‘Always Sunny’ is Back! Beers to Pair with Season 15
‘Sunny’ is back, baby! It looks like a lot of craft brewers are excited too.
The Show: Comedy-Sitcom / 2005-present / FXX – 3 Arts Entertainment
The Beers: Always Sunny, always delicious — eight beers for the new season’s eight new episodes.
People who know me well know that It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is my favorite show of all time.
I mean, how could it not be? For a show that’s about a group of self-serving morons, Sunny is crazy smart and stomach-hurting funny. I’ve laughed so hard I could barely breathe more times than I can count. I still never get tired of rewatching episodes — like Arrested Development, this is the type of show where repeat visits only reveal more hilarious details.
Start with Season 1 (the before Frank time! It’s weird!) and work your way through the seasons, and you’ll notice just how much Sunny shape shifts throughout its run. That’s even with all the attention to detail and continuity that far surpasses that of any other sitcom (Charlie’s “BADNEW” tattoo, anyone?). Seriously, the show once criticized as “smug enough to think it’s breaking ground, but not smart enough to know it isn’t” has proven itself one of those extremely rare unicorns of a show — comedy OR drama — that’s only gotten better with time.
The gang is constantly trying out new angles, schemes, stylistic formats and social commentary — it’s just damn brilliant. Best of all, season 15 just landed on FXX and Hulu, which officially makes Always Sunny the longest running live-action comedy series ever.
Unsurprisingly, Sunny has not been stacked with awards and widespread Hollywood recognition throughout its run. Of course not. Such acclaim for sitcoms is reserved for much tamer, safer shows like Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory. Don’t get me wrong — those each had solid runs. But they’re no Sunny. Back in Season 9, the gang even explored this very subject in “The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award,” which is easily among their best-written episodes. As it turns out, they don’t actually need awards to be happy or keep achieving excellence, but wouldn’t it be nice if awards went to the genuinely deserving instead of the politically-correct formulas?
Speaking of politically correct, Sunny is not and never has been (Season 15 kicks off talking about this very subject, in a way only the gang can). Some have even questioned why cancel culture hasn’t come to claim this ridiculously offensive, irreverent and crude show as its next takedown prize. To borrow a line from Dennis Reynolds, it’s because of the implication. To take down Sunny would suggest something nobody wants — that one really has no sense of humor or intelligence at all.
Fortunately, the craft beer world is full of people who are blessed with both.
Beer Pairings for Season 15 of ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’
As a testament to the show’s enduring relevance, there is an entire sea of beers named after or inspired by It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. There’s also breweries that take things beyond just the beer name, like Arizona’s Rickety Cricket Brewing. But exploring the entirety of the show’s impact on the brewing world would take weeks if not months. So, I’ll keep things simple here.
In honor of the eight episodes in the new season, here are eight beer pairings for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia:
The Gang Comes Out of the Barrel: Rum Ham — Listermann Brewing Co.
The gang’s back out! And just like many of the show’s best episodes, this Imperial Brown Ale from Ohio’s Listermann Brewing has a lot of moving parts. Working in collaboration with New Jersey’s Bolero Snort Brewery, Listermann aged this stacked sipper in rye and bourbon barrels with a crazy lineup of ingredients: chocolate, vanilla, hot chocolate, mocha and wait for it, deep fried cookies, candy bars AND funnel cake.
I know, right? The whole thing seems like it’d be a sugar fest if not for the barrel aging. It also clocks a very gang-approved 12.4% ABV. As I tell anyone who doesn’t really watch Sunny but is somewhat familiar with it, there’s a lot more here than meets the eye.
Want to really go nuts? Try pairing the beer with this recipe for rum ham.
The Nightman Leaveth — Odd Side Ales
One of the most memorable episodes to date is certainly “The Nightman Cometh,” a.k.a. that one with the full-scale musical Charlie wrote about his love for the Waitress and his dark childhood. Featuring a troll, karate and an awkward hug between siblings, the whole thing was so entertaining that the cast went on to perform it live for a limited run. Numerous beers have been named after it, and Odd Side’s The Nightman Leaveth is one of the standouts.
To craft this Double Milk Stout, the Michigan brewery used plenty of rich, toasty dark malts, then wove in lactose for a silky body. They also aged it in rye whiskey barrels on vanilla beans. The 11% ABV result is velvety smooth and creamy with an enticing rye spiciness floating underneath.
Hop Hop Troll Troll — Odd13 Brewing
Speaking of “The Nightman Cometh,” Frank (Danny DeVito, but you knew that) plays the troll who may or may not be inspired by Charlie’s mom. It’s a whole can of worms, and you should really just watch the show if you’re still reading this and have yet to get into it. But anyway, one look at Odd13’s Hop Troll series can art, and it’s obvious that Frank’s troll served as the inspiration.
While Odd13’s Hop Troll series in general is a solid hit, Hop Hop Troll Troll ranks among the most memorable of the bunch. A thick and juicy double rendition of their base beer, this brew explodes with hazy hop juice. Just don’t forget to pay the troll toll before you dive in.
