Beer Nuts
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Beer Nuts is a US brand of snack food building on the original product, peanuts with a "unique" sweet-and-salty glazing made to a "secret recipe". According to the manufacturer's website,[1] the ingredients comprise "Peanuts, Vegetable Oil (Peanut and/or Coconut), Corn Syrup and Salt".[2]
Although Beer Nuts do not contain any beer,[3] the name is intended to suggest that they are intended as a side dish to beer consumption.
History
The official company history starts in 1937 when Edward Shirk and his son Arlo took over the Caramel Crisp confectionery store in Bloomington, Illinois, United States, which amongst others sold a product called Redskins, glazed peanuts with their red skins intact. Beginning in 1950, this product was sold packaged as Shirk's Glazed Peanuts in local National Liquor Stores.
Due to the business acumen of a local food distributor named Eldredge C. Brewster, in 1953 the product was gradually expanded to a national brand, and the Beer Nuts trademark was registered.
Their product line has since expanded to feature other nuts such as cashews and almonds, and various snack mixes, gift baskets and holiday-packaged items.
The company is still family owned; their only production site is still based in Bloomington.
Other countries
In Australia, "Beer nuts" simply refers to salted roasted peanuts with the testa (red skin) intact. These are sold unglazed.
See also
References
- ^ Official website
- ^ Scott Miller (June 22, 2006). "Beer Nuts in tune with times Products aim at younger market". The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois).
- ^ Beer Nuts: Two words that say it all