There are few better pleasures than drinking a nice cold beer every now and then.
As beer lovers, we all know that. However, I often enjoy pairing my drink with a TV show or a movie about the very same – beer!
Everybody loves to watch movies and TV, and many of us like to enjoy a nice cold drink while we do it, but most may not have focused their movies and TV around beer itself.
Thankfully, there are plenty of TV shows and movies about beer to choose from. In my guide below, I’m going to pick out the very best of both formats.
On the whole, they’re going to feature beer in a mostly fun and entertaining way, to accompany your own ice cold drink.
Whatever your tastes, there’s bound to be something you love – so get reading and enjoying!
What Are The Best TV Shows About Movies And Beer?
As I noted, the TV shows and movies on this list are going to be fun, covering the joys of drinking beer responsibly.
Of course, there are plenty of shows and movies about the darker side of drink – alcoholism. Looking at movies alone, there are plenty of great ones.
For example, famous and award winning masterpieces like “The Lost Weekend” (1945) and “Leaving Las Vegas” (1995) are very important, but they’re not quite what you’d want to watch while enjoying a beer one evening.
For this reason, these lists either focus on breezy and boozy fun shows and movies, or documentaries that cover the fascinating history of beer.
The Best Movies About Beer
The World’s End (2013)
This is the third part in Edgar Wright’s “Cornetto Trilogy”, a series of action comedies that are cult favorites of many movie fans.
Coming after the zombie movie “Shaun of the Dead” and the cop comedy “Hot Fuzz”, the third movie, “The World’s End”, looked at a group of friends trying to complete an apic bar crawl.
For those who have never done one, a bar crawl is when you go to a whole series of different bars in one night, having a drink at each.
The group of friends undertaking this particular bar crawl have grown apart since their school days, and this trip is supposed to be a way for them to reconnect and share a drink – or thirteen!
Their thirteen-bar trip is interrupted, though, by an alien threat. Hey, it happens to all of us! It’s a fun and funny movie with plenty of beer, as well as many English bars to look at.
Strange Brew (1983)
This Canadian cult classic movie is filled with beer and laughs. It stars Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas.
You’ll recognize Rick Moranis from the first “Ghostbusters” movie, and he’s every bit as funny in this great comedy.
The plot is about two boozy brothers, Moranis and Thomas, who get a job at the factory which produces their favorite beer.
You’d think it would be a dream job, but they find out that the manufacturer plans to lace their beer with a mind control drug.
Can these two brothers save the world – and get drunk in the process?
Drinking Buddies (2013)
This affectionate and realistic indie comedy romance is about drinking and relationships.
The plot involves two co-workers at a Chicago craft-brewery, which means that it pays plenty of attention to the production of beer, as well as the drink itself.
The two, Luke and Kate, spend most of their time drinking and avoiding work.
However, there are also some romantic sparks flying between them – which is a problem, because they both have partners.
It’s a hilarious and complicated story about adult love, which the director came up with when he got a brewing set-up as a birthday present.
The Bad News Bears (1976)
This is a comedy classic from director Michael Ritchie, but you may also want to check out the 2005 remake from director Richard Linklater, the king of laidback hangout movies.
“The Bad News Bears” is all about an alcoholic ex-baseball star who has to coach a failing youth baseball team (the Bears) full of hilarious kids.
The film is perfect for enjoying with a beer, because the coach (a fantastically disheveled, drink-heavy Walter Matthau) is often holding a can or two of beer while trying to get the (hilariously untalented) kids to win their baseball games.
The film is especially heartwarming due to the bond that forms between the coach and the kids.
The Best TV Shows About Beer
Dark Horse Nation (2014-Onwards)
This is a fascinating documentary TV show that looks into an inspirational success story all about beer brewing. It focuses on Dark Horse Brewing Co. who began in 1997 in a small city in Michigan.
Yet despite the humble beginnings, they’ve grown their brewery into great success, becoming a household name and now distribute their beer in a dozen states.
The show focuses on the ups and downs of the brewing business from an intimate perspective.
Prohibition (2011)
Another TV documentary, this time by the famous Ken Burns. This looks at the Prohibition that America had between 1920 and 1933, which banned alcohol.
It’s a fascinating insight into an interesting time, and asks questions that are still relevant today.
Brew Dogs (2013-2015)
You’ll likely have heard of the famous brewing company BrewDog, and this show is all about the founders of the company, two Scottish men.
The show reflects their love for craft beer, and shows their journey to bring their affection to America.
The pair stop at American cities and drink local beer, while also creating their own brews inspired by the places.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of TV shows and movies about beer – find your new favorites with my list!
If you enjoyed this article, you might enjoy our post on ‘How To Build A Hop Filter For Homebrew‘.