Bob and Doug McKenzie are a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted the comedy sketch show Great White North. The duo became a pop culture phenomenon in both Canada and the United States, starring in a feature film, Strange Brew, in 1983. In the film, the brothers survive having their van submerged at the bottom of a lake by drinking beer. At another point, Bob McKenzie saves a woman's life by drinking thousands of gallons of beer. The characters were created by comedians Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, who also played them on screen.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Beer in Strange Brew | Elsinore |
Beer in Great White North | Moosehead |
Beer in Movie Ads | Molson |
Beer in TV Ads | Molson |
Beer in Radio Ads | Molson |
What You'll Learn
Bob and Doug McKenzie's favourite beers
Bob and Doug McKenzie are a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted a show called "Great White North", a sketch introduced on SCTV in 1980. The duo became a pop culture phenomenon in both Canada and the United States, starring in a feature film, Strange Brew, in 1983, and releasing a bestselling comedy album, The Great White North, in 1981.
The characters are known for their love of beer, and in one episode of their show, they discuss their favourite brews. Doug says he has been drinking a lot of Iron Horse, which is "light, without being a light beer" and "heavy enough... to be kind of satisfying and full-bodied." Bob, on the other hand, says that their beer preferences are "pretty open-ended" and that they will "drink what's going" at a party or bar. However, he notes that they don't drink Canadian beer on dates, opting for Heineken instead.
In the movie Strange Brew, the brothers drink Elsinore beer, which is at the centre of the film's plot. In one scene, they place a live mouse in an empty Elsinore beer bottle in an attempt to blackmail the local beer store into giving them free beer. When this fails, they are directed to the Elsinore brewery, where they are given jobs on the bottling line inspecting for mice in bottles.
In addition to Elsinore, Bob and Doug McKenzie have also been associated with other beer brands. In the early 1980s, they appeared in ads for Molson Golden, Canadian, Export, and Dry. They also did ads for Molson Golden and were later involved in a Molson Brewing Company campaign in 1999 and 2000.
The duo has also promoted other beer brands outside of their show and film. In 2003, they appeared in a Pizza Hut commercial, and in 2023, they starred in a Beer Canada commercial advocating for a freeze on new federal taxes on beer.
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The beer-swilling brothers' Canadian content
Bob and Doug McKenzie are a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted "Great White North", a sketch show that played upon Canadian stereotypes. The duo are known for their love of beer, frequently drinking it on set and discussing it during their show.
The brothers' preferred beer seems to be Canadian beer, with Doug McKenzie stating that it typically has 5% alcohol, and Bob adding that it has "more juice in it". They also note that Canadian beer comes in cute brown bottles, which they prefer over green bottles or cans.
In their 1983 film, "Strange Brew", Bob and Doug are seen drinking Elsinore beer, which is central to the plot of the film. In the movie, the brothers attempt to get free Elsinore beer by placing a live mouse in an empty beer bottle and blackmailing the local beer store. However, they are told to take their complaint to the Elsinore brewery, where they are given jobs on the bottling line.
In addition to Elsinore, Bob and Doug are also known to drink other Canadian beers such as Molson Canadian, Labatt's Blue, and Moosehead. They also mention drinking Heineken on dates and playing a game called Beer Hunter with cans of beer.
The characters of Bob and Doug McKenzie were created by comedians Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, who also portrayed the brothers in "Strange Brew" and other appearances. The duo became a pop culture phenomenon in both Canada and the United States, with their love of beer and Canadian culture resonating with audiences.
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The beer-related plot of Strange Brew
In the 1983 comedy film "Strange Brew", Bob and Doug McKenzie (Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas) are two unemployed, beer-loving brothers who will do just about anything for a free drink. In one scene, they try to blackmail a beer store into giving them free Elsinore beer by putting a live mouse in an empty beer bottle. When this fails, they take their complaint to the Elsinore brewery and are given jobs on the bottling line, which allows them to drink as much beer as they like.
The plot of the film revolves around the Elsinore brewery and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of its founder, John Elsinore. Bob and Doug learn that the brewery's new owner, John's daughter Pam, is in danger. The evil Brewmeister Smith, who is perfecting a plan to take over the world by placing a mind-control drug in Elsinore beer, has murdered John Elsinore, and Pam's uncle Claude is involved. Bob and Doug must confront the suspicious brewmaster and his plot to take over the world, all while drinking plenty of their favourite beverage.
The film is full of beer-related gags and set pieces, including a game called "Beer Hunter", described as "like Russian Roulette, eh, with beer", and a scene in which Bob consumes an entire tank of beer, causing him to expand to a cartoonish size. The film ends with Bob and Doug being given the task of hauling away the contaminated beer, with the implication that they will try to drink it all.
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The Elsinore beer in Strange Brew
In the 1983 Canadian-American comedy film "Strange Brew", Bob and Doug McKenzie, portrayed by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis, drink Elsinore beer. In the film, the two brothers are unemployed and try to blackmail their local beer store into giving them free Elsinore beer by placing a live mouse in an empty beer bottle. However, they are told to take their complaint to the Elsinore brewery's management, who then give them jobs on the bottling line inspecting for mice in bottles.
The film is loosely based on elements of Shakespeare's Hamlet and was mostly shot in Toronto and Scarborough, with additional filming in Prince George, British Columbia. The Elsinore brewery in the film is facing a crisis as its former owner, John Elsinore, has died under mysterious circumstances, and his daughter, Pam, has taken control. The evil Brewmeister Smith is plotting to take over the world by lacing Elsinore beer with a mind-control drug, which renders consumers docile and susceptible to mind control when certain tones are played. Smith tests this spiked beer on patients at the neighbouring Royal Canadian Institute for the Mentally Insane.
Bob and Doug, now working at the brewery, discover the plot and set out to stop Smith. They learn that Smith murdered John Elsinore with the help of Pam's uncle, Claude. As they uncover the truth, they are framed for murder and end up in a psychiatric asylum, where they escape with the help of a former hockey player, Jean "Rosie" LaRose. Together, they work to stop Smith and save the day.
The film is known for its unique premise and likeable stars, effectively mining laughs from the zany situation and the brothers' antics. It has become a cult classic, with a dedicated fan base that appreciates its offhand surrealism and depiction of English-Canadian working-class culture.
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The Molson beer ad campaign
Bob and Doug McKenzie are a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted "Great White North", a sketch comedy show. The characters were created by comedians Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, who also played the roles of Bob and Doug, respectively. The characters became a pop culture phenomenon in both Canada and the United States, and they were known for their excessive consumption of beer.
In the early 1990s, Moranis and Thomas revived the Bob and Doug McKenzie characters for a Molson beer ad campaign. The campaign consisted of more than a dozen television and radio commercials that aired nationally in the US. The ads were so successful that they led to a sequel to the 1983 film "Strange Brew" being written, titled "Home Brew". However, the film never came to fruition as the funding fell through.
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Frequently asked questions
Bob and Doug McKenzie drank Elsinore beer in the 1983 movie Strange Brew.
Bob and Doug McKenzie drank a variety of beers on their show Great White North, including Moosehead, Molson Canadian, and Labatt's Blue.
Bob and Doug McKenzie drank Molson beer in their ad campaign for the Molson Brewing Company in 1999 and 2000.