The Best Snacks for Alcohol-Free Beer, Compared and Paired
Published July 2026 · 6-minute read · by Rich, founder of Unhopped
Good beer deserves good snacks — and when you’re not drinking for the alcohol, the pairing carries more of the evening. We’ve spent a lot of time (and a lot of bags) working out which alcohol-free-friendly snacks are actually worth it. This is the honest comparison: what they are, what’s in them, and which beer each one belongs with.
Heads up: this guide contains affiliate links to The Curators and MORiSH. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — we only recommend snacks we’ve actually eaten. Full disclosure.
The snacks compared: macros & pairings
The full picture in one table — scroll sideways on mobile for the numbers.
| Snack | Type | Protein | Calories | Best beer match | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Curators Biltong | Beef biltong | ~13g | ~60 | Stout / porter | Buy |
| The Curators BBQ Protein Chips | Lentil chips | ~10g | ~147 | Hoppy IPA / pale ale | Buy |
| The Curators Pork Puffs | Pork puffs | High | Low | Crisp lager / pilsner | Buy |
| The Curators Cheesies | Baked cheese | High | Zero-carb | Amber / Belgian-style | Buy |
| MORiSH Chicharrónes | Pork puffs | High | Low | Spanish lager / pilsner | Buy |
| MORiSH Seaweed Thins | Seaweed | Light | Low-cal | Wheat beer / light lager | Buy |
| Cool Hog Original Scratchings | Pork scratchings | ~40g /100g† | ~604 /100g† | Amber ale / dark mild / stout | Buy |
Figures are approximate per bag and taken from each brand’s own product information; they vary by flavour, pack size and occasional reformulation. Always check the packet for the definitive nutrition panel. †Cool Hog is sold in jars and tubs rather than single-serve bags, so its figures are per 100g from the label.
How to pair snacks with alcohol-free beer
The principle is simple: match intensity with intensity. A delicate lager gets overwhelmed by a rich, meaty snack, while a bold stout makes a light one disappear. Three reliable pairings do most of the work:
Crisp lager or pilsner + light, salty bites
Think MORiSH Chicharrónes or The Curators Pork Puffs — airy, salty and high-protein, they clean up between sips without stealing the show. This is the barbecue-and-sunshine pairing; see our BBQ beer picks.
Shop The Curators pork puffs →Hoppy IPA or pale ale + bold, savoury crunch
Hops need something with attitude. The Curators BBQ Protein Chips — lentil-based, sweet-smoky and around 10g of protein a bag — stand up to a bitter IPA and add fibre while they’re at it.
Shop The Curators BBQ chips →Dark, malty beer + rich, meaty snacks
Roasty stouts and porters want depth in return. The Curators Original Beef Biltong is the match — British and Irish grass-fed beef, ~13g protein, ~60 kcal, and now nitrate-free. For the health-conscious, it’s hard to beat.
Shop The Curators biltong →The two brands, briefly
The Curators
Founded in 2018 by Max and Ed, The Curators build high-protein, low-carb, British-made snacks — biltong, pork puffs, lentil protein chips and their newer baked Cheesies cheese range. The through-line is real protein and bold flavour without the ultra-processed baggage; their biltong went nitrate-free and carries a Great Taste award. If you can’t choose, the Taster Box samples the lot.
Try The Curators Taster Box →MORiSH
MORiSH is our other regular — light pork chicharrónes and vegan seaweed thins that pair beautifully with crisp and Spanish-style zeros. We fold them into our Spanish beer guide for exactly that reason.
Cool Hog
The newest name on our snack shelf, and the most traditional: Cool Hog makes proper Black Country pork scratchings in Walsall — the style’s true home turf — from a classic Original jar (up to a 1kg monster) to a 10-flavour taster package spanning Habanero to Maple. All UK-made, seriously high in protein, and best paired with malty ambers, dark milds and stouts. There’s a Mystery Box for the brave and even a pick-your-own cookie box for the sweet course. Read our full Cool Hog review, or the deep history in our pork scratchings & alcohol-free beer guide.
Shop Cool Hog scratchings →Put it together
Pick your beer, pick the matching snack, and you’ve got a genuinely good night in with nothing to regret in the morning. Our Beer Finder will sort the beer; this page sorts the snack. And if you’re building a mixed case, add a couple of snack boxes to the order — the pairing is half the fun. Buying for someone else? Our alcohol-free gift guide rounds up the best presents for anyone cutting down. Want money off? See our alcohol-free snack discount codes.