Every country has its favourite beer snacks, so here are six of the best to take you on a continent-straddling journey around the globe. No passport required: they’re all easy to make at home, too.

PRETZEL - Germany
With a golden-brown crust, chewy interior, and sprinkled with coarse salt, pretzels are the iconic German beer companion. To make at home, knead 500g of strong white bread flour with 7g of yeast, 1.5 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp sugar and 300ml warm water to make a soft dough. Let it rise for an hour. Divide into eight portions, roll into a sausage, and make a pretzel shape. Boil for 30 seconds in water with 3 tbsp of baking soda. Bake at 220°C for 15 mins, then sprinkle with sea salt and serve warm.
Serve with: Franziskaner Kellerbier, Spaten and Löwenbräu

EDAMAME - Japan
Simple and addictive, edamame (boiled and salted young soybeans in their pods) provide a satisfying umami and salty hit. They’re also full of vitamins B1 and C. Their mild flavour and salty bite match seamlessly with crisp lagers, making them the perfect otsumami, Japanese snacks that pair with beer and sake.
To make them at home, buy frozen pods from most supermarkets, and boil them for four to five minutes in salty water. Drain and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt. You can also sprinkle a few chilli flakes and shichimi with a squeeze of lime juice.
Serve with: Corona Extra and Stella Artois Unfiltered.

PATATAS BRAVAS - Spain
Patatas bravas (brave potatoes) are crispy cubes of fried potatoes topped with spicy tomato sauce, and a staple in Spanish tapas bars. Their fiery kick and rich flavours pair beautifully with refreshing Spanish cervezas. To make them, fry a small, finely chopped onion until it’s soft, then add garlic, smoked paprika and cayenne and fry for another minute. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and 1 tsp of sugar and simmer for ten minutes. Deep-fry small cubes of potatoes (about eight minutes), then sprinkle with salt and mix.
Often served with a garlicky aïoli.
Serve with: Mahou, Hoegaarden and San Miguel Especial.

FRIED CLAMS - United States
Fried clams are a quintessential New England seafood beer snack. They offer a crunchy exterior and tender, briny interior. Toss 300g of fresh
clam meat (cleaned and shucked, or pre-prepared from your fishmonger – the fattest you can find) in a mixture of plain flour, cornflour, salt and pepper. Deep-fry at 180°C for two to three minutes, until golden and crispy. Drain briefly on kitchen paper
and serve immediately with lemon wedges and tartare sauce. They pair perfectly with American IPAs and pale ales.
Serve with: Goose Island IPA and Goose Island Midway.


QUAILS EGG - Vietnam
Bia hoi is Vietnam’s beloved fresh, light, golden beer brewed daily without preservatives. It’s served ice-cold in streetside joints across Hanoi for just pennies a glass, drunk on little plastic stools in the open air, and best paired with a staple snack of boiled quails’ eggs sprinkled with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime. These couldn’t be easier to prepare at home; boil them for three-and-a-half minutes and place directly into ice water. Once they’re cool, roll on a flat surface and peel. Serve with Maldon sea salt,
pepper, a wedge of lime and a glass of ice-cold beer.
Serve with: Budweiser and Hawkstone Lager

MASALA PEANUT CHAAT - India
In Mumbai, as the golden hour light glints off a chilled glass of beer, a little newspaper cone is heaped with warm roasted peanuts tossed with finely chopped red onions, juicy tomatoes, green chillies, coriander and a generous dusting of chaat masala. Give a squeeze of lime over the top, and you will have an almost perfect accompaniment to beer. To take the edge off the very finely chopped onions, soak them in a bowl of water for half an hour. You can roast the peanuts yourself in the oven or dry them in a pan and serve them warm.
Serve with: Vocation Life and Death.

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