Microbrews and Mass Media

I noticed recently there have been a few appearances of microbrews in the MSM.

In the (hilarious) Reno 911 movie, the redneck alligator wrestler is quaffing a 60min IPA from Dogfish Head (not really a redneck beer since it only comes in 6 packs) and later the Lesbian cop and her friends were carrying a pack of it.

In 30 Rock, Tina Fey was drinking Sierra Nevada Celebration at the after after party, the after after after party but I believe it let up at the after after after after party.

On SNL featuring Rainn Wilson, the one guy pointed out that he bought a domestic instead of microbrews.

Now don't get me wrong, it isn't like microbrewing is new (it peaked in the 1990s but since I hated beer up until 2003 I wasn't aware of it) but lately it has become more available (Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, etc). Bigger breweries are trying to develop better beer (Blue Moon, Jack's Pumpkin Ale, Bare Knuckle Stout, Winter Bourbon Cask Ale) so I think what I am seeing is a little bit what happens inside a fad/movement.

1.) Underground
2.) Underground to 1 standard deviation of mainstream.
3.) Near mainstream awareness (drops some of the first group because they are more interested in being individualistic than in the fad/movement itself)
4.) Declining interest to encompass the 2nd group along with dedicated (non-poser) folks from step 3 (of course, just like there are those that want are only interested in being different there are those that aren't interested once it is not mainstream)
5.) ???

In the case of good beer, I think we may be seeing a resurgence of awareness (the sales have been rising; the only beer market stateside to do that)

--Joey