Bacon beer? New Waffle House-inspired brew tastes like slices of heaven. What to know
Is bacon a must-have on your breakfast plate? What about beer? Waffle House’s first official drink offers breakfast aficionados a bit of both.
The Georgia-based restaurant chain teamed up with the Oconee Brewing Company to create the aptly-dubbed Bacon & Kegs beer — a bacon-infused ale that smells like sizzling slices of heaven hot off the griddle.
“The beloved scent of bacon stands out from the typical medium hop aroma of a red ale,” per the brewery’s website. “The malty sweetness of the base beer blends perfectly with the salty, savory and smokey bacon extract to create a delicious and unique beer.”
The Oconee Brewing Co., says the 6.5% ABV ale pairs perfectly with breakfast favorites, but is just as flavorful on its own. The bright yellow packaging, designed by Georgia-based Brock Company Creative, includes a nod to the iconic Waffle House sign and even features an illustration of a Waffle House restaurant.
The brewery said it has been perfecting the new bacon-infused beer for months now, with help from Waffle House leadership.
“This story began in January with someone with Waffle House being kind enough to respond to an email that I sent proposing a collaboration,” Leslie Tillery, spokesperson for the brewery, told Food & Wine Magazine. “That initiated communication with some of the executive team at the Atlanta corporate office. After a COVID delay, our two groups held a taste test at Oconee Brewing Company and chose a bacon-infused red ale to release as the first ever Waffle House beer!”
The breakfast chain began selling beer (though it was only at a single location) for the first time in 2018, but Tillery told McClatchy News there are no plans for distribution just yet.
For now, beer and bacon lovers can purchase a six-pack of Beer & Kegs exclusively at Oconee Brewing Co. in Greensboro, Georgia, beginning Dec. 18, the company’s website states. The ale is also available on draft for pints and to-go growlers.
This story was originally published November 16, 2020 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Bacon beer? New Waffle House-inspired brew tastes like slices of heaven. What to know."