3 Beer Pairings for Spider-Man: No Way Home

Whether you got hooked on Spider-Man decades ago or were drawn in when Tom Holland first stepped into the spidey suit in 2016, this is the movie for you.  

The Movie: Superhero Action-Adventure / 2021 / Marvel Studios – Disney

The Beers: Three beers for three heroes!

*Spoilers* (Really, just go back to the home page now if you haven’t seen it yet and don’t want to know what happens.)

Spider-Man: No Way Home is being heralded as the movie that’s getting people back into theaters since the onset of the COVID pandemic, and it’s completely understandable why.

Not only is it a welcome return to one of the MCU’s most successful sub-franchises and one of Marvel’s most popular superheroes ever, but it’s also a film unapologetically packed with fan service and nostalgia. Whether you got hooked on Spider-Man decades ago or were drawn in when Tom Holland first stepped into the Spidey suit in 2016, this is the movie for you.

Back in 2018, Spider-Man: into the Spider-Verse showed us an animated version of what things could be like if all the comic renditions of Spider-Man met each other and had to work together to fight evil. It ended up being totally awesome, and I’m still waiting for a live action Miles Morales Spider-Man movie (maybe after Tom Holland? Take a hint, Marvel). Based on what little sneak peaks I saw before going to see No Way Home, it did seem like the multiverse was exactly where the direction the new movie was headed. This year’s Marvel TV shows — particularly Loki — were strong indicators as well.

But I’ve been disappointed by the MCU before (that awful “she’s got help” scene, anyone?) I hoped Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Mans would show up. I wanted them to be in the new movie. I was fairly sure they would. But at the end of the day, I was too afraid to do much pre-viewing research out of fear of disappointment. I was also nervous that even if they did appear, they would be restricted to just mere fan service cameos.

Well, my fellow Spidey-sensitive friends, there is definitely fan service in the new movie. Lots of it. Though instead of coming across as straight-up pandering, the trio of Spideys made for a genuinely good time. It’s campy for sure, but only the truly cynical will say it’s lacking in fun.

When Andrew Garfield showed up, the entire theater screamed in joy. When Tobey Maguire entered, there was loud, reverent awe. And the villains! Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina, Thomas Haden Church, Rhys Ifans, and perhaps most significantly of all, Willem Dafoe, all return to reprise their roles. And best of all, not a single one of these appearances was restricted to a mere cameo (the only actual cameo was Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock).

The bulk of the movie is a complex, yet rewarding, romp of multiverse villains and heroes battling things out and solving their problems. It’s the kind of concept that would have seemed nuts back when the MCU first started — back when the only film Spider-Man we knew was Tobey Maguire, and he’d already retired his red and blue spandex. But now, it’s kind of plotline that fits in wonderfully well with a universe that includes aliens, time travel and an ever-growing appreciation for meta humor.

No Way Home is a romp for sure, grounded in a certain degree of tragedy we’ve come to expect from the MCU (Marisa Tomei, we’ll definitely miss your Aunt May). If anything, the only thing that’s truly disappointing is that the ending seems to close off this webbed section of the multiverse for future tri-Spidey adventures.

But it’s been really fun, boys.

Beer Pairings for Spider-Man: No Way Home

Like all great MCU films, this movie’s definitely worth a re-watch. So, when you do get the chance to stream, here are three beer pairings for Spider-Man: No Way Home in honor of all Spideys past and present:

Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man — Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale

Two very interesting things happened in 2002. First, Spider-Man hit theaters, becoming the very first movie to pass the $100,000,000 mark in one weekend (even when adjusting for inflation) and affirming widespread public interest in superhero films. Second, Colorado’s Oskar Blues became the first craft brewery to put their beer into cans, launching an entire movement that would change the beer industry forever.

Dale’s Pale Ale remains a favorite go-to, and it’s been cited as the beer that got many into craft in the first place. Sure, a sip of Dale’s today doesn’t have the mind-blowing complexity of the more modern hop-forward brews on the market. And if you’ve tried it before, there’s a chance it doesn’t even taste as good as you remember. But still, there’s nothing like a good trip down nostalgia lane.

