Limited-edition Halloween-themed craft beer collaborations have been on the rise over the past few years, with 2022 as active as ever in terms of the number of examples. Entertainment properties of the horror genre, candy brands used for trick-or-treating, and musical acts whose stage presence, lyrics, and/or graphics are Halloween-appropriate, are well represented:
- Entertainment. This year, the foundation of the late director of the Night of the Living Dead films, George Romero, paired with Neshaminy Creek Brewing for a Jawn of the Dead IPA, while USA Network and Syfy teamed with Elysian Brewing for Chucky: A Killer Wit Beer. The latter, a witbier infused with pumpkin, chamomile, cranberry, and cinnamon, is part of a range of seasonal pumpkin beers. In 2021, Dangerous Minds Brewing offered a Rocky Horror Picture Show-themed Dammit Janet Cherry Jalapeño Lager, and in 2020, Sony teamed with Lakewood and Intrinsic breweries for two stouts tied to the comedy-horror film Zombieland, available only in the two taprooms. The flavor profile of the Zombieland brews was inspired by Twinkies, which play a key role in the film.
- Candy. For the 2022 season, Hershey’s paired with Yuengling for chocolate porter in six and 12-packs, representing the fourth Halloween collaboration between the two companies. Last year, Mars Wrigley and Nestlé partnered with Houston brewery Urban South to create a Halloween mixed pack featuring seasonal beers from three craft breweries: Kings Brewing for Skittles, Tripping Animals for Nerds, and Weathered Souls for Starburst beers. (Mars Wrigley is the licensor for Skittles and Starburst, Nestlé for Nerds.)
- Music. Iron Maiden paired with Robinsons Brewery in 2013 for a Belgian-style beer called Trooper, which has been ongoing since then, and the partners have offered a number of limited-edition Trooper varieties over the years, including some for Halloween. This fall, the partners dropped their fourth limited Day of the Dead edition. Several other metal and punk bands with music and graphics that are appropriate for this holiday have lent their names to beer, but not necessarily released at Halloween. In May of this year, for example, horror punk band Misfits paired with collectibles company Knucklebonz and Calicraft Brewing for a Misfits Fiend lager.
Limited-edition craft beers come out year-round, of course, and there are many opportunities in this category, beyond Halloween, for all three of the property types mentioned here. But the holiday lends itself well to fun and frightening—and publicity-generating—collaborations such as these.
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