Midnight in Sleepy Hollow with Spooky Stella Artois

SLEEPY HOLLOW, N.Y. — Nestled just a bit over an hour outside of New York City, lies Sleepy Hollow, a small, quaint, yet well-known village. Don’t let its curb appeal, complete with picturesque views and stately mansions, fool you though. Sleepy Hollow has been named the most haunted town in America by many. Countless ghost stories and creepy legends dating all the way back to colonial times reinforce its notoriety.

The most famous of these is “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” a short story written by Washington Irving and first published in 1820. This gothic story of the Headless Horseman, believed to be the ghost of a German soldier whose head was blown off by a cannonball during the Revolutionary War, is likely most responsible for Sleepy Hollow’s international fame. And, as if Sleepy Hollow wasn’t creepy enough, one of the town’s main tourist attractions is to visit the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where Irving and a number of other notable individuals are buried.

Sleepy Hollow and its surrounding areas, fully embrace all of its spooky history, especially during the Halloween season. Throughout the month of October, varied activities abound in the area, including haunted hayrides (both terrifying and family-friendly), shows, depictions, and stories of the Headless Horseman, tours of Irving's home and the cemetery where he is buried, and most famously, The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, an enormous display of over 7,000 handcrafted Jack O’Lanterns in nearby Croton-on-Hudson.

This year, after the trick or treating is done and all the haunted happenings are over, guests and residents of Sleepy Hollow can enjoy Stella Artois’ first holiday brew — Midnight — a black lager with notes of Belgian dark chocolate, freshly brewed espresso, and a light smokiness.

On October 31, from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. you can sample the Midnight lager at seven local bars and taprooms. The seasonal beer will be available for free tastings at J. P. Doyle’s, 48 Beekman Ave., Sleepy Hollow, NY, and The Hudson Anchor, 222 Beekman Ave., Sleepy Hollow, NY. It will also be available for purchase during the same hours at:

• Set Back Inn, 33 Main St., Tarrytown, NY
• EATalia on Hudson, 385 S Riverside Ave., Croton-on-Hudson, NY
• 105 Twenty Bar & Grill, 120 Grand St., Croton-on-Hudson, NY
• The Tavern at Croton Landing, 41 N Riverside Ave., Croton-on-Hudson, NY
• The Grandstand, 197 Grand St., Croton-on-Hudson, NY

Midnight Lager has a light to medium body and 5.4% ABV. It’s dry and crisp for the perfect fall flavor. It pairs best with meats like pork roast, brisket, or grilled steak, root vegetables, even cheeses like goat or gouda. It also pairs perfectly with savory chocolate desserts. Boo-ttoms up!