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Seasonality is a big part of the American craft beer scene and it goes into hyper-drive around certain holidays. Christmas, of course, is huge – but Halloween has generated its own roster of “scary” beers and we’ve five that are “to die for.”
Zombie Dust / Three Floyds Brewing (Munster, IN) – Hey we get that this is a year-round beer, but with its haunting name, spooky label and “killer” taste – it more than meets our Halloween criteria. Hopped one step beyond reason, Three Floyds Zombie Dust is a 6.4% ABV American Pale Ale that will ensure you’ll be plagued with thirsty followers at any Halloween outing. If you’re looking for a Halloween beer with real “street cred,” (and who isn’t?) this one’s it.
Dead Guy Ale / Rogue Ales (Newport, OR) – Considered by many to be the original, Halloween-themed craft beer, we’d be “just wrong” to not this beer its due. Originally brewed to celebrate the “Mayan Day of the Dead” back in the early 1990s, Rogue Dead Guy Ale is a German-style Maibock. And Like Zombie Dust, Dead Guy Ale has always been a year-round offering, but the brewery quite intentionally markets it widely at Halloween, at that association still remains today.
Evil Dead Red / AleSmith Brewing (San Diego, CA) – A beer’s name is an intrinsic part of any Halloween beer, and AleSmith’s annual “limited release” is not just frighteningly named, but it’s also happens to be a very decent beer at any time of year. Brewed only for the haunting season, this blood Red Ale is just hopped enough to balance out its crimson malt backbone. AleSmith Evil Dead Red is a fiendishly smooth find that pairs perfectly with any zombie apocalypse.
Nosferatu / Great Lakes Brewing (Cleveland, OH) – A beer clearly inspired by FW Murnau’s classic horror film, Great Lakes Nosferatu is a deep ruby 8% Imperial Red Ale that just bleeds “All Hallows Eve.” And its alarming label, which honors Count Dracula’s original incarnation, Nosferatu, adds additional “cred” to this Halloween staple.
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale / Weyerbacher Brewing (Easton, PA) – Pumpkin beers are a good “go to” on Halloween outing. But be warned – there are pumpkin beers and there are PUMPKIN BEERS and this Easton, Pennsylvania’s Imperial is a monster! Unruly and equally unrepentant, Weyerbacher’s 8% ABV Imperial Pumpkin Ale is much stronger than its much more civilized counterparts and could lead to unstoppable howling at the moon
