Revisiting trick-or-treating

Beer Fever with Weaver: Sundae cherries flavor Sam Adams

Samuel Adams' Cherry Wheat?$8.35 for a six-pack at Uncle Tom's Market By now, we all know that Uncle Tom's is a little odd. Among the fake arms, '80s sunglasses and tasteful magazines, I was starting to wonder if there was anything in there worthy of writing about. Don't get me wrong. I like electrocuting my friends with fake pieces of gum just as much as the next guy. But seriously, who chews Doublemint these days anyway?

Beer Fever with Weaver: Bundle up with Sam Adams

Samuel Adams Winter Lager? $7.99 for a six-pack at Hannaford By a show of hands, how many of you faithful readers are coming off a miserable week? I'm talking a week so bad that each meal feels like a mini Christmas and Friday's "Beer Fever with Weaver" (OK, fine, or Thursday's "Grey's Anatomy") is like the light at the end of the tunnel of infinite graded assessments. Five hands just shot up in my apartment, and considering I live in a quad, I'm going to assume that this past week just wasn't that much fun for anyone.

Beer Fever with Weaver

This piece represents the opinion of the author:

Alex Weaver

Columnist

October 20, 2006

Gritty McDuff's Halloween Ale?$8.99 for a six-pack at Hannaford

By now, it is safe to say that fall is in the air. With peak foliage already past and the amount of popped collars increasing daily (we'll chalk those up to the wind), I can't help but think of days gone by, when visions of inventive costumes and candy-stuffed pillowcases danced greedily through my head.

I recall fondly when my best friend and I dressed as rollerblading ninjas for four consecutive years, each armed with an alternative mask so our oblivious contributors would have to pony up twice. Though this year's costume is brewing in my head (it's a toss-up between Uncle Tom or Patrick Swayze circa "Dirty Dancing"), I can't help but reminisce about the piles of sugar stashed under my bed until well after the first snowfall. So now, as a sophisticated and allegedly more mature college senior, how am I to quell this longing? I think, by now, we all know the answer. Why, hurl eggs at little kids and steal their hard-earned loot, of course!

But, because conscience might kick in at some point before or during the beatings, I thought it safe to devise a contingency plan, which, as in many cases?job interviews, class, AA meetings?comes in the form of devious consumption. In lieu of the prospect of a candy-less Halloween, this week's beer is a real doozy: Gritty's Halloween Ale.

Brewed exclusively in Portland, Maine, Halloween Ale is offered this year for the first time ever. Introduced in mid-August, it is available only while supplies last.

When I was growing up, my favorite Halloween candies were Skittles and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. After searching far and wide, I have found a beer that blends perfectly the distinct tastes of both of my favorite treats: the playful fruitiness of Skittles infused with the serious sophistication of peanut butter and chocolate. It's like a mullet in a bottle: business on the tongue, party in the stomach.

OK, seriously, for those of you who are jubilantly praising this newfound discovery: go grab some trail mix and stop reading my column. For those of you who have thrown your paper away in disgust, shame on you as well; you should know me better by now. Gritty's Halloween Ale has nothing to do with candy?though it is quite a treat. I see it as the modern-day adult's equivalent of trick-or-treating: delicious at your fingertips, but only for a limited time.

How, you may ask, could a seasonal ale ever compare to a classic Halloween favorite? Grow up, kids. Halloween Ale is the holiday treat your taste buds have been missing, and coming in at six percent Alcohol By Volume (ABV) its effect is far more pleasant than a sugar high. From the bottle, Halloween Ale pours a light copper with a healthy two-finger head that bubbles slowly down to a refreshing yet not overwhelming carbonation. The aroma is unique, boasting a light malty tinge underscored with a doughy and fruity hint around the edges. The taste, of course, is the clincher. Hinging on a full malty backbone, the doughiness remains, and is accompanied by hints of brown sugar, toffee, and caramel (all of which also serve as ingredients to numerous candies, I might add). Unlike some beers of the past, Halloween Ale is refreshingly full, yet it finishes more smoothly than a Rob Thomas and Santana duet.

So as you busy yourself racking your brain for the perfect Halloween costume, just remember that the upcoming holiday has not completely turned its back on those past the sixth grade (all right fine, I trick-or-treated when I was 15). On the contrary, Gritty's Halloween Ale represents a treat that is as rounded and satisfying as we all hope our semester grades will turn out. Though our tricking and treating days may be behind us, take solace in the fact that there is an adult beverage made especially for you and the neighborhood witch.

So let the kids enjoy their holiday. Hell, they can eat Skittles until they're sitting in a pot of gold for all I care. In my sagacious early adulthood, I have found a treat that tastes better than the rainbow and doesn't leave the inside of my mouth looking like an Elton John outfit. Though I wouldn't recommend leaving a case out on the steps for the neighborhood kids, I would urge you all to taste a sip of the Halloween spirit, bottled for your convenience. For though it may not satisfy your sweet tooth, it is so delicious, it's scary.

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