Bacon and pumpkin doesn’t normally jump out to you as a combination like peanut butter and jelly. However, in this case, it works.
Our good friends from Flying Pig Provision Company in Austin sent us some of their delicious Baconuts to try and we decided that the perfect beer to pair it with was Saint Arnold Pumpkinator. For starters, I’m not normally a pumpkin beer fan, so I figured that if I didn’t like the beer, at least I have some delicious bacon to fall back on. As it turns out, this year’s version of Pumpkinator is amazing and the pork flavor only enhanced the pumpkin taste.
First off, the Baconuts are a blend of peanuts, cashews, pecans, and some delicious bacon mixed in. That sounds like an odd combination, but just remember, everything tastes better with bacon. With a bit of brown sugar mixed in to give it a sweet flavor and spices to give it a kick, these Baconuts have a wonderful taste that will make any snack food lover crave it.
The Saint Arnold Pumpkinator is an imperial pumpkin stout that is a very rich pumpkin spice beer. The spices are enhanced with each taste of the Baconuts and make this beer actually very delicious. Of course, the molasses ingredient in the beer balances it and gives it a sweet aftertaste. Like I mentioned, I usually despise pumpkin beers, but this year’s version was incredible. Matching the brown sugar flavor of the beer with the snack, it makes a perfect pairing.
The sweet flavors go together and make the pairing mesh. My gutter palette has once again led me down the right path. Keep your stinky cheese and merlot, I have Baconuts and Pumpkinator.