This is what candy you should pair with alcohol, according Chapel Hill bartenders

Every year our surplus of Halloween candy ends up in the back of our kitchen cabinets until we discover it the following Hallow’s Eve. Upon finding our year-old candy stash, we are struck with a moral predicament: the angel on our right shoulder yells, ”Wait! It’s expired, throw it away!” Meanwhile, the devil on our left shoulder mischievously whispers in our ear, “Risk it.”

To protect ourselves from moral mishap, and to ensure that all of our candy is eaten, we have to tune in to our inner Bill Nye the Science Guy and be innovative.

So, why not pair your candy with an alcoholic beverage?

I asked the local bartenders of Chapel Hill, who students unwaveringly trust as guiding lights in all matters alcoholic, what the best candy and alcohol pairings are.

Sup Dogs

Sup Dogs’ candy and alcohol pairing is for the fruit lovers.

Employee and UNC junior Abbey Ammons suggested pairing candy with Sup Dogs’ Orange SupCrush: freshly squeezed orange juice and vodka.

We deliberated. I suggested chocolate. My suggestion was dismissed, and rightfully so, because I’m not the one who serves alcohol to the people.

In the end, Ammons said, “Starbursts! Orange SupCrush and Starbursts.”

Top of the Hill

If Halloween puts you in the seasonal spirit, TOPO is your one-stop bar for festive drinks.

“With our Old Well White wheat beer, I think — even though I hate them — candy corn would be a good pair, if you think about the colors,” said Phillip Ivey, a TOPO bartender.

TOPO’s Old Well White beer is orange, due to the orange and coriander blend.

The next seasonal drink Ivey suggests is TOPO’s Cane Creek Cranapple wheat beer.

“The Cranapple wheat beer has a slight tart aftertaste, so like a SweeTARTS would pair well,” he said.

Ivey’s last suggestion is a year-round drink:

“Anything chocolate would go with our dark stout, Lewis Black Imperial. It’s 9.3 percent alcohol, so it kinda gets you drunk.”

He’s Not Here

“Sour Patch Kids and IPAs,” general manager Fleming Fuller suggested.

“I was actually thinking about it earlier this week,” Fuller said, commenting on how he wished he could have created candy and alcohol pairings for Halloween.

It’s the thought that counts, and this thought was a good one.

Linda’s

Want a little bit more spice in your life? Linda’s candy and alcohol pairing is for you:

“On Monday night, we’re having fireball shots for $4, so something cherry or something spicy, like Red Hots would taste good,” said Justin Cole, a Linda’s bartender.

And a little fun advice from shift manager Adam Candelori:

“I know that you can put gummy bears in vodka, and the gummy bears will grow really big.”

Good to know.

@laur_wren04

swerve@dailytarheel.com