Easter’s come and gone, but your counter is still buried under a pastel avalanche of half-eaten chocolate bunnies, sticky Peeps, mysterious jelly beans, and those suspiciously durable Cadbury Creme Eggs.

What to do?

Instead of hitting them up on a solo late night kitchen run, we suggest you take a more sophisticated route….Leftover Easter candy and craft beer pairings. Easter may be over but now’s the time to give those leftovers the delicious send-off they deserve.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs + A Rich Chocolate Stout or Porter

Those chocolate-peanut-butter bombs are basically dessert in egg form—creamy, salty-sweet, and unapologetically indulgent. Pair them with something already roasty and chocolatey to amplify the cocoa without overwhelming the peanut.

Go for Founders Breakfast Stout (still a perennial favorite, packed with coffee, chocolate, and oatmeal smoothness) or AleSmith Speedway Stout (the Hammerhead edition if you can snag it—espresso-forward and velvety). The dark malt backbone cuts through the sweetness like a polite bunny hop, while the peanut butter plays nice with the beer’s roasted notes.

Cadbury Creme Eggs + A Milk Stout or Cream Ale

Inside that shiny Easter egg foil is a river of sugary fondant and milk chocolate. You want a beer with creamy, milky vibes to match that luscious center without clashing.

A solid pick is a milk stout like Left Hand Milk Stout (nitro if available—super smooth with lactose sweetness) or any local cream stout. The gentle sweetness and velvety mouthfeel echo the egg’s creamy filling, turning each bite into a mini milkshake moment. .

Peeps (Those Marshmallow Chickens) + A Fruit Sour

Peeps are basically flavored sugar clouds with a cult following. They’re intensely sweet and a little artificial-vanilla weird in the best way. Cut through that with bright acidity or juicy hops.

Try a fruited sour or Gose—something like a raspberry or citrus version from your local brewery (or national favorites like Dogfish Head SeaQuench if it’s around). The tart pop balances the marshmallow fluff like a squeeze of lemon on a sweet roll.

Jelly Beans  + Wheat Beer

The wild card of Easter candy. One handful and you’ve got cherry, lime, popcorn, and mystery “mystery flavor.” These need something light, effervescent, and fruity to play along.

A classic American wheat beer or Witbier (think Allagash White or a local hefeweizen) handles the fruitiness beautifully—the banana-clove notes from the yeast vibe with tropical or berry beans. For popcorn or buttery jelly beans, a crisp pilsner or Kölsch adds refreshing contrast.

Dark Chocolate Bunny or Eggs + Imperial Stout or Barleywine

The sophisticated cousin of the Easter spread—solid dark chocolate that’s a little bitter and melty. This calls for big, bold beers that can stand up to (and enhance) the cocoa depth.

Reach for an imperial stout like Oskar Blues Ten FIDY (if it’s still in rotation) or a barrel-aged beauty. The roasted coffee and dark chocolate flavors in the beer make the candy taste even more luxurious, like they were always meant to be together.

If you want something a touch sweeter and boozier, an English-style barleywine brings caramel and dried fruit notes that wrap the dark chocolate in a cozy hug. Pure decadence.

Pro Tips for Your Leftover Candy Beer Bash

• Temperature matters: Chill lighter beers; let darker ones warm up a bit so the flavors bloom.
• Contrast vs Harmony—sweet candy loves roast or tart beers. On the other hand, creamy candy loves creamy beers.
• Go local if you can—many taprooms have spring releases right now  like fruity sours or crisp lagers that are perfect for this exact scenario.
• Share with friends. Nothing says “adulting done right” like debating whether the next Peep goes better with sour or hazy while the kids’ baskets sit empty.

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