As a beer lover, I often find myself selecting out a brew to fit my mood. And as a movie lover, most of the time the two go hand in hand. So I decided to share some pairings of film and beer that I think go great together. Take a look at my pick of the month and hopefully you will enjoy it.


Beer Choice:
Great Lakes Burning River

Great Lakes Brewing Company is quickly becoming my favorite brewery that doesn’t distribute to my home state. They produce beers in popular styles, but do them very well. I have access to their beers in DC and Philly, thankfully, so I’ve been able to try a few of their brews. Most recently, I had their Burning River pale ale. I really liked this beer as an entry in the style. It was crisp with a refreshing amount of bitter in the end. The malt ratio is delicious without adding too much sweetness.


Movie Pairing:
The Toxic Avenger

The Toxic Avenger is B-Movie gold. It was released in 1984 by Troma Entertainment and slowly became a cult classic. It spawned 3 sequels, a children’s television show, and a musical. The movie is over the top and does what it can to push the envelope on decency and crazy story telling. The Toxic Avenger focuses on a janitor named Melvin Ferd who is tormented by a group of delinquent thugs that frequent the bowling alley Melvin works at. One day, they pull a stunt that ends with Melvin falling into a drum of toxic waste. As a result, Melvin becomes a superhuman monster. He vows to use his new found strength to rid the violent crime that plagues his city.

Burning River is named for the Cuyahoga River. It was the most polluted river in the country for a long while and caught fire numerous times. When it happened in 1969, the event gave birth to major ecological reforms in Ohio and helped clean up the water in the state. Great Lakes Brewing Co. is very conscience of their water usage and waste management and strive to be a very economical company. Much like the good that came from the pollution in the Cuyahoga River, the Toxic Avenger comes from toxic sludge to rid his city of crime. They’re a perfect match.