What Are Beer Nuts?

Are you a beer fan? For me, beer is one of those things I always found gross but assumed that I would grow to like once I became an adult. But it turned out not to be the case. I still don’t like beer. But, what I do like are the salty snacks often served with beer. And, of all the savory food items that go hand in hand with a nice lager, there is perhaps none as American as Beer Nuts. But what are Beer Nuts, exactly? What are Beer Nuts made of? Do Beer Nuts have beer in them? Let’s go nuts on some answers. 

What are beer nuts?

If you’ve ever been in a bar in the U.S. and seen a little bowl of nuts on the counter for patrons to snack on, there’s a strong chance those were Beer Nuts. Of course, you don’t have to be in a bar to enjoy this peanut-based snack, but that is what it is most famous for. 

Beer Nuts, which launched in 1937, is an American food brand based out of Bloomington, Illinois. Their flagship product is sweet and salty peanuts that originally came in a beer can-like container. 

Are Beer Nuts peanuts?

While the Beer Nuts brand has expanded to include a cornucopia of different nuts, as well as trail mixes and the like, the original Beer Nuts are everyone’s favorite legume (except for those with allergies): the peanut. 

Are Beer Nuts vegan?

With an ingredient list composed of only four ingredients, Beer Nuts are a relatively simple snack, and the good news is they do not contain animal products of any kind. 

Do Beer Nuts have beer in them?

This is an understandable question since the word “beer” is right there in the name. But that “beer” refers to the drink you might be enjoying with some Beer Nuts rather than what’s inside them. It’s sort of a coffee cake situation, where there’s no coffee in the cake, but you eat it with coffee. 

So, are Beer Nuts made with alcohol of any kind? Nope, not unless a few drops of somebody’s mixed drink spilled into the mix. 

What are Beer Nuts made of?

The ingredients list on the back of a Beer Nuts package contains the following: peanuts, coconut oil, corn syrup, and salt. That’s a remarkably short ingredient list for a mass manufactured snack, so you can take some comfort in knowing you can pronounce everything on the list, even if corn syrup and coconut oil aren’t exactly health foods. 

Food.com also has a recipe for an approximation of Beer Nuts you can make at home. Like the real Beer Nuts, the recipe is super simple—just peanuts, salt, sugar, and water.