March Madness is ON and you’re gonna need the right snacks, like these spicy beer nuts made with a serious lager. And this mix of spicy nuts is guaranteed  to pair brilliantly with college basketball, as well as another lager or two.

Although this recipe would work with a wide variety of lagers, we went with Lawson’s Lager a crisp 5% ABV refresher from Waitsfield, Vermont’s Lawson’s Finest Liquids and it got it done brilliantly.

As of early 2026, Lawson’s Lager is widely distributed across their footprint, which includes Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and North Carolina.

So, let’s do this!

Lawson’s Lager Spicy Beer Nuts

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw peanuts (or almonds, cashews, or mixed nuts)
• ½ cup of Lawson’s Lager
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp butter (melted)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Make the Glaze: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine beer and brown sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves, then let it simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
3. Coat the Nuts: Remove from heat and stir in butter, salt, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add the nuts and toss to coat evenly.
4. Bake: Spread the nuts in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20–25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until caramelized and golden brown.
5. Cool & Serve: Let the nuts cool completely—they will crisp up as they sit. Store in an airtight container.

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