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Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach's?

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 5:44 pm
by ludi
First: yeah, yeah, #firstworldproblems. I like good candy corn.

Second: I can hardly BUY good candy corn anymore. Halloween is around the corner and everybody and their dog stocks nothing but Brach's, which to me tastes like a mixture of vinyl and candle wax blended with corn syrup and a dollop artificial honey flavoring. The Jelly Belly candy corn is better (and available on Amazon), but the one I like best is Sather's (or Farley's), but ONLY when fresh. It seems to have the consistency of a classic confectioner's candy corn, but with a poor shelf life (after which it turns very, very hard), which is probably why it is difficult to find.

So: are there any other candy-corn lovers out there who dislike Brach's, and have found an alternate supply?

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 5:51 pm
by TheEmrys
I think Jelly Belly (the Jelly Bean folks) still make Candy Corn.

edit: Yep. And you can get it through Amazon.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 6:27 pm
by ALiLPinkMonster
When Lewis Black said "all the candy corn that was ever made was made in 1911," he was probably referring to Brach's. I think it has fallen significantly in popularity, so there is little incentive for companies to make it properly and not just mass produce it in the cheapest way possible. Plus, even if you do find a bag of Sather's, as you pointed out it probably won't be very fresh.

It seems to me that the best solution is to make it yourself. Doesn't seem too terribly difficult, and it would probably taste better than any store bought bag.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:02 pm
by David
I've only ever had Brach's and store brand, and Brach's is at least miles ahead of store brand.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:07 pm
by Vrock
There's such a thing as "good" candy corn?

It's colored sugar. How much of a distinction between batches/brands can there really be? And does anyone under the age of 83 really care?

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:08 pm
by Vrock
TheEmrys wrote:
I think Jelly Belly (the Jelly Bean folks) still make Candy Corn.

edit: Yep. And you can get it through Amazon.
You don't read so well, do you?

The OP wrote:
The Jelly Belly candy corn is better (and available on Amazon)..

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:35 am
by paulWTAMU
A 10 lb bag :o That is a lot of candy corn.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:42 am
by Krogoth
Candy Corn has always been among the most vile Halloween candies. It is like fruitcake. Everybody wants to give it out, but nobody wants to eat it.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:15 am
by kvndoom
Krogoth wrote:
Candy Corn has always been among the most vile Halloween candies. It is like fruitcake. Everybody wants to give it out, but nobody wants to eat it.

I never cared for candy corn much either. Ironically, I do like the Mellowcreme Pumpkins, but Brach's are the only brand I will eat. Every other brand I've ever tried has had so much wax that it's like eating a pumpkin flavored candle.

Same with marshmallow Easter eggs- Brach's or bust. Those are really the only seasonal candies I ever eat.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:20 am
by tanker27
Candy corn are just a cheap grade of plastic pellets. :P

But I love the Jelly Belly stuff.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:48 am
by derFunkenstein
Vrock wrote:
There's such a thing as "good" candy corn?

It's colored sugar. How much of a distinction between batches/brands can there really be? And does anyone under the age of 83 really care?

++

This stuff doesn't get "good" until it's part of a mixture with peanuts and M&Ms, and even then it's just filler compared to the other stuff.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:52 am
by steelcity_ballin
The only thing I hate more than candy corn is circus peanuts. That stuff is vile.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:08 am
by derFunkenstein
steelcity_ballin wrote:
The only thing I hate more than candy corn is circus peanuts. That stuff is vile.

my mouth went all dry and cottony just reading "circus peanuts". Blech.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:12 am
by just brew it!
derFunkenstein wrote:
steelcity_ballin wrote:
The only thing I hate more than candy corn is circus peanuts. That stuff is vile.

my mouth went all dry and cottony just reading "circus peanuts". Blech.

Mmm... banana flavored styrofoam... :lol:

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:32 am
by paulWTAMU
The worst part about the circus peanuts is that you cannot believe what you just tasted so you have to have a second one to double check, and yep, it really is that gross.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 9:36 am
by just brew it!
paulWTAMU wrote:
The worst part about the circus peanuts is that you cannot believe what you just tasted so you have to have a second one to double check, and yep, it really is that gross.

I've judged beers in homebrew competitions that provoke a similar reaction. :lol:

Although the "best" one has to be the one that was judged at an adjacent table a few years back, which was described by those who tried it as "a tire fire in a barnyard".

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:09 am
by ludi
Vrock wrote:
There's such a thing as "good" candy corn?

Indeed -- what I would describe as a "confectioner's style," and it has to be fresh. Instead of being a chewy, waxy mass, it's soft and just slightly crumbly, and sort of melts into a smooth honey flavor. Much like the difference between having fresh-made saltwater taffy or caramel at candy store, and having something that was mass-produced and then shipped cross country for your consumption about three months later.

It's colored sugar. How much of a distinction between batches/brands can there really be? And does anyone under the age of 83 really care?

You posted. Ergo, you care, if only a little bit :P

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 10:19 am
by just brew it!
ludi wrote:
Vrock wrote:
It's colored sugar. How much of a distinction between batches/brands can there really be? And does anyone under the age of 83 really care?

You posted. Ergo, you care, if only a little bit :P

Either that, or he just gets a kick out of making disdainful comments in random threads. :lol:

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 12:23 pm
by derFunkenstein
just brew it! wrote:
Mmm... banana flavored styrofoam... :lol:

Best description I've ever read. :lol:

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:45 pm
by Hawkwing74
I get a taste for candy corn once a year or so. Must be nostalgia.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 10:30 pm
by ludi
New use discovered for candy corn: candy corn, mixed with chocolate chips, tastes surprisingly close to chocolate chip cookie dough.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:20 am
by MadManOriginal
Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach's?


A: Everyone who eats candy corns.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:31 am
by Scrotos
Have you tried calling http://www.hammondscandies.com/ to see if they make the stuff? Their website was more work than it was worth to search so a call might yield better/quicker results. Since you're in CO, they might have a local shop. Heck, there might be some local candy shops that would fit the bill, too. Seems like most people do the cupcake stores and places like Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory now, though, so I don't know how many real local small candy stores there really are anymore.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:19 am
by ludi
There are local confectioners in some of the mountain towns with tourist areas. Estes Park has one or two shops that deal in candy and ice cream (fresh saltwater taffy -- om nom nom), Idaho Springs might, Georgetown might, possibly Silverthorne or Manitou Springs as well. These are generally family-owned shops and don't market very widely, though, so you have to chase them down.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:35 am
by nanoflower
They sell a lot of Jelly Belly candy in dispensers in the local Publix supermarket. No idea if they actually have the candy corn flavor available but I know they have a bunch (proably at least more than ten.) Of course the stuff has been there for years so it's likely quite tough. ;)

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 12:14 pm
by absurdity
I think the local shops are the way to go. Brach's has gotten to where they are because it's convenient to pick up candy corn in your local convenient supermarket, rather than "chase down" a local shop.

Re: Who died and left the entire candy corn market to Brach'

Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:33 pm
by DLHM
I still like candy corn.. but my favorite is the cardboard can of mixed hard candy.. it doens't get good until after a few months and it's on the BIG Lots shelves($2). At that point its all stuck together in a almost impossible to break brick(like Obsidian) . but it's yummy.