Revisiting ‘Brazil’ with a Dystopian IPA

There’s so much to take in with the 1985 dystopian flick that it’s worth rewatching. When you do, Burial Brewing’s In Between Dystopia and Desire helps reveal the nuanced beauty tucked between the weirdness. 

The Movie: 1985 / Dystopian Sci-Fi Black Comedy / Universal

The Beer: Triple IPA with oats and Candi sugar / 10% ABV / Burial Beer Co. – Asheville, NC

Burial Beer Co. describes In Between Dystopia and Desire IPA as follows:

“What you have. Not what you need. The paradox between aspiration and satisfaction. The reckoning we may all want.”

Much as I appreciate Burial’s tongue-in-cheek assessment of their own suds, I think that description applies far more to the movie, Brazil, rather than this beer. Does anybody truly need beer? No, of course not. But do I certainly want more full-bodied sips of this shockingly refreshing quencher right from the first 10% taste? Yes, indeed. To me, this stuff isn’t stuck between aspiration and satisfaction — it IS satisfaction.

The same can’t quite be said for Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. I admit I didn’t care for this dystopian daydream the first time I watched it a few years ago. Somewhere between all the air ducts and plastic surgery I got tired of raising my eyebrows. So when my boyfriend threw it on the other day, I initially brushed it off as something quirky to have on in the background while I did other things.

Only this go-around with Brazil was different. What once was a freakish nightmare was now a clever work of magic realism, set in a dystopian parody of bureaucracy.  I even became enamored with all the air ducts, though the plastic surgery was still a bit spooky.

I don’t know if the folks at Burial Beer. Co. have ever seen Brazil. But if so, the beer’s description makes a whole lot more sense.

The Movie: Brazil is a Bizarrely Stunning Movie

On the surface, Brazil is an ugly movie. Literally. Air duct hosing is the common theme here, introduced right from the get-go with a fake ad — “Are your ducts old and tired?” Spaces that would otherwise be brightly colored or visually interesting (like the holiday party scene, set in a large Art Deco style apartment) are tainted with mosaics of bare, gray duct hoses. In fact, the only scenes that don’t have duct hoses running through them are those that are already plain and gray on their own. The people are likewise dull or verging on grotesque in their features, which is often made worse by intrusive and awkward mannerisms (Jim Broadbent’s plastic surgeon character is exceptionally uncomfortable).

But upon closer examination, the visual turnoffs are the cherry on top of some truly interesting deigns. And because of that, it’s really kind of beautiful. Each scene is like an “I Spy” puzzle, layered with nuances that either expand upon Gilliam’s world or poke fun of contemporary society.

It’s all surprisingly funny too. From the nun carrying a “consumers for Christ” banner in a shopping center to the yellow pacifier among a sadistic surgeon’s tools (see below), there’s so much to take in here. It’s the kind of movie you could watch a few times and still not see everything. While not the gut-busting black comedy of Gilliam’s Monty Python days, it’s still chuckle-worthy stuff.

The humor’s in the action too. When I did actually burst out laughing, it was when armed guards assault the main character upon entry to his mother’s party, demanding to see an invitation. One could compare the whole movie to an extra elaborate, drawn-out Monty Python sketch, but that would be an oversimplification.

Though not quite satisfying by the end, that seems to be kind of the point. All in all, I’d revisit this one again, even if just to keep unpacking everything that’s here.

The Beer Pairing: Burial’s IPA is Far From Average

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there are way too many Hazy IPAs in existence today. However, Burial’s rendition is an excellent example of why the style remains so popular.

To make it, the Burial team wove copious amounts of oats into the base for a full, fluffy mouthfeel, plus doses of Candi sugar for  lighthearted sweetness. Then they hopped the brew with a trifecta of hand-selected Citra, Simcoe, and Nelson hops. They also used Incognito, a hop product that exaggerates already intense hop flavors. Just like Brazil, there are a lot of layers to unpack here.

Waves of tropical pineapple and citrus sweetness greet the senses upfront, but it quickly delves into a notes of florals and gummy candy. A whisper of pine resin floats underneath, emerging more strongly on the finish. It’s not bitter, but it’s not really sweet either. The body is the real star though — there’s no lactose, but it’s so full and smooth that it tastes like there is.

Now, if you’re unfamiliar with Burial, they’re a big part of North Carolina’s booming craft beer scene. Launched in 2013 by Doug and Jess Reiser, the brewery’s made a name for itself as a powerhouse with national distribution. And thank goodness, because they’re beer’s really damn good. Initially inspired by the cities of Seattle and New Orleans (both of which the Reisers formerly called home), the brewers have mastered a plethora of beer styles. From crisp Cream Ales to the darkest of Stouts, they do it all.

Nevertheless, Burial’s IPAs are what have really earned the team national acclaim. Case in point: in 2020, Esquire named Burial’s flagship, Surf Wax IPA, one of the best IPAs around.

As brewer Hagin Owens of Sevierville, Tennessee told the magazine at the time, “My favorite IPA right now would be literally any IPA by Burial Beer in Asheville, North Carolina. They are constantly on the forefront of the IPA train that is super dense right now, so that’s saying something.”

*Bonus Beers*

If you’ve never seen Brazil before or it’s been so long since you last watched that you don’t remember the details, you might very well want to pair it with a beer. Like many great craft beers, Burial’s In Between Dystopia and Desire IPA is a limited release. Fortunately, these bonus brews also make great beer pairings for Brazil:

• Dystopia / Russian Imperial Stout / 9% ABV / Greenbush Brewing Co. – Sawyer, MI
• Fake Plastic Trees / Hazy IPA / 6.4% ABV / Birdsong Brewing Co. – Charlotte, NC
• Thrilla in Brazilla / American IPA / 7.5% ABV / Peticolas Brewing Co. – Dallas, TX
• Dark Humor Club / Imperial Stout / 8% ABV / Sori Brewing – Tallinn, Harjumaa Estonia (I haven’t tried this one, but a friend said it was delicious)