There’s a Doughnut in My Beer

BOSTON—Harpoon Brewery and Dunkin’ are spicing up their annual seasonal beer collaboration with doughnut-infused beer, reports CNN.

The Boston buddies, which have teamed up the past two fall seasons on a Harpoon Dunkin' Coffee Porter, are expanding their joint offerings with a pumpkin spiced latte ale, as well as two beers made with doughnuts.

A multi-pack of Harpoon Brewery and Dunkin’ seasonal beer collaboration includes a coffee porter, pumpkin spiced latte ale and the doughnut-infused Boston Kreme Stout and Jelly Donut IPA. Next month, some kegs, bottles and cans of Harpoon Dunkin’ featuring those flavors will be available up and down the East Coast.”

The idea came up during a meeting to discuss Harpoon's partnership with Dunkin’. “You get some creative brewers together, maybe over a couple of beers, and sure enough the conversation turns to ‘How could we make some beer with doughnuts?’” said Dan Kenary, CEO, Harpoon.

Doughnut-infused brews are not new to the craft beer world, but this is the first move by Harpoon and Dunkin’. To make the brews, Harpoon dropped a few doughnuts into the mash—treating them like a specialty grain or malt. For non-doughnut beers, Harpoon kept the original recipe for the Coffee Porter and created the Pumpkin by brewing real pumpkin with a splash of coffee and pumpkin pie spices.

“It tastes like fall,” Kenary said. “And it gives a little bit of sophistication to the pumpkin with the coffee flavors.”

The multi-year partnership with Harpoon helps put Dunkin’ in a different light and in different aisles of the store, said Brian Gilbert, vice president of retail business development, Dunkin’. “It keeps the brand in the forefront of people’s minds,” he said.

Merchandising