Waffle House Gets an Official, Bacon-Scented Beer

Finally, the beer that gets you drunk before a trip to Waffle House can ALSO be Waffle House-themed.

Waffle House, or “WaHo” to fans, is a beloved institution of the South, and one well known as the final stop in many late evenings fueled by beer, thanks to many locations being open 24 hours a day. It only makes sense that Waffle House should have its own official beer, and now it’s done exactly that through a partnership with Georgia’s small Oconee Brewing Co. of Greensboro, Georgia. And naturally, said beer is bacon infused, because of course it is.

Bacon & Kegs is the title granted to the collaboration beer, a 6.5% ABV red ale that is additionally infused with what the company somewhat concerningly refers to as “bacon extract.”

“The beloved scent of bacon stands out from the typical medium hop aroma of a red ale,” says the brewery’s statement. “The malty sweetness of the base beer blends perfectly with the salty, savory, and smoky bacon extract to create a delicious and unique beer. Bacon & Kegs pairs well with breakfast food items (obviously!) or can be enjoyed as a stand-alone, soon to be iconic beer.”

It’s possible that Oconee may have pulled off a great flavor combo here—after all, bacon has been used in plenty of beers before, to great effect, such as Funky Buddha’s Maple Bacon Coffee Porter. Then again, it’s also been used in some of the most infamously gross beers ever released, like Rogue’s famously bad Voodoo Maple Bacon Donut. So it’s hard to know what to expect from this one.

We we can say is that the beer can boast a pitch-perfect design from Georgia-based Brock Company Creative, and will be released first via Oconee Brewing Co. on Friday, Dec. 18. One place you won’t find the beer, at least for the moment, is at actual Waffle House locations, as the chain doesn’t serve alcohol—except for its cart at Atlanta’s Truist Park, that is. The brewery, however, says it doesn’t expect the release to be a one-time deal—if it proves to be popular, maybe you actually will see bacon-flavored beer in a Waffle House someday.