Craft beer has made its way into the national beer market and into the national consciousness, a fact evidenced by small-batch beer’s inclusion in pop culture, especially television and movies.
The Indie Memphis Film Festival will screen “Drinking Buddies” at Circuit Playhouse on Friday, Nov. 1. It’s a complicated love-at-work story about Kate (Olivia Wilde) and Luke (Jake Johnson) who work together at a Chicago craft brewery but are both in relationships. Nothing fuels a complicated love story like endless supplies of high-gravity beers.
Georgia craft beer makers Terrapin Beer Co. and SweetWater Brewing Co. got long cameos in Sunday’s season premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead.
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Without any spoilers, I can tell you the gang goes “shopping” and spends some time in the beer and wine section of a large store. Cases of Terrapin and SweetWater form walls behind our brave survivors. Spoiler alert: I’m not saying it’s the most tragic event of the premiere, but some of that sweet, sweet beer is spilled.
Look here for the briefest of appearance of a box of SweetWater IPA at the 3:42 mark)
The local brands were a reminder that the show is set (and also shot in) Georgia. Furthering that sense of place were references to the sculptures in the Atlanta airport.
Finally, craft beer has made its debut in reality television. Brew Dogs has real-life craft brewery owners James Watt and Martin Dickie traveling across the country making beers that reflect the spirit of the area they visit.
Coffee, of course, is used in a Seattle beer. They capture some of San Francisco’s famous fog for a new beer there.
Along the way, they visit local breweries. They drink beer, naturally, but also try to convince others to try craft beer in hopes of taking someone’s “craft beer virginity,” a yucky, locker-room phrase for a beautiful thing.
The show debuted on Esquire Network in September.
Watch show trailers here.
