Halloween takes place this Saturday night and the chances are you are probably doing something involving ghouls and goblins. Be it a grown-up costume party or walking your little ones around the neighborhood to Trick-Or-Treat, the chances are you will probably get thirsty at some point. Luckily, I have done the research for you so that you can impress your friends with some Halloween-themed beers to enjoy on this awesome night of things that go bump in the night. This article builds on something I wrote last year around this time with a few diabolical recommendations for a night filled with horrors and hops.

New Holland’s The Poet

If you are going to a Halloween party, you are going to see spooky snacks and shriek-invoking decorations. However, probably the scariest idea of all is getting there only to find that nobody thought to bring a roasty, chocolate and smooth Oatmeal Stout. Did that idea cause a disturbance in your force? Good, then you will really be excited about picking up a sixer of New Holland Brewing Company’s The Poet.

This baby is packed with so much roasty goodness, you will swear that your body was snatched and forced to spend the night in a haunted house roasting malt. This beer is a stout lover’s paradise. It is thick, creamy and has a tremendous chocolate and coffee balance that it will be something even the novice craft beer drinker can enjoy. One of the best reasons to make this something you bring to a party is the relatively low (5.2%) alcohol by volume of this beer.

You can rest assured that despite the stature of this beer, it will not turn you into a drunken werewolf if you have more than two of these craft beers. The label art is an homage to perhaps one of the most iconic poems written about a bird ever. The raven will be mocking you at the liquor store until you grab a six-pack and put it in your cart. Yes, I said cart because The Poet is no t the only craft beer to try for this Halloween.

Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale

There is nothing spookier than a dead guy. Lucky for you, one of Rogue’s most popular beers is a wonderfully balanced bock beer called Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale. This beer is a Maibock that is available most of the year. It has a nice malt character with a very approachable and mild caramel flavor. You will also get a nice bready note from the malt. It is balanced out nicely with some hops that are not necessarily bitter, but even out the malt character. This is a lighter beer in color and body and perfect for someone who is not a fan of a darker stout. The balance of this beer will not scare off anyone and is a great beer for someone to try who is ready to move away from some of the macro beer offerings they are used to. The label art is perfect for a night of terrors and tulip glasses.

New Holland’s Dragon’s Milk

The third and final beer of this is definitely not for the faint of heart. We are going back to the we ll with New Holland, only this time, with a much higher gravity beer. Dragon’s are scary creatures, just ask any Game of Thrones reader or Bilbo Baggins. They are unpredictable, greedy, gold-hoarding pyromaniacs. Now, imagine that they lactate, too. Purely freaky, I know, but that is where I assume New Holland Brewing Company’s Dragon’s Milk comes from. This Imperial Stout might have you feel like you can breath fire, but it is just the 10% alcohol that is warming your belly. This is perfect for after the kids are done Trick-or-Treating and you are sitting around the campfire hanging out with some friends. Definitely a sipper, this pitch-black high octane flavor fuel is packed with boozy oak barrel notes along with a lot of roasted malt and vanilla character. This might be a good option to The Poet if you want something with a little bit more kick.

Hopefully, you now have some ideas for ways to impress your friends and neighbors this Halloween. What better way to usher out the wonderful month of October with a Halloween night filled with laughter, friendship and craft beer. These three craft beers are not whales that you have to hunt down and chase trucks to find. They are readily available at your favorite neighborhood liquor store. I wish you happy hauntings and if you choose to give any of these beers a try, put a comment below and let me know what you think. Prost!