched by the brilliant aroma from dry hopping massive amounts of Amarillo and Motueka hops.

"The fruitiness of the candy brings out the fruitiness of the beer," Scheerhorn said. "It cuts back on the bitterness and brings forward the fruit."

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MLive File Photo | Cory Morse

Have any other ideas?

This is short list focused on beers from just one of Michigan's many breweries. What would be some other good pairings between a Michigan brew and your favorite Halloween candy?

If you have an idea, I'd love to hear it. Happy Halloween!

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