- BGG rating
- 6.3
Beer & Pretzels: Purple Coaster Expansion
- 2–6 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2009
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,609
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Beer & Pretzels
2009
Rules assistance for Beer & Pretzels
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 15 min
- 6+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Beer & Pretzels
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Beer & Pretzels is a board game released in 2009 for 2–5 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Ted Alspach and its main mechanics are Tile Placement.
Expansions
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About the game
In Beer & Pretzels, players throw coasters onto a table. And then they get money. And then they throw more coasters. And then they get more money. This very complex and detailed process repeats until the end of the game at which point the player with the most money wins, just like in real life. At that point the winner will claim that Beer & Pretzels is the best game ever, and the losers will claim that the game is fundamentally flawed, and most likely broken. Just by coincidence, each coaster has an image of either pretzels or beer on it. Different pretzels have different values. Beer doubles your money. Players only score for items that are completely visible... items entirely or partially obscured by other coasters don’t count. There tends to be name calling, bragging, self-high-fiving and the occasional brawl during the game, all of which add to the rich atmosphere and theme. WARNING: Beer & Pretzels should be played with caution. Unmitigated use of this game could result in anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, lapsing into inconsistent foreign accents, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, double vision, drooling, impulsivity, restlessness, extreme hyperactivity, unusual changes in behavior, kidney problems, long term memory loss, narrow angle glaucoma, itching, right upper belly pain, insomnia, fever, an inability to line up buttons properly on dress shirts, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, unexplained flu-like symptoms, anal leakage, dizziness, yodeling, hive clusters, nausea, fainting upon standing, stiff muscles, uncontrollable cravings for onion rings, confusion, severe liver problems, barking, high fever, increased frequency of toe stubbing, dry mouth, constipation, sudden uncontrollable left-handedness and decreased appetite. This is not a complete list of potential side effects. Ask your doctor if Beer & Pretzels is right for you.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Le Joueur
- Bézier Games
Questions and answers
Beer & Pretzels supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Beer & Pretzels is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Beer & Pretzels for ages 6 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Beer & Pretzels has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Beer & Pretzels belongs to these categories: Humor and Action / Dexterity. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Beer & Pretzels are: Ted Alspach. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Beer & Pretzels as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.