Does the Dude drink beer? Of course he does. In addition to 9 White Russians (one of which is spilled and one which he drinks with powdered cream), the Dude has two encounters with beer. These and other important questions about the Big Lebowski, Dudeism and beer were answered on 6 March, the Day of the Dude. The Beer Idiots held an informal gathering of beer drinking at the Python from around 19:30h on 6 March. I was Walter Sobchak. Check out the characters here. Thanks to our friendly neighbourhood bar for hosting us.
The Day of the Dude is an annual holiday in Dudeism, to which I, like many others, belong to as the ‘slowest growing religion in the world’. Yea…I am not afraid to admit it. I have been a Dudeist priest for 15 years. Yep, conspiracy theorists might believe the Day of the Dude was chosen two days before International women’s day (March 8) so that guys could have their day first, again. But they are wrong. Women are Dudes too – anyone is a Dude who likes to take it easy.
For the beer question the Dude is seen drinking a beer, the fictional Meichtry Draft Beer, while driving and smoking a joint. He does use the beer to dowse the burning roach, which he bounced off the window to between his legs.
In the second beer scene, at the end of the movie, the Dude is practicing for the finals at the bowling arena, walks up to the bar and orders “two oat sodas” from Gary the bar tender. The beers seem to be Miller Golden Drafts, according to better eyes than mine. He then engages in a conversation with The Stranger. The conversation ends with the Dude saying The Dude Abides.
Of course, in keeping with the cult and creed, craft beer makers have been keen to name their beers referencing the film. The ‘official’ one, apparently endorsed by the Dude himself, is Lebowski, which bills itself as an India style lager. It is brewed in the Netherlands by Brouwerij De Molen (Swinkels Family Brewers) on behalf of Cinema Brewers Lebowski. The 4.5% dry-hopped American lager says it is a pilsner for “dudes and dudettes who like to take it easy, with a twist of lemongrass cause you know, Vietnam dude, where many of us died face down in the mud. A light beer that ís still very suitable for a hard night of bowling. We’re very proud to say that Jeff Bridges has approved this brew, so the dude actually abides. Lebowski. Not a beer, a way of life.”
A dude tattoo by a well-known bartender in Belgium who has now left for the Netherlands.
