Grain Belt in the Movies
February 18th, 2008
By Scottie Tuska
Though it would be nice to drink a beer at the movies, we all know that movie theaters are for popcorn and candy. Monstrous popcorn, with imitation butter, truly beautiful stuff. Any who, for those of you who didn’t know, I see myself as a sort of a film buff. This past week my little lady and I were watching the stupendous Badlands.
Photo by Colin Tuska
I had always heard good things about Terrence Malick’s 1973 masterpiece, but who knew it was so weird. A strange and wonderful film, something amazing showed up halfway through: Grain Belt’s Premium. I actually ended up drinking a few of these this weekend and I really think its one of the better (cheap) lagers out there. It’s light and fruity, the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of chili. I can’t argue that it’s great, but it definetely is good.
More than anything Premium represents a past when Great Belt was a big name in the business as well as the Twin Cities. It’s changed hands a few times and, locally at least, has seen a surge in popularity since it was taken over by August Schell in 2002 (akin to Pabst’s reemergence under Miller’s helm). If you get up to the Northeast its a most to stop by the old Grain Belt Brewery, a true a piece of history and a magnificent building. For now enjoy this teaser featuring a young Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek roaming the badlands and pick up Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line and The New World. You won’t be sorry, Malick is a great director who just happens to have fine taste (or good research) in Midwestern beers.
Tags: Badlands, Grain Belt, Minneapolis, Northeast, Tarrence Malick, The Blagger
Comments & Discussion
I enjoyed a couple beers while seeing the film There Will Be Blood while at a the cinema in D.C. The selection wasn’t bad either– Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, New Castle–in bottles.
It was delicious and they didn’t even card me (though I am of age).
Don’t forget about the first scene of Fargo, where William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi are organizing a kidnapping over a few Premiums. Also, in Jingle All the Way, Arnold Schwarzenegger shares a six-pack of Premium with a reindeer after beating the shit out of it.