Drinking With the Devil: A Horror Fan’s Guide to Halloween Beers
If there is one thing that I love just about as much as watching a great horror film, it is drinking a great brew. From lagers, to stouts, there are few beers I have ever tried that I don’t like. Judging by how packed the hotel bars are after horror conventions, I can tell I’m not the only horror fan that loves a good brew. Apparently the marketing departments of alcohol companies recognize the market’s love of fall/horror and almost every one has developed their own seasonal or non seasonal type of Halloween hooch. Tonight we will look at four of the best beers currently on the market and where and when you can get your grubby little hands on them. So drink up and read on.
Magic Hat Brewing Company: Hex
For our first brew we will take a trip out east to Vermont and look at Hex beer. It is an amber ale that is delicious and has a slightly smoky flavoring. I have read reviews where they pass this brew off because they say that the flavor isn’t overpowering enough, but I have found that this actually helps the brew in many ways. Tonight, I drank several of these delicious brews and the flavor didn’t prohibit me from drinking further.
Verdict: While this beer’s drinkability factor is through the roof, Magic Hat also does a fantastic job of marketing. The website offers a phenomenal flash video featuring some of our favorite monsters but also features recipes specific to this beer.
Availability: Magic Hat is widely available throughout most of the Midwest and can be found in many bars and stores alike. This beer is available in an individual 6 pack and a special seasonal Night of the Living Dead 12 pack. The 12 pack might be a good option if you are throwing a party, as it gives a sampler of 4 different kinds of Magic Hat.
Best Movies to Accompany this Beer: Wicker Man, Season of the Witch
Werewolf: Rinkuskiai Brewers
The next brew on our list takes us to the country of Lithuania. Brewed by the 5th largest brewer in the country, this lager comes in 2 different kinds: 5% for the were-wusses and 8.2% for the hardcore howlers. Werewolf is the only foreign beer featured in this article and man does it pack a punch. I must say that if you are looking to enjoy a beer with a meal or just want to enjoy the taste, defiantly stick with the 5%. It is a very smooth malty lager that goes down easy. The 8.2% may be a bit hard for most people to take as the alcohol overpowers much of the taste and it quickly dispenses drunken stupidity upon whoever partakes in it.
Availability: This brew can be found in many specialty liquor stores. I personally purchased my two bottles at Friar Tucks. Unlike the other beers on this list, this brew is available year round.
Verdict: Beer lovers should pick this up if nothing but for the cool bottles and to compare the two different kinds. If you want a beer that’ll put hair on your chest and bring out the wolf in you, go with the 8.2%.
Best Movies to Accompany this Beer: Wolfman, The Howling, An American Werewolf in London
Great Lakes Brewing Company: Nosferatu
Every Fall, this Cincinnati based brewer, pumps out one of the best American Red Ale’s that side of the Mississippi. That brew is called Nosferatu and it is defiantly worth sinking your teeth into. I’m not a huge fan of hoppy beers because the brewers can go a bit overboard sometimes, but the hops in Nosferatu aren’t overwhelming. Whether you plan on having one or four, this beer is highly drinkable. If it were up to me, it would be produced year round.
Availability: Alas this beer is almost near impossible to find south of Chicago. Although available in Chicago, Indiana, and some other Midwestern areas, it hasn’t quite made it’s way to Southern Illinois and the St. Louis area. I picked it up on a company trip to Ohio and I will be picking up another six pack next time I go out East. However, I had better time my trip accordingly as this specialty brew is only produced from September to October.
Verdict: If you want a beer with bite but has a smooth taste, go with this beer. Unlike the 8.2% of Werewolf, drinking a six pack of this would be no problem as it goes down much easier, and believe me, that this brew is no slouch as it packs an impressive 8%.
Best Movies to Accompany Beer: Nosferatu, Dracula, Vampyros Lesbos
Schlafly:Pumpkin Ale
Seeing as how this is a St. Louis based website, I figured it would be downright lame of me to not include a brew from the ole home team. It just so happens that this brew is also my favorite pumpkin beer of all time. No I’m not talking about that lame ass excuse for a pumpkin brew that Anheiser Busch produces, I’m talking about the seasonal pumpkin beer that rolls out every September from your favorite brewer and mine, Schlafly. From the second you smell this beer, to the aftertaste, it will remind you of a pumpkin pie. While other pumpkin ales, such as Southern Tier’s Pumking Ale, can have their flavor overpowered by the alcohol content, Schlafly’s 8% ale never becomes too bitter.
Availability: While only being available in the fall months, it can be found as far north as Central Illinois and is readily available anywhere in St. Louis. It is usually carried in all Schnucks supermarket locations and any specialty alcohol store. I’m afraid our readers outside of the Midwest are S.O.L. but this is just one more reason to visit this area.
Verdict: Hands down the best pumpkin brew you will ever find. O’Fallon pumpkin beer comes in a close second but this one takes the cake.
Best Movies to Accompany Beer: The Exorcist, House on Haunted Hill
So there it is fiends, 4 different beers for you to enjoy while out haunting and causing scenes of debauchery on All Hallows Eve. Have fun trying all 4 and let me know what you think.