NomNoms
[All the F00dPr0ns]
I love beer snacks. I don't snack much regularly so I don't often get to enjoy them myself, but that doesn't stop me from adding them on to orders if I see something tasty while stocking up on beers. But consumables certainly don't just end there. Edible items made using beer or in collaboration with breweries have been picking up momentum over the last few years and I've started getting in on things like the hot sauce game. For the pint drinking foodies in your life, hopefully some of the below recommendations might take your [or their] fancy.
To start, Joanne and I actually interviewed Ro from Beer Snack Club recently and I had received snacks from them months earlier before their pivot to offering beer & snack pairing subscription boxes. The Sheffield box Joanne and I bought was in no way a disappointment. The snacks were mostly unique to what I've stumbled across in the past and he makes sure he curates using indie retailers within the region of the box's theme.
For a monthly sub, it's £24.99 with free shipping and very well packaged. You can also pause or cancel after box 1 if you only want to gift the 1 box [or there is a quarterly option if you want to pay for a few boxes and it comes with a discounted rate]. This way you get beer AND food. Makes for a nice "pub night" at home as we see the days shorten and the temperature drop, causing people [read: me] to want to hibernate. The 3 drink and food options in the last box we received were as per the below photos:
Ro works closely with the breweries and snack companies to curate the perfect boxes and he has a natural eye [or, err, taste] for these pairings.
While it can be a struggle to find online, there are also breweries that offer coffee and beer collabs. I was just down at the Siren Tap Yard this past weekend for a collection and they had coffee beans for sale and I've seen them pop up periodically. I have also seen other breweries offer this every so often as well. I've bought Siren's in the past and - while on the more expensive side - it made for a nice, strong cup of coffee and makes a nice compliment along side a travel cup or mug that gives a nod to beer without actually giving said person a beer.
When searching online, the one I could find at the moment is the collab gift box between Signature Brew Co and Perky Blinders , which includes a bag of coffee from Perky, a glass, and a coffee pale ale from Signature. Also - in a similar vein to subscriptions and one that I have experience in the past with - there is also Coffe & Cask. They specialise in ::drumroll please::......coffee and beer. You can check those boxes out here if that seems like it would suit your needs more so than the food and beer boxes [and you can buy a one-off].
As mentioned at the start of part 4, I'm now in the addictive world of hot sauces and I have to say one of my absolute favourite companies is Hopt Sauce.
I had the pleasure of meeting the owner by chance at the London Christmas Beer Market and he is incredibly sweet, but the product very much speaks for itself. The heat ranges from lower but noticeable all the way up to "need a drink, I'm burning up" and they are very high quality. I use them myself for everything from taco Tuesday's to pizza Friday's and anything else you can think of that might warrant a little bit of heat.
I've also taken to trying to get the beer to match, so that could be a nice idea if you want to get beer but not on its own and the receiver also enjoys spice. I've ordered directly from the website [where I got the hilarious buff pepper glass pictured further up] as well as buying in person [where I got the tote bag from part 3]. Unfortunately, I can't find the photo of the Merakai pairing I took - it's lost in the deep, dark depths of my phone - but you can buy the set here on their website [which I definitely recommend as the frose is next level and the Hopt Sauce have definitely done it justice with their interpretation].
For another hot sauce option that have previously collab'd with a craft brewery, check out Vengeful Spirit. You can still find Sunshine on Portabello on their webshop [though my bottle disappeared QUICKLY]. Again, the matching done here was pretty spot on and Vault City lovers will definitely enjoy. Seeing the theme of Vengeful Spirit makes me hope for a Phantom Brewing collab in future...fingers crossed.
While I've not-so-quietly fallen out of love with Tiny Rebel for numerous reasons, the Sauce Shop produce some tasty and - sometimes - interesting stuff [I just got their pumpkin spiced hot sauce...not tried it yet...not sure how to feel]. When I was ordering this Honey Sriracha Drizzle for pizza making, I wanted to hit the free shipping threshold so I purchased the Tiny Rebel gift set out of sheer curiosity. Though I no longer seek out the beers themselves, if you have a Tiny Rebel fan in your house, this could be a good set to go for. They don't seem to be for sale on the Sauce Shop's website any more nor on Tiny Rebel's, but you may be able to find them floating around elsewhere on the internet if that's your jam (no pun intended). If nothing else, there are loads of other good options you can find from the Sauce Shop - though, admittedly, not tied to beer if that's the theme you're going for.
I became a fan of Two Tribe's partner Campfire after winning a competition for a Two Tribes gift set that included this Campfire Devil Dog Original Hot Sauce. So far, it's been one of the ONLY hot sauces that I struggle to actually consume without feeling like I've just swallowed a spoonful of fire ants. This one in particular is not for the faint of heart or the people who can't handle the heat, but I can't say I don't enjoy it all the same. There's a whole variety of hot sauces that Two Tribes sell off their website that's worth checking out.
Recommendations for snacks and other consumables that aren't directly made with or by breweries, but do have somewhat of a crossover in terms of audience - just to shout out a few of the more popular ones - are as follows:
With the hot sauce theme - THICC SAUCE has NEVER disappointed. Their flavour combinations are so on point and they are fairly small batch with all the love put into it. They also wax seal the bottles, which is a nice touch. They definitely would look good when gifting and has the taste to match.
Rather uniquely - there is also a chutney made in collaboration with Fallen Acorn that sounds delectable and I imagine would go well with a nice charcuterie board and beer night. Building a board using artisanal ingredients and good beer in itself could be a good present, and adding a chutney made in collaboration with a brewery will only elevate that to the next level.
Bier Nuts I had back before they rebranded as the "Bier Company". I've heard the customer service hasn't been brilliant, but I can't say as I've never bought direct. What I can say is that the nuts are tasty and they make an excellent snack to pair with beer. Take that as you will.
Not to mention Siren again, but they offer so many snack options as well that make nice add-ons. Not going to bother linking for the hundredth time though.
Billy Franks - They do jerky. They do hot sauce. They also - apparently - have a bottle shop! I've had their hot sauce and jerky and can vouch for both.
Sticking with the "jerky" theme, Arrogant Chicken have partnered up with breweries in the past and offer chicken jerky [which is a bit of a twist to the normal jerky offerings]. I've also had their products and found them tasty, but will fully disclose that I did not buy them - I was sent them to try - unlike with the other brands mentioned.
If you're spoilt for choice, you can always put together an epic beer and snack pairing gift box yourself by googling snack only boxes like this one from Fodabox or buying some beers and raiding the snack aisle at your local supermarket [I tend to go to Lidl or Tesco express and pick up pretzels, jerky, nuts, etc. - and don't forget to look in the "foreign food section" as you can get some more-ish pretzels with the American stuff called Snyders].
If you're still hungry for more because nothing thus far has fully filled your appetite, I have just onnnneeee more section for you to check out... Part 5 [which is all about the extras and experiences].
**Please note that I was not approached or offered anything above in trade for being mentioned. This is all just based on personal experience and what I - myself - have bought or would recommend.**