Published by Leonardo Calcagno
Movie screenwriters are known for their extreme imagination and for bringing to life fictional characters. Think Le Chiffre from Casino Royale or Keyser Söze from The Usual Suspects. It is not unusual to watch a movie where characters take beers either at home or in a club setting. You will see some of the usual brands you are used to in most of such movies.
However, some movie writers go beyond and create fictional beers that you will never find in any store. The choice of having made-up beers may be to avoid product placement or even make the movies more interesting. Made-up beers may follow the traditional brewing techniques while others come up with made-up brewing processes. This article will explore some of the best made-up beers from movies.
Panther Pilsner
Panther Pilsner is a made-up beer, as seen in the 1935 movie The Three Little Beers, created by The Three Stooges. The movie features a trio, Moe, Larry, and Curly, working in the fictional Panther Pilsner Brewing Company. They are a cheeky trio, and trouble erupts as they try to deliver beer and play golf.
In one instance, they sneak into a golf course where they intend to participate in a tournament sponsored by their employer. However, the tournament is exclusive, and only members are allowed to participate. They forge credentials and get into the tournament. However, they don’t understand the game’s rules, and the officials start getting suspicious.
When they are caught, they attempt to run away and a chase on the golf course ensues. They finally make it to their delivery truck and try speeding away. However, barrels of Panther Pilsner beer can be seen rolling down the streets as they drive away.
Heisler Beer
The beers we have covered so far have appeared in one production each. However, Heisler Beer has been featured in various movies and shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Social Network, Superbad, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, to mention a few. The beer is packaged in yellow, red or black cans or bottles.
This prop bear is a creation of Studio Graphics company. Heisler is very popular and has even earned “the Bud Light of fake beers” nickname. Studio Graphics started producing Heisler Beer in mid-to-late ’90s to avoid brand conflicts. The company has also created other fake brands like El Brazo and Cerveza Clara.
The filmmakers use this approach quite often. The same goes, for instance, for the locations. The Tangiers from the movie Casino doesn’t exist. The same goes for Springfield in Simpsons and, most recently, for the town of Patience, Colorado, in Resident Alien. Sometimes, it’s just easier to make the setting into a fake town.
Elsinore Beer
Even though Elsinore Beer is a fictional brand, it has become a part of Canadian pop culture and is well-known among beer lovers. When you think about this brand, you might imagine a random guy in Vaughan spinning games at Casino Days Ontario and streaming ice hockey while sipping Elsinore. We wouldn’t mind trying a bottle if it existed today.
Elsinore Beer is a fictional beer in the 1983 comedy Strange Brew. Brothers Bob and Doug McKenzie, the movie stars, join Elsinore Brewery as workers. It does not take long before they discover that the brewery is lacing Elsinore Beer with mind-controlling drugs.
Brewmeister Smith, the company’s head, wants to create an army of hypnotized hockey players. The two brothers employ a series of comedic mishaps to thwart the evil plan. They eventually expose Brewmeister Smith’s scheme to the authorities. The McKenzie brothers are eventually crowned the heroes even after maintaining their goofy and laid-back personas.
Jekyll Island Lager & Red Ale
Jekyll Island Lager & Red Ale are fictional beers that have also appeared in several titles. One of the most recent is the 2013 Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues film. The only thing Jekyll Island is famous for in real life is being the closest point to the Emerald Princess Casino cruise ship.
The beer is a purely fictional one. It had a “The beer that tastes like beer” tagline that shows a blend of simplicity and top-level creative marketing. Ron Burgundy, one of the stars of this movie is seen endorsing the brand and advertising it using a comical approach.
This creation of Independent Studio Services was first seen in 2002 in The Rules of Attraction movie. Jekyll Island Beer has also appeared on Dexter, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Lost, Community, New Girl, and Burn Notice.
Movies are mostly known for fictional characters. However, some also create fictional brands. There exist many fictional beer brands, but the above are some of the greatest of all time. The beauty of these brands is that they blend real-life experiences with some sort of creativity.