Olives, Tomato Juice and Peanuts – Things People Put in Their Beer

I was at a restaurant in Omaha recently. While enjoying a pizza and fries covered in various cheeses, at the table next to us was a bunch of folks celebrating someone's college graduation. When the server took the table's drink orders they all ordered 'red beer.'

I'd totally forgotten about red beer! I never knew about red beer until I moved to east-central Nebraska, and since I left I haven't heard it ordered. If you don't know, it's a beer with tomato juice in it. It tastes just like it sounds, beer with tomato juice in it.

After hearing this, my group started talking about the things people put in beer like olives, peanuts, salt and black pepper. I had never heard of any of these. The only thing we ever did with beer in western Nebraska was try to drink as much as fast we could. Now that I say that, maybe I ran with a troubled crowd in my younger days.

Anyways, it seems like I am the odd one out here. So, I turned to Google and searched for things people put in beer.

One site suggested banana juice and make a Bananenweizen. First, I didn't realize that bananas had juice. Second, can we stop trying to make beer sweet? The bitterness is part of the experience. Sweet is what schnapps is for.

Then, I saw a bunch of suggestions to use citrus. Now, I remember seeing that in commercials. Still don't get it, if I want an iced tea, I'll have an iced tea.

I read several mentions of people mixing Tabasco or chili pepper in their beer. Now, here's something I could get behind. Bitter, spicy and possibly delicious.

What do you put in your beer?

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