BEER REVIEW: Project Happy Hole-idayz, brewed with Sheetz donut holes by Wicked Weed Brewing
Just for the holiday season, Altoona-based convenience store chain Sheetz partnered with Wicked Weed Brewing Company in North Carolina to produce a limited edition beer called Project Happy Hole-idayz that was brewed with Shweetz Glazed Vanilla Donut Holes. Four packs of 16-ounce cans are only $7.99 at select Sheetz locations, and once they’re sold out, they’re not restocking this unique liquid dessert.
Sheetz Vice President of Marketing and Brand Ryan Sheetz said, “This year has been a tough one for us all, and we’re hopeful this beer can lift the spirits of our customers as we embark on the holiday season and look toward next year,” so as 2020 comes to a close, let’s see if this collaboration can truly make spirits bright in these dark times.
Beer: Project Happy Hole-idayz
Brewery: Wicked Weed Brewing Company
Style: Blonde/Pale Ale
ABV: 6%
IBU: 20
Description: Project Happy Hole-idayz is available in tall cans decorated with some great illustrations of crazy anthropomorphized doughnut holes hanging from strings of Christmas lights and wreaking havoc, letting you know you’re in for something playful and fun.
The beer pours a deep golden color with a nice foam that bubbles with the sweet sugary glaze that you would lick off your fingers if you were eating an actual glazed doughnut. Initial sips intensify that glaze taste as vanilla frosting and bready graham cracker wash over it. After that, the sugar shock begins to wear off and the honey and malted barley come through, finally tasting like an ale.
Following a few indulgent gulps, the beer taste takes over and allows you to finish it, as the sweet glaze flavor would be too much otherwise. This steady progression as the pint glass empties makes this a perfect dessert beer that doesn’t let the sugary baked goods overpower the overall experience, but those who don’t have a sweet tooth will probably give up halfway through the glass.
Those who keep going will be rewarded with a surprising treat that lives up to its name, though this is a one-and-done kind of drink. Two or more of these in one sitting will make your eyes glaze over more than the doughnuts and leave a sickeningly sweet hole in your stomach, so share these or space them out accordingly.
Wicked Weed is typically known for their hoppy West Coast-style IPAs, so this is a nice change of pace for them and what craft beer drinkers may expect going in. While we didn’t try Sheetz’s previous collaboration with Neshaminy Creek Brewing, Project Hop Dog brewed with Sheetz Hot Dogz, this seems way more appealing for both casual and dedicated beer fans.
Food pairing: As one would expect, this beer pairs perfectly with a cup of Shweetz Glazed Vanilla Donut Holes, but any glazed doughnut should do, especially a nice warm one from Krispy Kreme. Christmas cookies would also be a nice complement, as would a big slice of cake left over from your holiday gathering.
Rating: 
Availability: It is sold in 432 Sheetz stores across Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Virginia, including several locations in Northeastern Pennsylvania – visit sheetz.com for a full list. Once it’s gone, it’s gone, so grab a pack or two while you can; it makes a nice gift for the craft beer expert in your family. Regional locations include:
500 Mount Pleasant Dr., Scranton
610 Scranton Carbondale Hwy., Scranton/Dickson City
464 Wilkes-Barre Township Blvd., Wilkes-Barre
1101 O’Neill Hwy., Dunmore
2100 West Front St., Berwick
1200 Golden Mile Rd., Towanda
1240 Memorial Hwy., Shavertown
551 State Route 93, Sugarloaf
900 Gordon Nagle Trl., Pottsville
270 Route 61 S., Schuylkill Haven
8555 Lancaster Ave., Bethel
3201 Schoenersville Rd., Bethlehem
5001 Macarthur Rd., Whitehall
3501 Nazareth Rd., Easton
9 Woodbine Ln., Danville
2511 New Berwick Hwy., Bloomsburg
Learn more about Project Happy Hole-idayz here.
