Shaken, Stirred, Or Brewed: Bond's Beer Of Choice

James Bond is known for his martini, but he's also been known to drink beer. In the 2012 film Skyfall, Bond, played by Daniel Craig, opts for a Heineken. This is not the first time 007 has been seen drinking beer, but it is the first time he's cracked open a cold one on screen.

Bond's beer choice in Skyfall is Heineken

James Bond is known for his sophisticated taste in alcohol, with his signature "shaken, not stirred" martini being 007's most iconic cocktail. However, in the 2012 film Skyfall, Bond, played by Daniel Craig, opts for a bottled Heineken beer. This departure from his signature martini caused some controversy among fans, with some calling it a sell-out to product placement. The promotional tie-in with Heineken was valued at a whopping $45 million.

While Bond is famous for his martini, he has been known to drink beer before. In the novel "Goldfinger," he chooses Heineken, and in the books, he drinks Miller High Life, Red Stripe, and Löwenbräu. He also downs four steins of beer at his stag party in Munich in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service."

Despite the uproar over the product placement, Daniel Craig defended Bond's beer choice, saying, "Bond is a drinker, he always has been, it's part of who he is, rightly or wrongly, you can make your own judgment about it, having a beer is no bad thing, in the movie it just happens to be Heineken."

It's worth noting that Bond's alcohol consumption has been a notable aspect of his character since his creation by Ian Fleming, who was known to enjoy a drink himself. Fleming even provided specific drink recipes in his novels, such as the Vesper Martini in "Casino Royale." Over the years, various alcohol brands have paid for product placement in the Bond films, including Smirnoff, Absolut, Stoli, and Finlandia for vodka, and Bollinger, Dom Perignon, Krug, and Taittinger for champagne.

In the books, Bond drinks Miller High Life, Red Stripe and Löwenbräu

While James Bond is known for his martini, shaken not stirred, and his champagne, he has also been known to drink beer. In the books, Bond drinks Miller High Life, Red Stripe and Löwenbräu.

Ian Fleming's Bond drinks a wide variety of alcoholic drinks, including martinis (with both gin and vodka), champagne, whisky, beer, sake, and a variety of cocktails. In the first Bond book, Casino Royale, Bond orders an Americano, and later in the same book, he invents the Vesper, made with Kina Lillet, which he names after his love interest on the mission.

Bond's drinking habits have been subject to product placement in the films, with brands such as Smirnoff, Absolut, Stoli and Finlandia featuring over the years. In Skyfall, Bond drinks Heineken, which was reportedly part of a $45 million deal.

Fleming was known to enjoy a drink himself, and it is said that he often used brand names in his writing. However, despite this, no vodka brand is named in the Bond books other than Wolfschmidt.

In the films, Bond drinks a variety of cocktails

In the 1963 film From Russia with Love, Bond drinks Turkish raki in a gypsy camp outside Istanbul. In Thunderball (1965), he drinks a rum Collins. In Live and Let Die (1973), Bond almost tries a Sazerac in Harlem, but is captured by the villain, Mr. Big, before he can sip the New Orleans signature cocktail. In Licence to Kill (1989), Bond is seen drinking a 1975 Bollinger champagne, which has been dubbed the "official" Bond champagne as it has appeared in ten of the 23 films.

In Die Another Day (2002), Bond orders a mojito at a bar in Cuba. In Casino Royale (2006), Bond orders a Vesper, a drink created in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel. In Skyfall (2012), Bond opts for a bottled Heineken, which caused some controversy among fans. In Quantum of Solace, Bond provides his recipe for a Dry Martini: "Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large slice of lemon-peel. Got it?"

Bond's creator, Ian Fleming, loved drinking gin

James Bond is famous for his "shaken, not stirred" martini, but he has also been known to drink beer. In the film Skyfall, Bond can be seen drinking a Heineken. However, Bond's creator, Ian Fleming, was a fan of gin.

Fleming was a notorious drinker, consuming up to a bottle of gin a day. He was also a fan of whisky, particularly when in shock, and it is said that his last drink was at the St. George's Golf Club in Canterbury, on the day he suffered a fatal heart attack.

Fleming's love of drinking was well known, and it is said that he once threw an octopus at an unwanted mistress, although it is unclear if he was sober at the time. He also had a heroic cigarette habit, smoking an estimated 70 a day, which was likely worse for his health than his drinking.

Fleming's drinking habits even influenced his writing. In his 1953 novel "Casino Royale", Bond orders a Vesper Martini, which was named after the seductive double agent Vesper Lynd. The drink includes "three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel".

Despite Fleming's love of gin, his doctor suggested he switch to bourbon, as it might be better for his health. This is reflected in Bond's drink choices as well, as he occasionally drinks bourbon in the films.

Bond's champagne of choice includes Dom Perignon and Krug

James Bond is known for his martini, "shaken, not stirred", but the famous spy has been seen drinking several other alcoholic beverages, including beer and champagne.

In the books, Bond's champagne of choice includes ten-year-old Cliquot, Dom Perignon, Krug, Pommery, and Taittinger. In the films, Bollinger has been dubbed the "official" Bond champagne, appearing in ten out of 23 films.

In the 2012 film Skyfall, Bond opts for a bottle of Heineken, a choice that was reportedly the result of a $45 million promotional deal. This break from tradition did not sit well with some fans, who felt it was out of character for the suave and elegant spy.

While Bond's beer choice in Skyfall may have been a product of brand placement, his champagne preferences, as mentioned in the books, showcase a more refined taste. Dom Perignon, Krug, Pommery, and Taittinger are all prestigious champagne houses known for their luxury and high-quality offerings.

Dom Perignon, named after a Benedictine monk who made significant contributions to the development of champagne, is renowned for its elegance, complexity, and lengthy ageing process. Krug, on the other hand, is known for its rich and indulgent style, with a focus on extended ageing and a unique blending process. Pommery, another esteemed champagne house, is recognised for its innovative and pioneering spirit, particularly in the realm of vintage champagnes. Lastly, Taittinger, praised by Bond in Casino Royale as "probably the finest Champagne in the world", is characterised by its elegance, finesse, and use of Chardonnay in its blends.

So, while Bond's beer choice may have been a temporary deviation, his champagne selections, including Dom Perignon and Krug, reflect his sophisticated and discerning taste, befitting the iconic secret agent.

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