Kitten Mittens — Kulshan Brewing Co.
I think the opening to “Paddy’s Pub: Home of the Original Kitten Mittens” might have been the episode that persuaded my mom to give the show a try. Something about a cat slipping its way across a coffee table in little socks is just too adorable not to keep watching. Is your cat fat, skinny or an in-between? Do you like beer? You’ll be smitten with Kulshan Brewing Co.’s Kitten Mittens Winter Ale!
Brewed in Bellingham, Washington, the Ale boasts a four-way malt bill and an assortment of Apollo, Willamette, Fuggle hops. It’s a nice medium-body brew with notes of caramel and fig, wrapped in gentle hop bitterness. Super balanced stuff… unlike a cat wearing kitten mittens.
As many fans will note though, in the actual episode it’s spelled “Kitten Mittons” thanks to Charlie’s struggles with literacy.
Rock Flag Eagle — Brix City Brewing
Waaaay back in season 2, Charlie becomes so overwhelmed with patriotism that he explodes in improvised song:
“I’m gonna rise up, gonna kick a little ass. Gonna kick some ass in the U.S.A. Gonna climb a mountain, gonna sew a flag, gonna fly on an Eagle. I’m gonna kick some butt, I’m gonna drive a big truck, I’m gonna rule this world, gonna kick some ass… ROCK, FLAG AND EAGLEEE!”
It’s alarming and weird, and it’s at the forefront of a long string of odd outbursts over the years from Charlie. The brewers at New Jersey’s Brix City are fans. They frequently do pop culture beers, but there’s quality in the can. Rock Flag Eagle IPA comes with big doses of New Zealand Wai-iti and Nelson Sauvin hops for juicy complexity. If you can avoid belting out in joyous song right away, let each sip linger for notes of stone fruit and peach gummy rings, followed by aftershocks of citrus zest and fresh mandarin orange.
Ponderosa IPA — Prescott Brewing Co.
It’s tough to pick a favorite Ponderosa moment. I love when Bill Ponderosa nonsensically refers to his house as “Ponderosa’s ponderosa” and when Maureen Ponderosa gradually transitions into a feline. But if I had to choose, it’d probably be the moment in “Being Frank” when we discover that Frank has apparently been socializing with “Pondy” for years ever since their introduction — “Pondy’s the coolest!”
Frank’s very wrong about that, of course. But Prescott Brewing Co.’s Ponderosa IPA is pretty cool. A 6.5% ABV IPA, this one is a pleasant balance of florals and pine. It’s a West Coast style, so there’s a nice bitterness starting in the middle and carrying through the end. Refreshing stuff.
And so what if the beer is named after the Ponderosa pine tree rather than two of Sunny‘s best side characters (RIP Maureen, er, Bastet). I don’t think Pondy would turn it down.
Paddy’s – Irish Stout — Sunriver Brewing Co.
Season 15 includes a trip to Ireland for the gang, which is pretty impressive seeing as they very rarely leave Philly (Charlie especially). They’ll naturally be doing quite a bit of drinking there, so it only makes sense to only an Irish-style brew here! Sunriver is actually in Oregon, but their Paddy’s – Irish Stout is all Emerald Isle.
An Export-style Stout, Paddy’s is a dark Ale with plenty of palate-pleasing roasted bitterness. The body is smooth and almost creamy feeling in the middle, but the finish is dry and clean. It’s also got a nice and easygoing 6.5% ABV so you can stay alert for a couple episodes in a row.
Chardee MacDennis — Bine Valley Brewing
Remember chardee macdennis? The gang’s riotous board / drinking / puzzle game is ridiculously complex, while being straightforward enough to look insanely fun. If you’re interested in playing with friends, the game now has its own chardee macdennis website.
In the meantime, you can honor the game of games with Bine Valley’s beer of beers. Another Oregon brew, Chardee Macdennis is only lightly hazy and brims with a balance of hoppy pine resin and fruit notes. The finish is on the dry side, leaving you ready for more sips. If you don’t grab this one for an episode, it’ll be the perfect accompaniment for an hours-long game.
*Bonus Beer* Coors Light — Coors Brewing Co.
I know, I know. Coors Light? Really? Yes, really. Even if you’re a diehard craft beer fan, it doesn’t take many episodes of Always Sunny to realize it’s one of the main beers they drink. In fact, it’s the only “real” beer they drink — the rest are all made-for-TV beer brands, like Brockman. From the bar taps to the wall decor to the beers in hand, Coors Light abounds.
Yes, it’s light and pretty darn carbonated, but it’s also kind of refreshing if you’re not concentrating too hard on the flavor. There are really subtle notes of cereal grains and bread though, and you can always pair it with milk steak and fine jelly beans.
Whatever you do though, don’t try to keep up with the gang’s beer drinking. As has been well-established by now, they’re unapologetic alcoholics.
Happy viewing, you golden god!
