By Pete Corbett                        

Salty, movie-theatre popcorn can now be washed down with a cold beer at the Somerville Theatre in Davis.

For the past three weeks, the Somerville Theatre, has been offering beer and wine to complement their entertainment experience. The establishment, which is a landmark to the community, presents live entertainment as well as current films.

“It was very much a request from people who came for live events,” said Ian M. Judge, general manager of the Somerville Theatre.

Judge went on to say that many acts chose not to perform at the Theatre specifically because they did not serve alcohol. Comedy acts in particular expressed this sentiment, he said.

Much like Fenway Park, the Theatre limits how many drinks customers can buy at a time, and those who wish to drink must wear wristbands. Ushers patrol the various theatres, ensuring that no one without a wristband is drinking alcohol their friend bought for them. “We have a very strict ID policy, and keep very close tabs on the alcohol we serve,” Judge said.

Originally Judge’s idea, when the Somerville Theatre decided to pursue serving alcohol, they asked other cinemas who had done the same thing. They heard nothing but positive feedback, according to Judge.

The Somerville Theatre courted many beer suppliers, but Harpoon was the most enthusiastic about joining them in their venture, said Judge. Therefore, the Theatre serves Harpoon I.P.A., U.F.O. and Brown Ale. They are considering serving the Harpoon Summer Seasonal in the upcoming months and discontinuing the Brown Ale, according to Judge. They also serve house red and white wines.

According to Judge, there are no plans to expand the menu or drink offering. He said the establishment will not become a watering hole with a full service bar. He said it is community theatre and want to serve the community, not detract from it.

“This isn’t a restaurant. This isn’t a bar, We don’t want people coming here and getting trashed. We merely wanted our patrons to be able to enjoy some beer or wine with their movie-going experience. I grew up down the street and still live in Davis Square, so I don’t want to see drunk people leaving our theatre and causing problems,” he said.