Treat Yo’self Day is an amazing concept bestowed upon all humanity thanks to Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle on Parks & Recreation. Treat Yo’self is not a holiday (officially) or birthday occurrence; it is just a normal day where you throw caution to the wind and indulge in any and all material pleasures you like. In honor of this concept, I decided to Treat My’self by combining two of my all time favorite things into a Craft Beer and Voodoo Doughnuts Pairing.

To make this the ultimate pairing of doughnuts and beer, I called on the services of the best doughnut establishment I’ve ever had: Voodoo Doughnut. I worked with two of Voodoo’s best, doughnut maker/beer connoisseur Hunter Travis and Voodoo GM/beer enjoyer David Blankenship. We combined our expertise to find combinations that not only complemented each other, but really took the flavors of both beer and doughnut to the next level.

To add a level of complexity to this Ultimate 6er, I only utilized beers from cities with Voodoo locations: Denver, Portland, Eugene and Austin (Sorry I left you out, Taipei). I met with my crack team of sugar-focused scientists at Voodoo Doughnut’s Colfax location in Denver to compile this dream team list. Feel free to try these or create your own incredible beer and doughnut partnerships.

Beer and Voodoo Doughnut Pairing

 

 

The Pairings

Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA with Arnold Palmer doughnut

We started out light with Deschutes’ incredibly refreshing and drinkable white IPA. The bitter hop in the beer is equaled by the somewhat sweet citrus flavor. The Arnold Palmer doughnut is very different from what you’d expect from a cake doughnut with vanilla icing dusted with lemonade and iced tea powders. The common ground between the beer and the doughnut is also the flavor focal point. The beer’s lemon bitterness heightens the doughnut’s lemonade sweetness.

Jester King Hibernal Dichotomous (batch #2) with Toasted Coconut doughnut

This was easily the toughest pairing to make, which also made it the most rewarding when we found the ideal pairing. Hibernal Dichotomous is an amazing beer with a lot going on. It is a slightly sour winter farmhouse with beets, oranges, thyme and a noticeable funk. We decided to pair it with the light and delicate flavor of the Toasted Coconut doughnut. The doughnut remains very subtle for most of the process, giving the beer the main spotlight; but the sweetness of the coconut comes through at the end with an incredible flavor similar to a marshmallow browned on a campfire.

Rogue Mocha Porter with Bacon Maple Bar doughnut

This ain’t your daddy’s breakfast, but he is really jealous that it’s not. The Bacon Maple Bar is one of Voodoo’s most popular doughnuts and for good reason. The perfectly crunchy and salty bacon contrasts the overly sweet and thick maple icing, and it all sits on top of a crispy cloud of doughnut excellence. The Mocha Porter has the acidity of a dark cup of joe and the coffee flavor is about 4 levels deep. Not many beers could compete with the alpha flavors of the Bacon Maple Bar, but Rogue created a winner that can hold its own.

Ninkasi Vanilla Oatis with Neapolitan doughnut

Ninkasi made Vanilla Oatis to be extremely rich and extremely creamy, which are great characteristics for a dark, sweet stout but  difficult to pair with doughnuts. Luckily Hunter and David had the crazy idea to match it with their Neapolitan doughnut, reminiscent of the ice cream with the same name. The doughnut is a chocolate cake doughnut with vanilla icing and a dusting of strawberry powder. They meld together to create a milkshake in your mouth. The chocolate and vanilla flavors  from each are present, but the strawberry dusting from the doughnut is the star of this sugary duo.

Strange Cherry Kriek with Mango Tango doughnut

This was the beer and doughnut pairing that started this whole crazy quest. The doughnut itself is both delicious and complex: sweet, fruity, creamy, tangy and extremely fulfilling. Strange’s Kriek has an extremely crisp and clean tart cherry flavor. When you combine these two powerhouses together, they compliment each other while creating an experience not available when you try them separately. The beer changes its flavor to taste like a framboise with a deep creamy berry backbone. If you do not believe in the power of beer and doughnut pairings, Mango Tango with Cherry Kriek is all the persuasion you need.

Renegade Hammer & Sickle with Triple Chocolate Penetration doughnut

Chocolate lovers may want to stop reading this description before it begins because this pairing is dangerously delicious and addictive. Renegade’s Hammer and Sickle (Russian Imperial Stout) is one mother of a beer: thick, dark, roasty and overpowering, both in flavor and by its 9% ABV. Hammer and Sickle is a very serious beer that can only be balanced by an equally serious doughnut. The Triple Chocolate Penetration doughnut does exactly as its name implies: It hits you with chocolate from 3 different angles with a chocolate cake doughnut, chocolate icing and Cocoa Puffs . When you try them together, the Hammer and Sickle adds a fourth (possibly a fifth and sixth) layer of chocolate ranging from chocolate dark enough to make a goth kid happy to a light milk chocolatey mousse.

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