The Big Bang Theory's Favorite Beer Revealed

The characters in The Big Bang Theory are often seen drinking, and beer is one of the many beverages consumed throughout the series. From eggnog and ice cream with Kahlua to wine, filtered tea, and tequila shots, the gang enjoys a variety of drinks. While specific brands of alcohol are not usually mentioned, some observant fans have spotted instances where real beer brands are consumed, such as Newcastle Brown Ale and Bud Light. One of the main characters, Raj, is known for drinking beer or a Grasshopper cocktail to help him talk to women, as he is unable to do so without alcohol.

The Grasshopper episode

In the eighth episode of the first season of the American sitcom The Big Bang Theory, titled "The Grasshopper Experiment", Raj Koothrappali is introduced to alcohol by Penny, who mixes him a Grasshopper cocktail as she needs to practice her bartending skills for work. The Grasshopper is a sweet, mint-flavoured, after-dinner drink, which originated at Tujague's, a bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is made with 1 1/2 oz crème de menthe and 1 1/2 oz white crème de cacao, shaken with ice and strained into a cocktail glass. The drink is green in colour, with optional chocolate shavings as a garnish.

Raj, who suffers from selective mutism, finds that the Grasshopper allows him to talk to women, including Penny. However, he becomes somewhat misogynistic when drunk, acting extremely obnoxious and putting off his date, Lalita Gupta. This episode marks the first time that Raj speaks to Penny, and the discovery that alcohol helps him overcome his selective mutism becomes a running gag in the series, with Grasshoppers becoming his signature drink.

In the episode, Penny also makes a Cuba Libre (rum and Coke with lime) for Sheldon, who initially requests a virgin version without the rum, and a tequila sunrise for Leonard. Howard requests a slippery nipple (Bailey's and Sambuca), but is cut off by Penny.

Raj's drinking

In the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, Raj Koothrappali, portrayed by Kunal Nayyar, is known for his drinking. Raj is an astrophysicist in the Physics Department at Caltech and is Howard Wolowitz's best friend.

Raj has selective mutism, which means he is unable to talk to women outside of his family unless he is under the influence of alcohol or medication. This condition is alluded to by Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, Leonard's mother, and is also stated by Raj in the episode "The Cornhusker Vortex". Raj is able to speak in the presence of women only when they are part of a crowd, if he consumes alcoholic beverages (or thinks he has), if he is under the influence of other drugs, if he is unaware of their presence, or if the woman is deaf.

In the episode "The Grasshopper Experiment", Penny is practicing mixing cocktails for work and discovers that Raj can speak to women when he consumes alcohol. Raj's parents set him up on a blind date with Lalita Gupta, but he fears he won't be able to talk to her. After drinking a grasshopper cocktail, he finds that he can speak to Penny, and the group figures out that he can suppress his selective mutism by consuming alcohol. However, this also tends to make him loud and obnoxious.

In the season 6 finale, "The Bon Voyage Reaction", Raj's girlfriend, Lucy, breaks up with him, and the subsequent trauma apparently cures his mutism. He finds that he can talk to Penny, Amy, and Bernadette while completely sober. However, he talks so much that the women become bored and irritated and start drinking to put up with him.

Throughout the show, Raj experiments with medications that suppress social anxiety, but they tend to have side effects. In one episode, he takes medicine that enables him to speak to Sheldon's sister, Missy, but it results in involuntary repetitive hand motions. In another episode, he takes an experimental drug that causes him to lose all his inhibitions and take off all his clothes while speaking to a woman in a coffee shop.

In addition to alcohol and medication, Raj also carries a hip flask to counter his problem and is usually shown with a beer or wine glass near him to indicate that he has consumed alcohol.

Penny's drinking

While Penny's drinking is a recurring theme in the show, it's important to note that the show also features a variety of non-alcoholic drinks. Tea, hot cocoa, and coffee are all consumed by the characters, with Sheldon Cooper in particular having specific rituals and rules around serving hot beverages to his friends and family.

Leonard's drinking

While Leonard does drink alcohol on the show, it is not his only beverage of choice. He also consumes non-alcoholic drinks, such as tea and coffee, which are often offered to characters who are upset or angry by Sheldon, another main character on the show.

Overall, Leonard's drinking habits on The Big Bang Theory reflect the social drinking culture of the characters, with alcohol consumption often occurring during gatherings or meals. However, his drinking is also portrayed with some nuance, showing the positive and negative consequences of his alcohol consumption.

Sheldon's hot beverages

Sheldon Cooper, one of the main characters in the popular TV show The Big Bang Theory, is known for his many quirks, including his strict rules about hot beverages. Throughout the show's 12 seasons, Sheldon is often seen making or drinking hot drinks, and he has specific guidelines for when and what to drink depending on the situation and the person involved.

Tea

Sheldon believes that tea is the appropriate hot beverage when someone is upset. In the episode "The Middle Earth Paradigm," Sheldon makes tea for Leonard when he is upset after being humiliated at Penny's Halloween party. In another episode, Penny is upset after finding out Leonard cheated on her, and Sheldon brings her a tray with tea and honey. However, tea is not for everyone; in the episode "The Cohabitation Formulation," Sheldon switches to hot cocoa when Howard shows up uninvited after an argument with Bernadette.

Hot Cocoa

Hot cocoa is Sheldon's go-to beverage for uninvited guests or when he is upset about having an unannounced house guest. In "The Cohabitation Formulation," Sheldon asks Leonard to make him cocoa after Howard shows up uninvited. Sheldon also drinks hot cocoa himself when he is "outraged" that Caltech won't let him switch his field of study.

Hot Apple Cider

Hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks is reserved for when Sheldon is angrier than ever and filled with despair. In the episode "The Cooper/Kripke Invasion," Sheldon listens to sad music with a blanket over his head until Leonard and Penny come home. When Leonard offers tea, Sheldon reminds him that tea is for when he is upset, and that hot apple cider is the drink for his current state of mind.

Coffee

Sheldon, who doesn't drink coffee himself due to his promise to his mother to stay away from drugs, serves coffee when someone is drunk. In the episode "The Rhinitis Revelation," Sheldon's mother, Mary, reminds him that coffee is the drink to serve when someone is "drunk as a skunk."

English Breakfast Tea

In the episode "The Gorilla Dissolution," Sheldon attempts to make chai tea for Raj, who is upset about Emily, but he doesn't have all the necessary ingredients. So, he decides to make English breakfast tea instead, reasoning that it is "close enough" since the British destroyed Indian culture.

Chicken Bouillon

Chicken bouillon or broth is Sheldon's go-to when he deems it "culturally appropriate." In the episode "The Stag Convergence," he offers chicken broth to Howard, who is upset about his wedding being called off, and in "The Wildebeest Implementation," he offers it to Raj when he is thrown out of his apartment.

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