I Tried Lucy's Go-To Coke & Beer Drink From Materialists

Your drink of choice can say a lot about you. When Emma D’Arcy admitted their go-to order is a Negroni Sbagliato with prosecco, it revealed to co-star Olivia Cooke that the House of the Dragon actor has “stunning” taste. Similarly, when Celine Song wrote Materialists, she wanted her protagonist Lucy (Dakota Johnson) to prefer a “weird drink” because it plays into who she is.

The Oscar-nominated writer told GQ, “I wanted [her drink of choice] to be something that speaks to Lucy's character, about her background, and where she comes from.” Her reason for picking Coke and beer is because it’s slightly middle class, like her upbringing, and just weird enough that her ex, John (Chris Evans), would remember it.

Lucy’s drink stuck out to me after watching Materialists, and was something I knew I wanted to try for myself. Below is my honest review of Lucy’s Coke and beer, and how you can make it for yourself at home:

Lucy’s Drink Of Choice Is Sweet

As Elite Daily’s resident taste-tester of strange and bizarre food combinations, I’ve tried really interesting recipes like Selena Gomez’s pickle snow cone and Saxon’s protein powder-packed shake from The White Lotus. Even though a Coca-Cola and beer may be something Song discovered after searching the internet for “weird drinks,” it’s not that unusual for someone who has traveled to Europe.

After studying German in high school, my senior class visited the country where I not only drank soda and beer, but it became my own drink of choice on the trip. Of course, I sipped mostly Radlers, which are half beer and half citrus juice or soda (like Sprite). The lemon-lime flavor and carbonation adds an extra layer of crispness to an already refreshing ale, so my initial thought was Lucy’s drink order should be similar — but the flavor profiles turned out to be very different.

Coca-Cola is darker and sweeter than Sprite, so instead of making it more crisp and bright, it gave my beer a little more of a malt-like and caramel taste. Johnson was correct that it “makes beer a bit sweeter,” but it’s not overwhelming, especially if you get the right ratio.

Obviously, the more Coke you add, the more flavor you get. I found myself enjoying a glass with two-thirds beer and just a third coke, but you can do a full half and half mix as well. For my bevvy, I went with Mexican Coca-Cola in a glass bottle — which is what Lucy drinks in Materialists — and a can of Tom Holland’s Edge Hill Hazy IPA.

Lucy’s Drink Is Giving Manic Pixie

The main thing I realized with Lucy’s go-to sip is that it’s actually not as interesting as you’d think. You can easily find a Radler in Germany or shandy (beer and lemonade) on a menu in Europe. Of course, ordering a Coke and beer is still unique in the U.S., but it’s not so obscure that it requires a ton of attention in the film.

If this was a rom-com written in the early 2000s, Lucy’s Coke and beer would’ve been a major plot point to show she’s a manic pixie dream girl with quirky taste, proving she’s not like other girls. However, her preferred sip is only mentioned once, and is used to show that John knows Lucy well. While you do see empty beer and Coke bottles on Lucy’s dining room table later in the film and she appears to drink it at another wedding, these moments are subtle and easily overlooked.

Ultimately, Coke and beer brought Lucy and John together again, and reminded me of how much I love Radlers, just in time for some summer sippin’.