Crack open a 6.5% ABV can, and let the easygoing notes of florals and citrus wash over you as you cheer on Maguire swinging from the web again — which, by the way, comes straight out of his wrists rather than the sciencey web shooters the other guys have.

*Bonus Beer*

First Bite Pale Ale / 5.5% ABV / Spider Bite Beer Co. — Holbrook, NY.

Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man — Wild East Brewing Standard Deviation

As far as fandom goes, it feels like Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man never really got a fair shake. Despite being critically praised, the fact that 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man revisited many of the same plot points as its 2002 predecessor made it feel a bit been there, done that. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 racked up mixed reviews in 2014, and Garfield’s status as the web-slinger was quickly diluted by the MCU debuting Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War just two years later. It didn’t take long for Garfield’s third appearance to be scrapped.

But I have to say, Garfield’s role in No Way Home surprised me by being among the movie’s best components. Awkward, funny, nerdy and emotional — his Peter Parker is both genuine and refreshingly complex.

Which is why Wild East Brewing’s Standard Deviation makes for a great beer pairing. A 6% Stout, the beer at first seems like something you’ve tried before. Take your time with each sip though, and there’s far more than meets the eye. A big dose of flaked oats brings a stunningly full, creamy body, while malty coffee and toasted hazelnut notes add shine through in surprising complexity. As one Untappd reviewer says, “Is this becoming my new favorite Stout??”

It also doesn’t hurt that Wild East also hails from New York, or that Hop Culture named them one of the most underrated breweries in America last year. It’s about time we all started paying more attention to Wild East, and to The Amazing Spider-Man.

*Bonus Beer*

Midnight Spider / Stout / 11.2% ABV / Junkyard Brewing Co. — Moorhead, MN

Tom Holland’s Spider-Man — Lumberbeard Brewing Friendly Neighborhood Kolsch

The youngest Spidey incarnation still isn’t old enough to drink — he’s entering his senior year of high school in the new movie. But he’s living on his own by the end of the movie, and actor Tom Holland is really 25 years old anyway. This Spidey goes through an awful lot in No Way Home, so get the man a beer!

There are a number of modern superhero-themed craft beers to choose from. But for Holland’s Spidey, only something truly delightful will do. This is the Spidey that broke the mold, after all. We didn’t get the same-old, same-old origin story, and he actually stayed in high school rather than being rushed through it. He was buddies with Tony Stark, and he fought alongside the Avengers in freakin’ space (that conversation between the different Spider-Mans about alien villains was gold by the way). As we know now, this Spider-Man is in an entirely different universe than the others we’ve known, and that just means more freedom for creativity.

Above all, Holland’s rendition captures that friendly neighborhood Spider-Man feeling. This is a guy still very much a part of his community, and it’s his classmates, family and neighbors who mean the world to him. That’s why I’m going with Lumberbeard Brewing’s Friendly Neighborhood Kolsch.

Washington’s Lumberbeard is a local gem in Spokane, but beers like this one have been helping them gain recognition on the national craft map. Deservedly so. Light in body yet brimming with flavor, Friendly Neighborhood Kolsch is tasty refreshment in a can. Hoppy florals meet bready malts, and it all leads to a crisp finish that’s easy to return to again and again. It’s only 4.8%, but hey, this Spider-Man hasn’t even gone to college yet.

*Bonus Beer*

Pix of Spiderman / Sour Ale / 5.5% ABV / Wrong Crowd Beer Co. — West Chester, PA

But Which One Do I Choose?

Struggling to pick a beer pairing? The movie runtime is 2 hours and 28 minutes, so if you’re feeling as crazy as a Tobey Maguire-era villain, you could totally imbibe all three. But this is 2021 (almost 2022!), and we’re a lot more health conscious now than we were 20 years ago. My suggestion is to use your Spidey sense and honor the portrayal that first drew you into the web-slinger’s movie world.

Or heck, just plan for multiple viewings. Like its predecessors, this Spider-Man movie is going to be worth re-watching for years to come.