Xenomorph in 20th Century Studios’ ALIEN: ROMULUS. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi/horror film Alien (1979) is known for many things: the infamous Chestburster scene, the debut of Sigourney Weaver playing badass Ellen Ripley, and a new breed of cosmic terror known as the Xenomorph.

A can of fermented hops isn’t exactly synonymous with the classic movie…unless, of course, you’re a super-fan who pays attention to the smallest production details.

For close to half a century, eagle-eyed viewers have discussed the topic of Aspen Beer, the Nostromo crew’s alcoholic beverage of choice. Most notably imbibed by Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt) during Kane’s final meal, the drink represents one of the franchise’s first-ever references to Weyland-Yutani, the greed-obsessed “Company” that will do anything to get its hands on a Xenomorph specimen. While the corporation would play a much larger and more visible role in the sequels that followed, it’s very cool to learn the callous conglomerate that spans innumerable industries was always there from the very beginning — albeit spelled without the “d” at the end of “Weyland.”

Captain Dallas (right) holds a can of Aspen Beer in 1979’s “Alien.”

Initially just a minor prop in the background, Aspen Beer has become a recurrent element in the Alien series, intriguing fans who can now even taste it themselves through Alien: Romulus. In conjunction with the movie’s grand release in theaters this weekend, 20th Century Studios has collaborated with Angel City Brewing to bring this fictional beverage to life.

“We reflected on the beer’s appearances throughout the series and contemplated what a crew on a spaceship would likely prefer as a regular drink,” says marketing manager Kelsey Damassa. “Our conclusion was a drink not too strong in alcohol content or too exotic in flavor. We aimed for a beer type that would be universally enjoyable.”

Guided by this concept, head brewer Layton Cutler crafted the real-world version of Aspen Beer as a blonde ale, as these “lightly flavored, classic beer styles … never become outdated or unpopular,” according to Damassa. “This blonde ale exemplifies such qualities — bright, traditional, and immensely satisfying. It’s the ideal beverage for space exploration.”

To be as faithful as possible to the product design featured in the ‘79 feature that set the whole mythos in motion, the Angel City team worked off high-res images of the Aspen Beer logo provided by 20th Century Studios.

“We tried to stay as true as possible to the original label design, but also wanted to add a little Angel City and Los Angeles flair,” Damassa says. “You’ll notice our iconic Angel is featured on the front of the can under the ‘Aspen Beer’ logo. You’ll also notice that we changed the location on the ribbon from Aspen, Colorado to Los Angeles, California to give a subtle nod to where the beer was brewed.”

Aspen Beer as produced by Angel City Brewing

Aspen Beer as produced by Angel City Brewing

Those looking to get taste of an ice-cold Aspen can head over to Angel City Brewery in Los Angeles (216 S Alameda Street), where the beer is available on tap and in a limited number of to-go cans. Facehugger eggs sold separately…

Alien: Romulus is now playing exclusively in theaters.

Directed and co-written by Fede Álvarez (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe), the film takes place between the events of Alien and Aliens. Its story centers around a group of young scavengers who get way more than they bargained for while trying to steal cryo-pods from an abandoned Weyland-Yutani research station. Ridley Scott served as a producer on the project via his Scott Free banner.