Donuts and beer pairings are the biggest food trend that you need to try

Have you joined the biggest food trend, donuts and beer pairings?

It isn’t just Homer Simpson’s food fantasy. Donuts and beer pairings are the hottest food trend. While beer can pair with almost any food, this sweet pairing could become your new brunch obsession. Are you craving donuts and beer yet?

Donuts and beer are two classic foods. While some beers have been infused with donut flavors, this idea is different. Just like pairing any food with a beer, the idea is to find flavor combinations that play off each other. Whether it is a touch of citrus with a hoppy IPA with a chocolate cake donut or an Oktoberfest beer with a cinnamon donut, the options are plentiful.

While these ideas are food and beverage pairings, that beer could even flavor those donuts. Since many people use beer in baking bread, adding that robust beer flavor to a donut mix could make for a tasty treat.

Dawn Foods, who has been making donut mixes for 100 years, has seen this trend across the nation. For example, Meckley’s Flavor Fruit Farm in Cement City, Michigan offers a donut and beer flight combo. In addition, beer is used with the Dawn’s sourdough donut mix. A sourdough stout donut is a great fall inspired bite.

During the fall season, many restaurants and businesses offer limited time offerings. From apple cider donuts to pumpkin everything, the ability to bring a new twist to those popular options can entice guests to make another visit.

Whether it is a rich peanut butter porter with an apple fritter or even a gose with a sour cream donut, the idea is to have some fun with these donut and beer pairings.

When everyone is grabbing that mimosa at brunch, why not serve a beer flight and some donuts. After a few sips and bites, people might never look at brunch the same again.

Here are some recommended donut and beer pairings from Melissa Trimmer, Senior Application Chef from Dawn Foods.

Recommended Pairings:

• Apple Fritter with a dry hard apple cider
• Beignets with a coffee stout
• Paczki with a lambic (especially if they are both raspberry)
• Blueberry old fashioned with oatmeal stout
• Orange juice cake donut with pale ale
• Glazed donut with a lager
• Salted caramel old fashioned with brown ale
• Cherry cake donut with chocolate stout
• French cruller with a honey beer
• Custard filled donut with rye beer
• Maple bar with pumpkin beer
• Lemon old fashioned with a pilsner

Of course, the glazed donut and a lager is classic. Who hasn’t had that combination on a Sunday morning on the way to a football game or tailgate?

The most interesting combination is the paczki with a lambic. While paczkis are often served around Fat Tuesday, they can be found in some bakeries year round. If you can’t find a paczki, a good jelly donut could work for this beer pairing. It isn’t quite the same, but it does have similar flavors.

One donut missing from the list is strawberry frosted. That classic donut is Homer’s favorite and it might be best enjoyed with a Duff Beer. FoodSided recommends the Amber Duff that is served at Universal Studios Orlando. The caramel malty notes are quite tasty with the sweet donut.

While these donut and beer pairings are recommendations, it can be a fun way to play with food. Why not grab a dozen assorted donuts and a dozen different beers for a tasting party. It doesn’t matter if every pairing is perfection, you spent the day drinking beer and eating donuts. Isn’t that a win?

What is your favorite food and beer pairing?