Bad Ideas In Brewing – Dunkin’ Donuts Beer

Hey, no one’s perfect…as we at American Craft Beer understand better than most. That said, there are some brewing ideas out there that should never have happened, like beers brewed with donuts….

Here’s the Deal

We’ve never been big fans of Corn Dog and Funnel Cake Beer.  We’d rather drink windshield washer fluid than ever submit to Deer Antler Beer.  And maybe if Harpoon and Dunlin’ (that’s the new corporate branding for what was once Dunkin’ Donuts) had only released one beer, we’d let this one slide.

But they didn’t…They released four beers, although one is really a coffee beer, and here’s what they did…

• Harpoon Dunkin’ Pumpkin | Inspired by everyone’s favorite fall pumpkin latte, this “Spiced Latte Ale” is brewed with real pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, and a splash of coffee. Light in color and easy-drinking, it’s a perfect blend of all the autumn flavors we love, with just a touch of espresso-like roast! ABV: 5.2%
• Harpoon Dunkin’ Boston Kreme | This “Boston Kreme Stout” is brewed with real Dunkin’ donuts and cacao nibs, which add extra dough-like and chocolatey notes to an easy-drinking, creamy Dry Irish Stout. ABV: 4.3%
• Harpoon Dunkin’ Jelly Donut | Brewed with real Dunkin’ donuts and raspberry purée, this slightly hazy IPA has bright notes of jelly and citrus from the addition of fruit-forward Hüll Melon and Citra hops. ABV: 5.7%
• Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter | Harpoon’s first ever tribute to the Dunkin’ coffee that has helped keep Harpoon brewers running, this classic American Porter combines malty notes of chocolate, caramel, and toffee with the comforting and familiar flavor of Dunkin’ Original Blend coffee. ABV: 6.0%

A Brief (And Somewhat Sketchy) Donut Beer History

Unlike so many BAD IDES IN BREWING which quickly blow-up at media outlets only to be quickly abandoned as consumers learn that they totally suck…Beers brewed with donuts do have a history that predates Dunkin’/ Harpoon’s latest effort.

And because we’re so desperate for someone to blame, we scoured the internet for who’s responsible for the first beer brewed with donuts, (and truthfully were not sure) but Rouge Ales has an entire series of beers that they did with Portland, Oregon’s Voodoo Doughnuts that can date the donut beer phenomenon as far back as 2013…But maybe it even goes back further, who knows?

2015 saw Narragansett Beer team up with famed Rhode Island doughnut shop Allie’s Donuts.

In 2017 a number of breweries yielded to their worst impulses and released a donut infused beer. Two Florida breweries, Hidden Springs and Arkane Aleworks reportedly teamed up on a Russian Imperial Stout brewed with Krispy Kreme doughnuts and the law wasn’t brought in.

And that same year, Dunkin Donuts did a beer with Massachusetts’s based Wormtown Brewery. But while that beer was more of a coffee-marketing collaboration, it was the first step that led to its most recent collaboration, this time with Harpoon Brewing

Bottom Line

Let’s start with a long held assumption that donuts and beer are perfect pairing companions…an argument we reject.

Fatty donuts might seem like a great idea at four in the morning when you’re looking to avoid that inevitable hangover after a night spent power-pounding beer. But switching to just coffee with that fried dough confection strikes us as a much smarter move…just sayin.’

And we’ll begrudgingly admit to certain circumstances where beer and donut combinations might make sense…Like if you’re Matthew McConaughey and you need to gain 200 lbs. for a movie you’re making next week.

The truth is almost everybody likes donuts. But there’s a time and place for them, and that place should never, ever, be in your beer. And if you truly think that beer gets better with fatty donut tones… we really don’t know what to say.

Because beers brewed with donuts (no matter the brand) is a truly BAD IDEA IN BREWING that like the Alien,  refuses to die.