Anheuser Busch buys Goose Island. The nation’s ale factories post another year of record double-digit growth. With craft beer booming and no end in sight, Brother Barley noted its inexorable creep into the advertising medium. As art imitates life imitates drunk, our favorite beers are making their way into the national Zeitgeist.
So take a trip with me to a magical world of blurry beers clipped from unauthorized movie and TV stills, won’t you? See if your favorite brew makes a cameo appearance.
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WEEDS
The cast of the hit Showtime dramedy rely on more than White Widow and Purple Kush to catch a buzz- from Andy’s t-shirt to Nancy’s suds of choice before a “Saved By The Bell” encounter she won’t soon forget, Stone beers like Arrogant Bastard and Pale Ale pop up constantly in the series.
Stone CEO Greg Koch (@StoneGreg) explained his company’s involvement thusly on the forums of BeerAdvocate:
No, I’m sure you’re not. However, we don’t (Pay for promotion). Not our style.We do provide them the beer however. We’ve got a great relationship with them and they’re awesome, creative people…just the sort that would like beer like ours!
Cabin Fever
This is a movie about teenagers who go into the woods looking pretty, drink a bunch of beer, and either die or crawl out of the woods as bloody zombies. The beer was not a causal factor. Stone Brewing makes an appearance in this one as well.
The State/ Reno 911
If you watched the Discover Channel’s Brew Masters, you may think (as I did) that Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewing Co was so wildly narcissistic, he would never have any idea if someone was making fun of him- that goofy, unflappable grin would never waver, no matter how many verbal barbs were launched in his direction. Color me stupified, then, when I learned that Off-Centered Sam was buddies and ex-roommates of Tom Lennon and the rest of cutting-edge comedy troupe The State and Reno 911. Sure enough, Dogfish Head beers pop up in the series, as well as the feature film Reno 911: Miami! Rumor doesn’t have it that Lennon modeled the foppish and floppish Lt. Dangle from the vapid brewer.
Philly beer scribe Joe Sixpack (no relation, to my knowledge) caught up the improv group to clear the air about their deal with Sam C.:
Joe Sixpack: One of my pals, Sam Calagione, says hello.
Lt. Dangle: Sam Calagione! The only beer appearing in Reno 911!: Miami is Dogfish Head.
J6: I know that, and I actually fell out of my seat when I saw that. I was trying to figure out what the connection was. What, did you guys arrest Sam at some point?
Dangle: Yes, we did. It was part of his work-release program.
Deputy Junior: But it wasn’t a bribe!
Dangle: That’s right. People at home, did you know that you can donate things to your local police department? That’s not a bribe! There’s definitely stuff you can donate.
Junior: We won’t say that it will save your ass, but it won’t hurt at all.
Here’s a clip of the Reno crew cutting an uncomfortable DFH promo.
Northern Exposure
An extremely well-written and underrated show from my formative years, Northern Exposure and its signature suds house The Brick showcased northwest craft brew way before it was cool. If you saunter up to Holling’s bar, order an Full Sail to fit in with the locals… or if you’re looking for a treat, there’s Alaskan Smoked Porter in the back cooler.
True Blood
As is true in much of the southeastern US, Abita is in full effect at Merlotte’s. Here’s the draft list thus far:
Season 1
Bare Knuckle
Budweiser
Amber Bock
Dos Equis
Season 3
Budweiser
Dos Equis
Turbodog
Amber Bock
Bare Knuckle
Hey- not the greatest draught list in the world, but it sure beats drinking that fake blood crap. And the waitress seems like she can read my mind!
The 40 Year Old Virgin
The rakish Paul Rudd pounds a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale:
Death Proof
This grind house everything-xploitation flick makes fun of everything, especially itself. Except beer. These lovely ladies get their party on with some of Texas’ own Shiner Bock.
And, hairwhip time. Note the Shiner Bock strewn across the porch.
Charlie Sheen
Word on the interwebs is that everyone’s favorite Vatican Warlock chugged Corona and Sam Adams on the set of his defunct sitcom to stay in character. This was the best I could find. As you might expect, one can only search for Charlie Sheen images for a certain amount of time before it starts to do permanent damage.
Catch and Release
I don’t know what this is. I’m told it has Kevin Smith of Clerks fame. I’m told it has New Belgium beer. That is all.
Hung
This is a bizarre show- a comedy that’s not funny, a drama that’s not compelling. Fortunately Thomas Jane knocks back awesome Michigan brews like Bell’s Two Hearted Ale and Founder’s Double Trouble, while his characters tries to accept the fact that he has a gigantic penis.
Parks and Rec
Set in the Hoosier State, this Amy Poehler sitcom kick back from all the recreation with Dragonfly IPA from Upland Brewing in Bloomington.
Men of a Certain Age
Reader herbert B friendly, himself a man of a certain age, pointed out that a disheveled Ray Romano pounds some Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale poolside in this TNT drama. Guess I’m already that certain age… mmm, Dale’s.
So there ya go, couch potatoes. Have any other good ones that I missed? Email me at slouch@aleheads.com or comment below.
ALEHEADS 
Check out NBC’s Parks and Recreation, Upland Brewing co. beers are featured about every week.
Those are the kind of subliminal message that Hollywood should send out… since there is no more vinyl to spin backwards. I think I just heard Southern Tier X2 IPA in the back of my mind!!!!
Charlie is drinking Radeberger Pilsner
Good finds! Not having cable and having to rely on free TV hinders my ability to spot a lot of these cameos, but I still think its cool that craft beer is infiltrating the big and small screen. Do people really consider Shiner to be craft beer though?
My personal favorite craft beer product placement was on the Simpsons episode where Milhouse’s parents are lost at sea. He goes to live with the Simpsons and Homer keeps mentioning “ocean” related products (Ocean Spray, Chicken of the Sea, Cap’n Crunch) before catching himself. Finally, after Marge tells him to “stop naming things!” Homer says he’s heading to Moe’s to “drown his sorrows in Anchor Steam beer.”
@Rodney: Thanks for Parks and Rec suggestion. I’ll see if I can find some shots of Upland quaffing.
Thanks @spoon… noted.
@Scott Spoetzl (Maker of Shiner) although owned by Gambrinus was still listed in the Brewers Association Top 50 for 2010, albeit with an asterisk. I just wanted an excuse to show the girls from the Texas Chili Parlor.
Here is an image of Upland on Parks and Rec (their dragonfly IPA):
for reference:
I can’t find a screenshot, but the mid-’90s US remake of “Men Behaving Badly” had a couple of Dogfish Head posters in background shots, and I remember a six-pack of Chicory Stout sitting on top of the characters’ refrigerator.
Yikes Roy! That’s an obscure one. I’ll see if I can find anything.
Dale’s Pale Ale in Men of a Certain Age
@herbert added it above
In “Get Him to the Greek,” they’re drinking Sierra Nevada (Pale Ale I think) once they meet with Aldous’ father.
I got another good one. Watching X-files, season 3 on Netflix. Sam Adam’s Boston Lager sighting. That’s 1996.
Thanks- see if I can rundown screen shots for those…
Mulder strikes me as a craft beer guy.