‘Dumb and Dumber’ Paired with Some Seriously ‘Dumb’ Beers

One of the biggest hits of 1994 holds up well nearly 30 years later. Here are some beer pairings that may or may not be as “dumb” as they appear. 

The Movie: Buddy Comedy / 1994 / New Line Cinema – Katja Motion Picture Corp. – Krevoy/Stabler/Wessler Production

The Beers: Silly, at least on the surface!

About a month ago, my boyfriend and I attempted to watch Billy Madison for the first time in years. Ten minutes of cringing later, we turned it off. Whereas other old Adam Sandler flicks manage to hold up, this one made it abundantly clear why so many adults back then found his humor overly juvenile. As a kid, I thought they simply didn’t get it — turns out they just had basic comedic standards.

So, when I sat down for a nostalgic viewing of Dumb and Dumber with my brother and his girlfriend the other week, I felt a wave of caution wash over me. Would this beloved pillar of ’90s childhood also crumble in the eyes of cynical adulthood?

No! We all laughed so hard that I ended up insisting on a rewatch a couple nights ago with my boyfriend. This feast of buffoonery is timeless gold!

See, gleeful stupidity is the name of the game in Dumb and Dumber. Unlike Billy Madison — where Billy only acts “dumb” because he grew up spoiled and never had to achieve anything — Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne are genuine morons who have no clue just how far down the smart stick they are.

Impeccable performances by both Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels also add surprising depth to each character. Pay attention, and you’ll see each convincingly portray a full range of emotions during their journey. Even when they’re behaving their worst, tangible innocence keeps them likable. For the record, there is no such redemption in the case of Billy Madison.

Acting aside, what’s truly amazing here is the movie’s unabashed commitment to every idiotic scene of itself. This is a Farrelly Brothers movie, and so the juvenile humor abounds. But whether it’s Harry squirming on the toilet after being dosed with a bunch of laxatives or Lloyd yelling about their pet bird’s head falling off, nothing is simply tongue-in-cheek. Every last detail — right down to the missing leg on the boys’ apartment couch — is thought-out and executed with purpose. It’s not Citizen Kane, but it’s basically the Citizen Kane of dumb humor.

So for those willing to take note and go all-in on their next viewing of Harry and Lloyd’s cross-country shenanigans, here are some beer pairings! These four may be dumb on the surface, but they nevertheless make for a good time:

Coors Light – Molson Coors

There’s a scene in the middle of the movie where the guys eat a bunch of hot peppers and then proceed to desperately relieve their burning mouths with ketchup and mustard. Sometimes when you’re looking for refreshment, you just don’t have a lot of options. And when you don’t, there are definitely far worse ways to go than Coors Light. It gets a lot of flack, but darn it all, it works as a warm weather quencher. Like Dumb and Dumber, the beer is a modern classic.

If there’s anything actually dumb about this beer, it’s that the brewers actually seem to advocate for it being served as cold as possible. The mountains on the label even turn blue when it reaches extra-chilly temps, just so you can be sure it’s “as cold as the Rockies.” As beer purists will note, this simply doesn’t make sense because ideal serving temperatures — even for light lagers — are never ice cold. Beer that’s too cold suffers from lessened flavor, an area where Coors Light is already frequently criticized.

Admittedly though, it’s still fun to watch the mountains turn blue. Hey, we’re watching Dumb and Dumber here — class was never the goal.

Budweiser Select 55 – Anheuser-Busch InBev

Craft beer fans frequently bash macro beers, but craft brewers often hold a different opinion. Whether or not they actually enjoy the taste of beers like Budweiser Select 55, many craft brewers hold their macro counterparts in high esteem. According to those I’ve met, macro brands tend to have long, rich histories that helped advance the industry. More importantly, the high volume and wide distribution territories of macro beers means that the folks who brew them can’t afford to make any missteps. One improperly calculated ingredient or adjusted temperature can lead to major complaints. Just as slapstick comedies like Dumb and Dumber may be not be “Oscar material,” the genre itself is worthy of respect.

That said, the beer here is not without its criticism. I’ve heard Bud Light compared to pee plenty of times, but one review of Budweiser Select 55 (intentioned to be the “lightest beer in the world”) on RateBeer referred to the brew as “bunny pee.” Ironically, RateBeer is owned by AB Inbev. Kudos to them for not altering the ratings I guess?

If you find the mentions of pee here too crass, then Dumb and Dumber isn’t the movie for you. On their road trip, Lloyd and Harry hand off a beer bottle full of pee to a police officer who pulled them over, who for some reason decides that the best thing to do is to chug the “beer” right in front of them. Cheers.

Dumb Fruit – Evil Twin NYC

Evil Twin loads this recurring series of sour ales up with so much fruit, even they’re saying the quantities are ludicrous. And the flavor combos — just bonkers! Dumb Fruit 7 – Apple, Pear, Cranberry, Maple is the most recent, but previous iterations have seen berries lined up with raspberry yogurt pretzels and peach gummy rings in the same brew as mango and mandarin.

But actually dumb or not, these combos and stacked fruit quantities make for some crazy delicious beers. Each sip is a full-on barrage of sour and sweet, which also pretty much describes the Farrelly Brothers’ brand of humor.

And for those who aren’t familiar, Dumb Fruit is actually one of Evil Twin’s tamer beer names. Here’s just one example on their current menu: Someone Just Walked By Me with a Surfboard in Prospect Park IPA.

Big Gulps, Huh? – 81Bay Brewing Co.

There’s a famous throwaway bit in Dumb and Dumber where Lloyd sees some guys drinking sodas and remarks very enthusiastically, “Big Gulps, huh? Alright! Welp, see ya later.” It’s so unexpected and profoundly silly that it becomes one of the standout moments of the whole movie.

No, this beer doesn’t actually taste like a Big Gulp soda (though there are certainly some beers out there these days that do). Instead, it’s a smooth and sippable IPA with juicy fruit flavors from Citra and Mosaic hops. There are some notes of candied citrus and pineapple in here as well, which feels fitting for a couple of guys who just loaded up on road trip treats at a convenience store.

The real reason for the name? As Tampa’s 81Bay Brewing says, “This deceivingly drinkable IPA will make you want to take big gulps but we recommend taking it slow.”