Nuts and Beer – A Perfect Pairing

American microbreweries have been on a steady rise for the past three decades, with a sudden surge in popularity over the past five to ten years. Craft breweries are popping up in cities across the nation where you’ll find packed outdoor porches and people enjoying their summer evenings. Many of these breweries are solely breweries, meaning the only food they’re licensed to provide is prepackaged snacks.

So what’s the best snack to pair with beer? Nuts, of course! Nuts and beer are a match made in heaven – for more ways than you might think. Let’s look at a few reasons why beer and nuts go hand-in-hand.

Taste

It’s a common belief that a bowl full of peanuts at a bar is nothing but a common ploy to get patrons to drink more. While this may be true, what many people don’t realize is that nuts actually make beer taste better.A main staple in brewing since the 18th century, hops are added to beer to help balance the sweetness of malt. Hops, however, are quite bitter – a flavor which the human body inherently finds unpleasant as a defense mechanism.

One thing that counters bitterness? Sodium chloride, also known as common table salt. The salt content in nuts helps counteract the bitterness of beer, making beer less bitter and easier to drink. So next time you reach for that double IPA, make sure you’re chasing it with a handful of nuts.

Dry Mouth

Tannic acid, a byproduct of the brewing process, is another active ingredient in beer that the human mouth has trouble with. Tannins in beer dry the mouth by binding the lubricating proteins in saliva, creating that awful dry mouth sensation. Nuts, however, help combat the dreaded dry mouth. Nuts are full of healthy fats, which naturally re-lubricate the mouth and allow you to fully enjoy your beer without feeling dehydrated.

Heart Health

Finally, nuts are known to boost HDL, or “good”, cholesterol levels, while simultaneously lowering LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels – making them a heart healthy food. Additionally, alcohol is thought to be a blood thinner, helping to prevent the formation of clots in the bloodstream.  

So now that you know WHY you should pair your beers with nuts, we can help with the HOW.

In addition to offering nuts for free to your customers, we have solutions for selling nuts and snack mixes to increase your profits. Learn more HERE.

Looking to carry our products at your brewery? Request a catalog to see our full line of nuts and snack mixes or contact us today and we’ll have one of our representatives reach out to you.