Monday, January 20, 2014

Jelly Belly Draft Beer Beans

Jelly Belly Draft Jelly BeansOn Friday I got my first press embargo ever on Candy Blog. I got a box from Jelly Belly that said, “Don’t open until January 18th.” I opened it, but dutifully kept the contents of the package to myself until Saturday.

Jelly Belly has a new jelly bean flavor, which debuts at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco this week: Jelly Belly Draft Beer Flavor Jelly Beans. Jelly Belly uses beverages for flavor inspirations all the time. They have their Soda Pop Shoppe line of carbonated drink flavors and went branded with the Snapple flavors. As far as alcohol goes, Jelly Belly came out with their Cocktail Classics a few years ago, based on fruity flavored alcoholic drinks, but this is a first for this type of jelly bean. (What’s next, wines?)

The beans are very pretty, they’re little honey colored pieces with a pearlescent gold sheen. I guess that’s supposed to be like the head on a beer but feels a little deluxe for a beer jelly bean.

When candy makers at Jelly Belly Candy Company set out to create the world’s first beer flavored jelly bean, the question wasn’t how; it was what. Ale or Lager? Stout? Lambic? Pilsner? In the end, the company opted to pay homage to its German ancestry with a Hefeweizen-inspired ale flavor, and Draft Beer Jelly Belly® jelly beans took shape.

Jelly Belly Draft

They smell like roses and sake. It’s a floral scent with a hint of yeasty fermentation. The yeasty note continues with the bean itself, it’s not overt and doesn’t burn like some alcoholic flavors do. It’s just mild with a note of bread, honey and roses. I got no hop bitterness at all, which was what I was expecting with a beer bean.

If you hadn’t told me these were beer beans, I might not have guessed. The yeasty flavors are pleasant, the mild sweetness and fermented notes are a welcome change from the fruits and spices of regular beans.

Jelly Belly also sent some little packets of beans to combine with the beer for different flavors: Red Apple, Tabasco, Peach and Lemon Lime. I found that two beers to a single flavor bean was a good ratio to emulate flavor enhanced beer. The Red Apple tasted like a hard cider. Lemon Lime and Beer did not taste like Corona, perhaps too much lime. Peach actually went pretty well, but was far too floral for my tastes. Tabasco was definitely tempered by the beer, but I didn’t know what that was going for. It just burned. (I later read that I was supposed to combine that with the lemon lime and the beer for a Michellada.)

Overall, it’s a successful jelly bean. I can’t say that it will convert over any beer lovers.

The candy contains no alcohol. They’re made with natural and artificial flavors and artificial colors. They also use beeswax and confectioners glaze.

Related Candies

  1. Meiji Dark Rum Chocolate Sticks
  2. Jelly Belly Tabasco
  3. David’s Signature Beans Jelly Bean Sampler
  4. Fazer Vodka Filled Chocolates
  5. Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans by Jelly Belly
  6. Jelly Belly Honey Beans
  7. Bouquet of Fruits Vinyeard - Wine Filled Chocolates


Name: Draft Beer Flavor Jelly Beans
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Jelly Belly
Place Purchased: samples from Jelly Belly
Price: $8.00 per pound retail
Size: .5 ounces
Calories per ounce: 101
Categories: Candy, Jelly Belly, Jelly Candy, Kosher, 7-Worth It, United States

POSTED BY Cybele AT 11:29 am Tracker Pixel for Entry     CandyReviewJelly BellyJelly CandyKosher7-Worth ItUnited States

Comments
  1. These look so wonderful they could temp as wedding decorations. You wouldn’t just tell the flavor. Or lie and tell that the flavor would be challa (traditional jewish sweet yeast bread) or Baba (traditional Russian sweet yeast bread), the flavor would probably be quite the same.

    And not a bad idea about vine, I would try jelly beans flavored like vines and champagne.

    Comment by Emma on 1/20/14 at 11:53 am #
  2. well i for one as a true jelly bean conniseur (especially new beans and mixes) will try and see for myself.

    Comment by Ben Exworth on 1/25/14 at 3:30 pm #
  3. I think the tabasco combo is meant to emulate a beer cocktail called a Beer Buster-which is a drink that has had some following (I seem to remember finding it in cocktail guide published in the early 1980s, though it might be older). About 8 oz of cold beer with a dash of tobasco and a shot of vodka.

    Comment by Abram Taylor on 3/21/14 at 3:59 am #
  4. I’ve seen these being sold in a cute fake beer can.

    Comment by Tracia Liang on 9/03/14 at 7:46 pm #
  5. these are great tasting jelly belly beans that i got from sweeties in burbank. i would like jelly belly to reintroduce mai tai and other favorite flavors from the past.

    Comment by Ben Exworth on 9/11/14 at 12:35 pm #
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.

Next entry: Dove Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Promises

Previous entry: Ghirardelli Dark and Mint




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT

FEEDS

CONTACT

  • .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Here are some frequently asked questions emailed to me you might want to read first.

EMAIL DIGEST

    For a daily update of Candy Blog reviews, enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

CANDY RATINGS

TYPE

BRAND

COUNTRY

ARCHIVES

Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.

 

 

 

 

Facebook IconTwitter IconTumblr IconRSS Feed IconEmail Icon

COUNTDOWN.

Candy Season Ends

-2537 days

Read previous coverage

 

 

Which seasonal candy selection do you prefer?

Choose one or more:

  •   Halloween
  •   Christmas
  •   Valentine's Day
  •   Easter

 

image

ON DECK

These candies will be reviewed shortly:

 

 

image