Did Cheers' Norm Drink Real Beer?

George Wendt, who played Norm Peterson on the beloved, award-winning sitcom Cheers, had to drink near beer on set. This was a watery concoction with an alcohol content of 3.2%, mixed with a pinch of salt to keep a foamy head under the hot studio lights. Wendt had to periodically sip this drink to keep his character real. In his memoir, Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer, Wendt celebrates his favourite beverage and shares stories about his time on various TV shows, including Cheers.

George Wendt's character, Norm, drank near beer

George Wendt's character, Norm Peterson, drank "near beer" on the set of Cheers. The bar on the set was fully functional, but the cast did not drink real beer. Norm, the bar's resident lush, is rarely seen without a beer in his hand. However, what was in his glass was not a typical ale. The beer was watered down and mixed with salt to keep a foamy head on the glass under the hot studio lights. Wendt had to periodically sip this concoction to keep his character realistic.

Wendt's passion for beer may have helped him land the role of Norm. In his book, "Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer," Wendt recalls that his first line as Norm was simply, "Beer!" He also shares that he had trouble believing that he would get paid to look like a guy who really wanted a beer. His passion for beer must have shown through because his role quickly expanded beyond that single line.

Norm's drinking was an important part of his character, but the show's network and Wendt's mother were concerned about how it was portrayed. They didn't want Norm to appear pathetic or seem like he was getting loaded. To achieve this, the writers ensured that Norm never seemed drunk, no matter how much he drank.

In addition to his on-screen drinking, Wendt also wrote about beer in his memoir. "Drinking With George" includes stories from Wendt's time on various TV shows, including Cheers, and celebrates his favourite beverage.

The beer was mixed with salt to create a foamy head

The beer George Wendt drank on Cheers was not real beer. In fact, it was "near beer," with an alcohol content of just 3.2%. To create a foamy head that would last under the hot studio lights, a pinch of salt was added to the beer. Wendt had to periodically sip this concoction to keep his character, Norm Peterson, "real".

The bar on the set of Cheers was fully functional, and many NBC after-hours parties were held there. However, the cast did not drink real beer. Norm, as the bar's resident lush, was rarely seen without a beer in his hand, but what was in his glass was far from a tasty microbrew. The "near beer" that Wendt had to consume was a watered-down ale with added salt to ensure a perfect head on the beer at all times.

Wendt's character, Norm, was based on a real person. Co-creator Les Charles worked in a bar after college, and there was a customer who came in every night. He was always going to have just one beer and then would say, "Maybe I'll just have one more." They had to help him out of the bar every night, and his wife would call and he would say, "Tell her I'm not here".

Wendt parlayed his role as Norm into the memoir "Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer". In the book, Wendt celebrates his favourite beverage and shares stories about his time on various TV shows, including Cheers. He also provides insights into the origins of the hit series.

The show's creators went to great lengths to ensure the accuracy of the bar setting and the behaviour of its patrons. They regularly visited bars in the Los Angeles area to eavesdrop on patrons' conversations. In the series premiere, there is an argument about the sweatiest movie ever made, which was lifted from one of these overheard conversations.

Wendt had to periodically sip the concoction to keep his character real

George Wendt, who played Norm Peterson on Cheers, had to periodically sip a concoction of near-beer and salt to keep his character real. While the bar on the set was fully functional, the cast did not drink real beer. Norm, as the bar's resident lush, was rarely seen without a sudsy glass of beer in his hand. However, what was in his glass was not actually beer. Instead, it was a concoction of "near beer", a weakened strain of ale with an alcohol content of around 3.2%, and a pinch of salt. The salt was added to ensure that the mug kept a foamy head under the hot studio lights.

Wendt had to consume this concoction regularly, and by all accounts, it was not a pleasant experience. In an excerpt from his book, "Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer", Wendt himself described the drink as "ghastly". Despite this, Wendt's passion for beer was evident, and it contributed to the authenticity of his character.

The use of "near beer" allowed the show to maintain a level of realism while also ensuring that the cast remained sober during filming. It is worth noting that the tap at Cheers worked for real, and some cast members, like Ted Danson, even took bartending classes to enhance the show's realism. However, Norm's beer was intentionally watered down to maintain the illusion of a functional bar without actually serving alcohol.

Wendt's character, Norm Peterson, became synonymous with beer, and his love for the beverage mirrored Wendt's own passion for it. In fact, Wendt even wrote a book about his favourite drink, titled "Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer", which included stories from his time on Cheers and other TV shows. Cheers and its cast members, including Wendt, left a lasting impact on popular culture, with the show being voted the greatest TV comedy of all time in a 2013 GQ Magazine poll.

The cast would often drink at the Bull & Finch pub after filming

The cast of Cheers would often drink at the Bull & Finch pub after filming. The pub, founded in 1969, was the inspiration for the show's setting and exterior shots. The co-creators of the show, Glen and Les Charles, and producer James Burrows, visited Boston in 1981 to find an authentic local bar to use for the show. They chose the Bull & Finch, which was popular with locals at the time. The owner, Thomas Kershaw, agreed to let them use the exterior image of the property for a fee of one dollar.

The Bull & Finch Pub was modelled on English pubs, with accoutrements imported from England. It was named after Boston-born architect Charles Bulfinch, who designed the U.S. Capitol and the Massachusetts State House, among other buildings. The pub is located in the basement of the Hampshire House, a brick and granite building constructed in 1910.

The popularity of Cheers brought a lot of attention to the Bull & Finch Pub, making it a tourist attraction. While locals began to avoid the pub, it became a top tourist destination in Boston, drawing hordes of tourists. To capitalise on this popularity, Kershaw expanded the pub upwards into the Hampshire House, adding a replica of the TV show bar for visitors expecting to see the version from the show. He also added a ground-floor gift shop and changed the menu to feature characters from the show, with sections like "Sam's Starters" and "Norm's Sandwiches".

On the night of the series finale in 1993, the cast of Cheers watched the episode from inside the Bull & Finch Pub, and a special live episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno was filmed there, with Leno interviewing the cast. The cast and crew then continued the celebrations at the pub, with drinks flowing freely.

Wendt wrote a book about drinking beer, titled Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer

On the set of Cheers, George Wendt—who played the character of Norm Peterson—did not drink real beer. Instead, he was served "near beer", a beverage with an alcohol content of 3.2% and a pinch of salt added to ensure the mug kept a foamy head under the hot studio lights.

Wendt wrote a book about drinking beer, titled *Drinking With George: A Barstool Professional's Guide to Beer*. The book, published in 2009, is part autobiography and part beer appreciation. Wendt shares stories from his life, including his first sip of beer as a child in Chicago and a beer-fuelled impromptu performance with Woody Harrelson and the U.S. Women's Synchronized Swimming Team. He also explores the cultural history of brews and tackles basic bar theory, answering questions such as "What's the real difference between lager, stout, and ale?" and "How do you convert your lady into a beer-lover?".

The book has been described as "hysterical from start to finish" and "measured, humble and genuine". It is said to be a "must-read for every beer lover" and a "fun read, lighthearted approach to beer and the life of George".

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