Pairing food and drinks can be an esoteric task, with much talk of aromas, notes and “the mid-palate.” On the other hand, there are some combos that are total no-brainers, like oysters and sparkling wine, nachos and margaritas, and pulled pork and cider. Another classic pairing is pretzels and beer, which is being touted by two leading PA-based brands: Tröegs Independent Brewing and Unique Snacks. This duo has teamed up on a new campaign called Better Together, which celebrates local grains and distinctive flavors that commemorate Pennsylvania’s rich agricultural history. The campaign pairs specific Tröegs beers with specific Unique Snacks offerings, creating enhanced flavor combos.
“We’re Pennsylvania natives,” says Tröegs founding brother and brewmaster John Trogner. “That’s a big part of our identity. So it’s natural for us to partner with another family-owned Pennsylvania maker. Both of us geek out on taking ingredients and making something delicious, and those two things happen to taste great together. That’s the kind of partnership that just makes sense to us.”
Justin Spannuth, chief operating officer of Unique Snacks, notes that his company has participated in beer festivals for years, and that the brand’s sourdough craft beer pretzel rings are meant to fit right on the neck of a beer bottle. So, the partnership with Tröegs, which has been in the works since pre-COVID times, was a natural collaboration, not only because of the synergy of beer and pretzels, but because of the shared values between the two companies.
“Both Unique Snacks and Tröegs are family-owned, that helped solidify our partnership together,” Spannuth notes. “Tröegs is very local-minded. They use a lot of locally sourced ingredients, as do we. More than 50% of our flour comes from PA grain fields.”
Tröegs and Unique created the Better Together pairings together, working separately, but then compared notes around a bonfire over the winter.
“It’s amazing the palates of people working for a beer company,” Spannuth remembers. “It was really impressive, the different notes that they can identify. Our team was doing a lot of learning. We knew what tasted good, but they scientifically knew why.”
The pairings the two teams came up with are:
- Perpetual IPA with Original Splits: Crispy, Crunchy, Citrusy
- Troegenator Double Bock paired with Extra Dark Splits: Bold, Dark, Malty
- Lucky Holler Hazy IPA with Sourdough Craft Beer Pretzel Rings: Malted Barley, Tropical Pineapple
- Sunshine Pilsner with Pretzel Shells: Crisp, Snappy, Refreshing
- Haze Charmer Haze Pale Ale with Multigrain Splits: Savory Grains, Juicy Pineapple.
Better Together will be available in retailers in states that allow for food and alcohol promotions in the Northeast, Midwest and Southern regions of the U.S., and will run from August 30 through October 31, 2021. Keep an eye out at your local market or grocer for this fun promo later this summer, and don’t forget to try all of the combinations to find your favorite Better Together pairing!
- Photos: Unique Snacks
