Beer & Pretzels

About this board game

Beer & Pretzels is a 15-minute tabletop game for 2–5 players, released in 2009, in which players throw coasters onto a table and compete to collect the most money.

The core process is simple and wonderfully direct: throw coasters, receive money, then throw more coasters. Each coaster shows either pretzels or beer. Different pretzels have different values, while beer doubles your money, creating an enticing reason to keep tossing.

Visibility is crucial when scoring. Players only score items that are completely visible; a pretzel or beer coaster that is entirely or partially covered by another coaster does not count. The game ends with the player holding the most money, who wins.

• Players: 2–5
• Play time: 15 minutes
• Release year: 2009
• Key features: coaster throwing, visible-item scoring, varied pretzel values, and beer that doubles money

Beer & Pretzels presents its competitive atmosphere with plenty of room for bragging, name calling, self-high-fiving, and even the occasional brawl. The official description also includes an extensive cautionary warning covering an extraordinary range of possible side effects, from anxiety and double vision to yodeling and uncontrollable cravings for onion rings.

With its quick play time and easy-to-grasp scoring premise, this is a lighthearted contest of placement, visibility, and accumulating cash—until the final coaster decides who gets to claim victory.