Turkey and cheddar, peanut butter and jelly, beer and cupcakes? Until now, I wouldn’t have thought the last two would ever go together. In the craft beer scene, unique pairings are popping up all over the place. The brainchild of my once upon a time college roommate Jamie, a beer and cupcake party, was planned for twenty of our closest friends.

Whether it was because she loves sweets or was tired of watching her husband and I drink beer and have more fun, the fact remains, this had to be one of the most entertaining and taste bud tantalizing pairings I have ever been to. Below are the pairings of my beers and Jamie’s semi-homemade cupcakes.

Pairing 1: Spruce Pale Ale with Vanilla Cupcakes

A recent bronze medal winner in an AHA sanctioned home brew competition, my Spruceski Brewski was paired with a vanilla/vanilla cupcake. Using regular yellow cake mix and this frosting recipe created a perfect pairing with the piney elements of the beer. Light and flavorful, this simple cupcake allowed for the ale to shine through.

Vanilla frosting 2 lbs powdered sugar ½ to1 stick of butter 2 tsp vanilla Half n half to get to desired consistency

Pairing 2: Hop Soup IPA with Lemon/Vanilla Cupcakes

An aromaticaly hoppy IPA, this Hop Soup IPA isn’t as bitter as the first smell would make you think. While I prefer an overly bitter IPA, I made this one to appease the palettes on a broader spectrum. The cupcake chosen to go with this beer was a Lemon/Vanilla cupcake. Using lemon box cake mix and this cream cheese frosting, this cupcake provided a strong citrus backbone to the mild ale.

Cream Cheese Frosting 8 oz cream cheese softened ½ cup butter softened 1 tsp vanilla 2-3 cups powdered sugar half n half to thin if needed Zest lemon on top of frosted cupcake

Pairing 3: Coconut Oatmeal Stout with Coconut Cupcakes

A trip to Maui a few months back reignited my love of coconut. Bringing back some Maui turbinado sugar and dehydrated coconut syrup, I added them to a tried and true oatmeal stout recipe. Finishing the ale off with a fifth of coconut vodka made the coconut apparent throughout. Obviously, pairing this with an almond frosted coconut cupcake was a no brainer.

Almond Frosting ½ stick of butter 2 lb powdered sugar 2 tsp almond extract Half n half to get desired consistency Scoop frosting onto cupcake and coat with shredded sweetened coconut.

 

Pairing 4: Peanut Butter Porter with Caramel/Chocolate Cupcakes

Using a family recipe along with triple chocolate cake mix, this rich combination of chocolate and caramel became an indulgent pairing with my Peanut Butter Porter. Finished off with caramel vodka after fermentation, my PBP accentuated the rich caramel icing.

Grandma’s Caramel Icing 1 cup brown sugar ¼ tsp of salt 3 tbsp butter ⅓ cup evaporated milk **Boil for 5 minutes** Remove from stove and add 1 tsp of vanilla Cool slightly add 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar and beat until smooth

 

Pairing 5: Triple Hopped Barleywine with S’More Cupcakes

Last but not least was this 18% barleywine along with a marshmallow frosting adorned chocolate cupcake. Aged for nine months, HB3 went well with the light texture of this cupcake. As the grand finale, this combination left imbibers with nice warm bellies.

Marshmallow Frosting 4 oz cream cheese softened ¼ cup butter softened 7oz jar of marshmallow creme 2 tsp of vanilla extract 2 ½ cups of powdered sugar When finished frosting, sprinkle with crumbled graham crackers.