Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together – Beer and Cupcakes

Bringing people together is what the spirit of the holidays are all about, but two Sioux Falls businesses went a step further this week (Thursday) when they gathered a room full of folks and paired up two unlikely partners - beer and cupcakes.

Woodgrain Brewing Company in Downtown Sioux Falls at Ninth Street and Phillips Avenue, fresh on the heels of their Halloween event which coupled candy with beer, teamed up with Intoxibakes of Sioux Falls to match four craft brews with a quartet of cupcakes specifically designed to complement each other.

In this photo (clockwise from bottom left) you have:

• Cranberry Gose and a Cranberry Cupcake
• Carnaval Milkshake IPA and a Pineapple/Coconut Cupcake
• Milk Stout and a Chocolate Ganache/Espresso Cupcake
• Shurgar Stout and Caramel Cupcake

The cranberry pairing was interesting because the cupcake was quite sweet while the beer was especially tart.

The pineapple/coconut cupcake was perhaps the highlight of the tasting, helping to tone down the kick of the IPA (I'm not a fan of any IPA, although the hint of pineapple in this one made it slightly more bearable).

The milk stout had the heaviness you'd expect and paired well with the rich chocolate of the cupcake.

The Shurgar stout had a lot going on. The menu describes it as having hints of toasted almonds, cinnamon, and Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans. The cupcake was light and fluffy with a drizzle of caramel in the frosting that added a perfect touch.

Judging by the line of people waiting to take part, I'd say the day was a big success, especially with a portion of the proceeds going to Children's Home Society of South Dakota.

I'm crossing my fingers for a Valentine's Day follow-up event and maybe something with Easter candy.

A guy can wish, right?