Waffle House's New Beer Collab Features This Surprising Ingredient

Dear old Waffle House, America's (almost) always-open, (nearly) disaster-proof diner. If there was just one thing that could make this breakfast-at-any-time restaurant even better, in many people's eyes, it would be the addition of their favorite anytime beverage. No, not coffee – they've been serving that since day one. We're talking about beer, since, think about it, doesn't a cold beer actually sound like the perfect accompaniment to a plate of hash browns? Especially if you're hitting up the WH after a night on the town and don't want to break that buzz, or maybe you're starting off your morning with a little hair of the dog.

While there's only one actual Waffle House location that serves beer on its menu — according to Power 96.1 in Atlanta, it's the Waffle House kiosk at SunTrust Park, aka the home of the Braves – Food & Wine reports that Waffle House is collaborating with Georgia's Oconee Brewing Company to produce its own signature beer. But it's not just any beer – no, this beer is flavored with one ingredient that's even more of a breakfast icon than Waffle House itself: bacon.

Bacon beer! Shades of the early 20-teens, when bacon-flavored everything was even more ubiquitous than pumpkin spice. Still, though, you've got to admit that bacon and beer is a pretty genius pairing, though a waffle-flavored pastry stout wouldn't be a bad follow-up. Hash brown beer, though ... maybe not.

At any rate, Waffle House Bacon & Kegs — yes, that's actually the name — is a 6.5-percent ABV red ale, one where, according to the brewer (via Food & Wine), "the malty sweetness of the base beer blends perfectly with the salty, savory, and smoky bacon extract to create a delicious and unique beer." They recommend pairing it with breakfast foods, of course (although they stop short of recommending any particular hour of the day), but we're thinking it might also go good with a Wendy's Baconator, perhaps some Baconator Pringles, or maybe just a bag of bacon.

If this beer sounds like something you just can't live without, or perhaps the solution to all your holiday gifting needs, well, then you better live in Georgia or at least be ready to road-trip. For the time being, this beer will only be available from the brewery, and not until mid-December. Oconee Brewing Company does say, however, that they expect this "soon to be iconic beer" to be more widely distributed in the future, although there's no word as to whether it will ever be sold at Waffle Houses themselves.