Hand Twisted Pretzels
Ancient Egyptians, and many since, used the phrase, “beer and bread,” as a salutation. First shaped to resemble hands folded in prayer, pretzels have become a symbol of good fortune. So grab a growler...
Ark of Taste
Twist & Shout
Why Pretzels and Beer are a Perfect Match
Forget the chicken and the egg. Perhaps a better riddle is, “beer or bread?” Either of these could have been the prime mover of the agricultural revolution, the reason why ancient peoples decided to ditch the life of hunter-gatherers and settle down on farms. After all, evidence of fermentation and rudimentary “brewing” may date back as far as 12,000 B.C.E, not far from the start of agriculture, itself. It’s clear that, ever since cultivated grains and natural yeasts met up in a storage shed, we’ve been coaxing the processes along with both curiosity and innovation.
We have to be pretty happy with the consequences – both a frothy brew and a crusty loaf. In fact, ancient beer was probably not that distinguishable from a sourdough sponge: thick, like porridge. Throughout time, beer has been made from bread and vice versa. Bread yeast, as we know it today, actually derived from beer yeast.
One of the most beer-friendly breads is the salted soft pretzel. Dip a chewy pretzel into a dollop of honey mustard sauce and take a sip of beer. All your taste buds – savory, salty, sweet, spicy, sour, and bitter – are engaged. They temper and evoke each other. And like beer, the pretzel traces some of its history to ritual and religion. In recipes from German baking guilds and accounts written in Alsatian abbeys, we find that pretzels offered a suitable option for monks who fasted during lent. Pretzels served as a reward for piety, decorated Christmas trees, and blessed marriages.
German immigrants brought their pretzel recipes first to Pennsylvania, where later, the hard pretzel was developed. In our own state, breweries could be found as early as the 1850s in cities like Bridgeport, Derby, Waterbury, and Hartford, where German immigrants made up about 10% of the population. Unsurprisingly, the people there also enjoyed pretzels. Today, fresh-baked soft pretzels are finding their way into artisanal bakeries, farmers markets, and – you guessed it – breweries.
East Rock Brewery in New Haven sells pretzels from Whole G Bakery, which delivers a fresh batch daily. Select from sweet or spicy mustard and cheddar horseradish dip, then sample their German-inspired brews, like Vienna Lager and Weisse Bier. Manager Carissa Judd suggests the best pretzel and beer pairing would either be their Pilsner or Blackberry Gose, so you might as well order a flight.
OEC Brewery in Oxford has an adjoining bakery, where bakers and brewers exploit the “historically close connection between brewing beer and baking artisanal bread,” using wild yeast cultivated on the property. Harlan Haus Bier and Wurst Hall in Bridgeport features Weihenstephaner and Radeberger on tap (among others) and Bavarian pretzels with Gruyere cheese fondue to snack on while you wait for your knockwurst and sauerkraut.
Ancient Egyptians, and many since, used the phrase, “beer and bread,” as a salutation. First shaped to resemble hands folded in prayer, pretzels have become a symbol of good fortune. So grab a growler from your local and try these homemade pretzels (recipe below) next time you’re craving the twisted company of bread and beer.
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