‘Loki’ is Crazy Fun. Let’s Open Up a Can of Mischief with It!
The first episode of the MCU’s long-awaited Loki series just dropped on Disney+. What better beer pairing for a show all about the god of mischief than The Bruery’s Mischief Ale?
The Show: Superhero sci-fi adventure / 2021 / Marvel Studios – Disney
The Beer: Belgian Strong Golden Ale / 8.5% ABV / The Bruery – Placentia, CA
*Spoilers*
Strap in — WandaVision may have been gloriously weird, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was packed with action and suspense. But Loki? We’re only one episode in, and it’s already delving into territory that feels entirely new.
In order to not find your head totally twisted into a pretzel by Loki, it’s crucial to be up-to-date on the MCU, at least all of the Thor movies and the Avengers flicks (through Endgame). The show picks up shortly after the Avengers (Iron Man and Ant-Man) traveled back in time to 2012 in Endgame and inadvertently made it possible for Loki to steal the Tesseract and travel through time. Now Loki’s in trouble for causing an alternate timeline, and he’s quickly taken into custody by the Time Variance Authority.
There’s a ton of fun stuff here right in the first episode, from the infinity stones being powerless tchotchkes in the TVA offices to a throwaway gag that reveals Loki as D.B. Cooper. It’s also eerie and emotionally riveting as 2012-era Loki watches a tape of his life and discovers his regular time self is supposed to accidentally cause his mother’s death (as seen in Thor: The Dark World) and then reunite with his brother only to die himself a short while later at the hands of Thanos (Thor: Ragnarok and Infinity War).
Sure, the Marvel multiverse is nothing new. The comics have been exploring alternate timelines since the 1970s, though some may argue the initial concept started in the late 1930s with the introduction of Earth 616. As for cinematic adaptations, 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse went full throttle into the multiverse, and it did so very well.
Now with Loki we have the MCU officially dipping its toes into this stream of alternate timelines, where virtually anything can happen and no characters have to adhere to their old selves. One could suspect that Loki just exhausted all its energy upfront in the first episode, but knowing the character and the potential of the multiverse, it feels like everything is only just getting started.
It’s not clear where the next episodes of Loki will go, but they’ve set things up well for an infinite number of options. This is a very exciting time, and it’s more proof that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has plenty more tricks left up its sleeve post-Endgame and the O.G. Avengers.
The fact that Loki is the star here is just the cherry on top. After all, it’s pretty obvious fans weren’t ready to be done with the infamous god of mischief.
Okay, what about the beer?
Much like Loki himself, the beer pairing of choice for this show is also devilishly delightful. It’s a Belgian Strong Golden Ale, a style known for its smooth approachability and surprising whispers of spice from the yeast. It also tends to conceal an ABV on the higher end of the spectrum.
The Bruery’s Mischief has all of that, plus an extra level of fiendish revelry thanks to dry-hopping with an assortment of American-grown hops. There’s some ripe melon and pear notes here, plus a hint of peppery florals. Just like our titular character, this can of Mischief is enticingly complex.
It’s also worth nothing that California’s The Bruery keeps bringing this Mischief back because it’s still a solid favorite for many. Guess the similarities with Loki are more than just name and flavors!
New episodes of ‘Loki’ drop Wednesdays on Disney+.
