Auntie Anne’s Takes on Beer: ‘Is Butter a Carb?’

Auntie Anne’s, the iconic pretzel franchise with over 1,800 locations, has announced a limited-edition Oktoberfest lager, “Is Butter a Carb?”

According to the release, the new beer is “an innovative riff on the timeless Oktoberfest beer style,” brewed with both imported German hops and malts as well as fresh-baked Auntie Anne’s soft pretzels.

“The only thing better than pretzels AND beer is pretzels IN beer," Trevor Hayward, co-founder of Evil Genius, said in the release. “We really wanted to tie the brands together in a fun way that reminds you of biting into a warm pretzel with every sip.”

Auntie Anne’s was originally founded in early 1988, meaning that many of the people who enjoyed the soft pretzels throughout their childhood are of beer-drinking age. Partnering with Evil Genius is not only timely but a great way for the brand to stir up some nostalgia among demographics who are already well aware of the brand.

"We're thrilled to collaborate with Auntie Anne's. We all have such fond memories of their hot, handmade pretzels, and that kind of nostalgia is exactly the kind of feeling we love to deliver with our beers. The taste and smell will bring this seasonal beverage to life in a way unlike any other Oktoberfest-style beer before," Kevin Keller, National Sales Manager for Evil Genius, said in the release.

The number of Auntie Anne’s franchises in the U.S. has been on a steady decline since 2018, and the total number of stores has been trending down since 2020. Though it is not explicitly stated in any company materials, this collaboration very well could be an attempt to garner a bit of attention for the brand.

Oktoberfest is the world’s largest beer celebration, lasting at least two weeks in Munich and rippling to smaller cities internationally. Collaborating with a brewery near the brand’s birthplace for such an event and launching a unique product — the first time the pretzels have ever been used as an ingredient in another recipe — is sure to get fans talking.

And, as potential customers reminisce on old times with Auntie Anne’s pretzels, the physiological impacts of nostalgia will play a critical role. 

“The reward centers of the brain, including the hippocampus, the substantia nigra, the ventral tegmental area, and ventral striatum are activated during nostalgic activity,” medical doctor Heidi Moawad wrote in a NeurologyLive article. Since the reward center is involved, pleasant feelings often accompany nostalgic ones. 

Though a pretzel beer isn’t going to make or break an over three-decade-old brand, this new product launch and the potential physiological response to it certainly create an interesting dynamic among ever-declining Auntie Anne’s locations and their wistful customers.

Read the full press release at franchising.com.