The science behind the age-old relationship
Microbreweries, once a rare phenom, have popped up across the country and the number of them has doubled in the last five years.
So we’re drinking more beer and that means we need the right snacks to go with it. What’s the best snack to pair with beer? There’s no contest—nuts and beer are the ultimate drinking duo. Plus, a bowl of nuts is not just a trick to get customers to drink more. There’s actually a science to it.
Nuts make beer taste better. Hops, which are added to beer to balance the sweetness of malt, are very bitter. The salt in nuts counteracts the bitterness, making it easier to consume and enjoy a lovely IPA.
The hop issue is not the only problem for the human mouth. Tannic acid, a brewing process byproduct, can give beer drinkers cotton mouth. Nuts, full of healthy fats, can lubricate the mouth and allow drinkers to turn an elbow without coming down with dry mouth.
Nuts also have a real health boost, since they boost good cholesterol levels and lower LDL, the bad partner. That means drinking and snacking on nuts turns out to be a potentially heart healthy event (in moderation!). It’s also a fun rationale to get friends to the bar.