Shawshank Inmates' Preferred Beer Choice: A Historical Perspective

In the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption, the beer drunk by the characters is described as ice-cold Bohemian style beer. While the film does not specify the brand, one source makes a case for it being Stroh's, a beer that was brewed in Detroit from 1850. Stroh's is indeed described as a Bohemian-style pilsner.

The beer was Stroh's Bohemian-style pilsner

The beer featured in the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption was Stroh's Bohemian-style pilsner. Stroh's is a beer brand that started brewing in Detroit in 1850. The beer in the bottle enjoyed by the inmates in the film is bottom-fermented, produced with bottom-fermenting yeasts rather than the more commonly used top-fermenting yeast, and aged in caves. This process results in a clearer, better-quality beer.

The term "Bohemian-style" was commonly used in America at the time to describe pilsner beer, which gets its name from Pilsen, a city in Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic. Bohemian-style beer can be considered the father of early American lager beer, as many of the beers initially brewed in America at the time came from a Bohemian-style background and used the term "Bohemian" in their description.

Other examples of beers with a Bohemian-style label include National Bohemian Beer (or Natty Bo) and Knapp's, Burger, Duluth, Weideman, Old Tap, Forest City, Prager, Dorf, and Cooper’s out of Philadelphia, though these brands have long since faded.

The beer was a blonde ale

The beer drunk in the film The Shawshank Redemption was a blonde ale. This was a casual foray into Trappist-style beers, which are typically brewed by monks. Blonde ales are light and refreshing, with a wheaty and floral taste that graces the mouth gently before fading. This particular beer was smooth and simple, with a sweet, floral Trappist flavour profile, making it great for casual drinking.

The film, released in 1994, tells the story of an intelligent banker named Andy Dufresne who is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover and sentenced to two life terms in Shawshank prison. Once there, he meets Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, with whom he begins a friendship. The movie explores themes of man's attempts to find hope and dignity in the brutal environment of prison.

In one of the film's most memorable scenes, Andy overhears Chief of the Guards Captain Hadley bemoaning the large sum of money he's come into and how the IRS is going to take a large portion of it. Andy informs him that he can keep all the money tax-free if he gifts it to his wife. In exchange, Andy asks for three bottles of beer for each of his co-workers who are tarring the roof. The next scene shows Andy's co-workers (and the guards) sitting on the roof of the building, enjoying what Red describes as "ice-cold Bohemian-style beer".

While the film never explicitly mentions the brand of beer, it is speculated that it could have been Stroh's Bohemian-style Pilsner, as the bottle label in the film resembles the post-1950s Stroh's beer bottle label. However, it's worth noting that some viewers have questioned the availability of this brand in the film's setting of Maine during the 1940s or 1950s.

The beer was no longer on the market

The beer that was featured in the film The Shawshank Redemption is no longer available for purchase. The brand, Stroh's Bohemian-Style Pilsner, was a Detroit-based beer that has since faded from the market. However, the beer played a notable role in a memorable scene from the film.

In the scene, Andy Dufresne, an intelligent banker played by Tim Robbins, strikes a deal with Chief of the Guards Captain Hadley, played by Clancy Brown. While tarrying the roof of one of the prison buildings, Andy overhears Hadley bemoaning a large sum of money he has inherited and how the IRS plans to take a significant portion of it. Andy offers to help Hadley keep his money tax-free by gifting it to his wife, in exchange for three bottles of beer for each of his co-workers. The next scene shows the guards and inmates sitting on the roof, enjoying what the narrator, Red, describes as "ice-cold Bohemian-style beer."

The inclusion of Stroh's beer in this scene adds to the theme of the prisoners' struggle to find dignity and enjoyment in the harsh environment of prison life. The "Bohemian-style" beer, a term used in America at the time to describe pilsner beer, would have been a popular and familiar choice for the characters. Pilsner gets its name from the city of Pilsen in Bohemia, which is now part of the Czech Republic. The brewers in Pilsen used bottom-fermenting yeasts and aged the beer in caves to produce a clearer, higher-quality beverage. This style of beer can be considered the precursor to early American lager, with many brands at the time, including Stroh's, using the term "Bohemian" on their labels.

While the original Stroh's beer is no longer available, some new versions are being produced by the company, which claims to follow the same family recipe. However, it is unclear if these modern versions can capture the same taste that was enjoyed by the characters in The Shawshank Redemption. The film, with its powerful themes and stellar cast, has become a classic, and the beer-drinking scene remains a favourite among viewers.

The beer was bottom-fermented

In the film The Shawshank Redemption, the beer drunk by the inmates is described as "ice-cold Bohemian style beer". In the past, "Bohemian style" was a common term used in America to describe pilsner beer, which originated in the city of Pilsen in the region of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic. Brewers in Pilsen used bottom-fermenting yeasts rather than the more commonly used top-fermenting yeasts and aged the beer in caves to produce a clearer, better-quality beer. This style of beer can be considered the forerunner of early American lager beers, as many of the beers initially brewed in the US (and still brewed today) came from a Bohemian-style background and used the term "Bohemian" on their labels.

Bottom-fermenting yeasts are generally used to produce lager-style beers. These yeasts work at cooler temperatures, typically between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and they settle at the bottom of the fermentation vessel. This is in contrast to top-fermenting yeasts, which are used for ales and work at warmer temperatures, typically between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Bottom-fermenting yeasts produce beers that are typically cleaner and crisper in flavour, with less fruity esters and more subtle aromas. This is because the cooler fermentation temperatures inhibit the production of esters and other by-products that can contribute to stronger flavours.

The use of bottom-fermenting yeasts and the ageing process in caves allowed brewers in Pilsen to produce a beer that was clearer, lighter in colour, and had a more refined flavour profile. This style of beer became known as pilsner, after the city of its origin, and it quickly gained popularity throughout Bohemia and beyond. By the mid-19th century, pilsner-style beers were being brewed in other parts of Europe, and German and Austrian immigrants brought the style to the United States, where it became the basis for many early American lager beers.

While the beer in The Shawshank Redemption is not explicitly identified by brand, it is likely that it was intended to be a pilsner-style beer, given the reference to "Bohemian style". This suggests that the beer was bottom-fermented, contributing to the crisp, clean flavour profile that is characteristic of pilsner beers.

The beer was a Trappist-style beer

The beer that the inmates drank in The Shawshank Redemption was a Trappist-style beer. Trappist beers are typically brewed by monks and are known for their uniquely flavourful profile. They are usually light and refreshing, with a wheaty and floral taste that is not too overpowering.

In the film, the beer is described as "ice-cold Bohemian style beer". Bohemian-style beer, or Pilsner, was a common term used in America at the time to describe bottom-fermented beers aged in caves, resulting in a clearer and better-quality beverage. This style of beer can be considered the predecessor of early American lager beers, and many of the beers brewed at the time had a Bohemian-style background.

While the movie does not specify the exact brand of beer, some have speculated that it could be Stroh's, a beer brand that follows the same family recipe as the beer in the movie. Stroh's was a Detroit-based American beer company, and the bottle label seen in the film resembles the post-1950s Stroh's beer bottle label. However, it is unclear if Stroh's beer would have been available in Maine, where the film is set, during that time period.

Regardless, the scene of the inmates enjoying their ice-cold beer on the prison roof has become iconic, and it perfectly captures the theme of the film—man's constant struggle to find dignity in the brutal environment of prison.

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