When Germany enacteditsReinheitsgebotbeerpurity law—a decree that instructed brewers to only use water, barley and hops in beer production—in 1516, it’s unlikely that anyone imagined it would spur an enduring beer festival tradition: pretzel necklaces. By that time, German bakers had been making pretzels for centuries.
“As beer became more and more popular, bakers started to realize they had all the ingredients to make beer as well as bread,” saysMark Stratton,U.S. consultant forGerman brewery Veltins. “So,bakers in Germany, especially in Bavaria, started making beeralongsidepretzels. That’s where the marriage of the two things came together.”
Those three ingredients became known among brewing monks as the “holy trinity” of beer. They saw the trinity in pretzels, where each hole represented one ingredient and one aspect of the famed religious counterpart. To keep that sacred trinity at heart, 16th-century brewer-monks strung pretzels and wore them around their necks.
Pretzel necklaces havecome a long way.As far back as Stratton remembers, pretzel necklaces were on the sceneat Oktoberfest in Germany.They’re a common sight at U.S. beereventslike the Great American Beer Festival, Great Lakes Brew Fest and Great Taste of the Midwest.There, pretzelsdon’t representworship,butpalate cleansers.
“At a beer festival, you get in line for the beer you want first,”saysMeg Schultz, organizer of Vermont’sSIPtemberfest. “Youcouldhave thisbigchocolate oatmeal stout,andthenyou want to go over and tryadelicatePilsner.Well,you’re going to need something in between so you can taste[each of]them.”
Earlynecklaces were plain, mass-produced pretzels on a string.Now, festival goerstryand topothernecklaceswith ever more creative statement pieces.
“Beer is part of the food arts world,”saysJuliaHerz,theformercraft beer program director at the Brewers Association, which runs the Great American Beer Festival. “Food is art itself in many forms, and the pretzel necklace is a greatconvergence of art and food in a very fun form.”
Pretzel necklace aficionadossit in three distinct social camps. The firstareexpressive peoplewholook fora good time. Theytend to have averitablegrocery storearound their necks—artfully arranged pretzelsalongsidecheese,sausage,pizza slices orevenentire Lunchables.The bigger and moreelaboratethenecklace,to them, the moreyoulove both beer and aparty.
It caneventurn into auniquemating ritual, where peoplemaytry to attract a partner with ever-more-flamboyant necklaces.
Schultzcallsthe next group“the serious beer-mission folks.” They arrive with a list of beersto tasteat the festivaland astrictplan. “They’re here for the beer,and the necklace is just a means to an end at that point,”she says.
Some of theseattendees,Strattonsays, are part of beer guilds and groups.Theyuse medallionsthatrepresent their organization to separate pretzels on their necklaces.
Andthethird group?People whodon’t wearpretzelnecklaces at all.In fact, they actively hate them.Ina 2014 article inFirst We Feast, writer Aaron Goldfarb says pretzel necklaces are a way to “ID all the bozos.” Graham Averill agreed at Paste, as he compared the wearers to “four-year-old girls with those candy bracelets and lollipop rings.”
Schultz’s opinion?The haters are secretly jealous because they’re too afraid toweara necklaceof their own.
But regardless of whether they’re used as adrinking aid, fashion accessory or source of identity, the necklacesremainasurprisinglyfunctional part of beer festival culture.
“Moderating sips between bites is a good way to practice responsible and enjoyable appreciation,”saysHerz. “And any time youseesomeone wearing a pretzel necklace, they’re probably in a damn good mood.”
Last Updated: May 8, 2023
