Charlie's Hippie Morning and Molly's Kitchen: Pouring Our Own Candles at Penn & Beech

Published August 10, 2026

I've walked past Penn & Beech Candle Co. in Midtown Plaza a hundred times and never gone in. This past weekend my wife and I finally did — we booked a pour before our anniversary dinner at Anthony's Chophouse, mostly because the candles take about two hours to cure and that's almost exactly how long dinner takes. Turns out the candle was one of the best parts of the night.

Step One: Smell Everything

You start at a wall of more than 120 fragrances lined up in little jars — everything from Eucalyptus and English Ivy to Hops, Hotel Lobby, and Jasmine Tea. You get a clipboard and a pen and you just work the shelf, writing down anything you like. It's slower and more fun than it sounds. There's no wrong answer at this stage, which is the point.

My list ended up as Amber Musk, Camp Fire, Cedar, Patchouli, Cotton, Palo Santo, and Sandalwood. Hers went in a completely different direction. Then you pick a vessel — they've got a whole range of sizes and colors, starting around $25 — and a team member sits you down at a table.

Step Two: Actually Blend It

This is where it gets good. You get a tray, a jigger, a tiny gold spoon, and squeeze bottles of the oils you picked. Your candle advisor walks you through ratios — what's a base note, what will bully everything else in the jar, how much is too much. You mix a few drops at a time in the jigger and keep smelling until it's right.

Ours knew exactly when to step in and when to let us mess around, which is a real skill. And yes — there's a beverage menu. I had a Metazoa while I worked, which made the whole thing feel less like a craft class and more like a bar with a hobby attached.

What We Made

I landed on Patchouli, Amber Musk, Coffee, and Cedar and named it Charlie's Hippie Morning. It's warm and a little earthy with the coffee cutting through the top — exactly what I was going for.

My wife went with Burnt Sugar, Pistachio, and Coffee and named hers Molly's Kitchen, after a friend who's always baking something. It smells exactly like the name promises.

Once the blend is set, you stir it into the wax, pour, and hand it off. We came back the next day to pick ours up — they'll hold them for up to two weeks, so there's no rush.

Go Do This

I'm sitting at my desk right now with Charlie's Hippie Morning lit, and it's genuinely one of my favorite things I've made. The whole experience runs about an hour, costs less than a nice dinner, and you leave with something you actually use.

It's an easy date night, a good group activity, and a legitimately great gift. Reservations are strongly recommended — walk-ins get a wait list. Book one, pour a candle, then walk five minutes to dinner while it cures. That's a perfect Midtown evening.

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Penn & Beech Candle Co. is at 145 W. Elm St. in Midtown Plaza, Carmel, directly across from Sun King, with free parking in the garage behind the shop. Hours: Mon–Thu 11am–8pm, Fri–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–7pm. Reservations and details at pennandbeech.com.

Published August 10, 2026

I've walked past Penn & Beech Candle Co. in Midtown Plaza a hundred times and never gone in. This past weekend my wife and I finally did — we booked a pour before our anniversary dinner at Anthony's Chophouse, mostly because the candles take about two hours to cure and that's almost exactly how long dinner takes. Turns out the candle was one of the best parts of the night.

Step One: Smell Everything

You start at a wall of more than 120 fragrances lined up in little jars — everything from Eucalyptus and English Ivy to Hops, Hotel Lobby, and Jasmine Tea. You get a clipboard and a pen and you just work the shelf, writing down anything you like. It's slower and more fun than it sounds. There's no wrong answer at this stage, which is the point.

My list ended up as Amber Musk, Camp Fire, Cedar, Patchouli, Cotton, Palo Santo, and Sandalwood. Hers went in a completely different direction. Then you pick a vessel — they've got a whole range of sizes and colors, starting around $25 — and a team member sits you down at a table.

Step Two: Actually Blend It

This is where it gets good. You get a tray, a jigger, a tiny gold spoon, and squeeze bottles of the oils you picked. Your candle advisor walks you through ratios — what's a base note, what will bully everything else in the jar, how much is too much. You mix a few drops at a time in the jigger and keep smelling until it's right.

Ours knew exactly when to step in and when to let us mess around, which is a real skill. And yes — there's a beverage menu. I had a Metazoa while I worked, which made the whole thing feel less like a craft class and more like a bar with a hobby attached.

What We Made

I landed on Patchouli, Amber Musk, Coffee, and Cedar and named it Charlie's Hippie Morning. It's warm and a little earthy with the coffee cutting through the top — exactly what I was going for.

My wife went with Burnt Sugar, Pistachio, and Coffee and named hers Molly's Kitchen, after a friend who's always baking something. It smells exactly like the name promises.

Once the blend is set, you stir it into the wax, pour, and hand it off. We came back the next day to pick ours up — they'll hold them for up to two weeks, so there's no rush.

Go Do This

I'm sitting at my desk right now with Charlie's Hippie Morning lit, and it's genuinely one of my favorite things I've made. The whole experience runs about an hour, costs less than a nice dinner, and you leave with something you actually use.

It's an easy date night, a good group activity, and a legitimately great gift. Reservations are strongly recommended — walk-ins get a wait list. Book one, pour a candle, then walk five minutes to dinner while it cures. That's a perfect Midtown evening.

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Penn & Beech Candle Co. is at 145 W. Elm St. in Midtown Plaza, Carmel, directly across from Sun King, with free parking in the garage behind the shop. Hours: Mon–Thu 11am–8pm, Fri–Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am–7pm. Reservations and details at pennandbeech.com.