One of the most important but little-known aspects of early American history is the role of beer in our country's founding and formative years. This definitive account of beer's impact on people and events that shaped the birth of a nation will astonish readers. Beginning with the pre-colonial era and ending with America's emergence as an industrial power, this book is a fresh and swiftly flowing adventure.
“Bitter Brew deftly chronicles the contentious succession of kings in a uniquely American dynasty. You’ll never crack open a six again without thinking of this book.” —John Sayles, Director of Eight Men Out and author of A Moment in the Sun The creators of Budweiser and Michelob beers, the Anheuser-Busch company is one of the wealthiest, most colorful and enduring family dynasties in the history of American commerce. In Bitter Brew, critically acclaimed journalist William Knoedelseder tells the riveting, often scandalous saga of the rise and fall of the dysfunctional Busch family—an epic tale of prosperity, profligacy, hubris, and the dark consequences of success that spans three centuries, from the open salvos of the Civil War to the present day.
A “fascinating and well-documented social history” of American beer, from the immigrants who invented it to the upstart microbrewers who revived it (Chicago Tribune). Grab a pint and settle in with AmbitiousBrew, the fascinating, first-ever history of American beer. Included here are the stories of ingenious German immigrant entrepreneurs like Frederick Pabst and Adolphus Busch, titans of nineteenth-century industrial brewing who introduced the pleasures of beer gardens to a nation that mostly drank rum and whiskey; the temperance movement (one activist declared that “the worst of all our German enemies are Pabst, Schlitz, Blatz, and Miller”); Prohibition; and the twentieth-century passion for microbrews. Historian Maureen Ogle tells a wonderful tale of the American dream—and the great American brew. “As much a painstakingly researched microcosm of American entrepreneurialism as it is a love letter to the country’s favorite buzz-producing beverage . . . ‘Ambitious Brew’ goes down as brisk and refreshingly as, well, you know.” —New York Post
Charting the birth and growth of craft beer across the United States, Acitelli offers an epic, story-driven account of one of the most inspiring and surprising American grassroots movements.
One of the most exciting and dynamic segments of todays brewing scene is American-brewed sour beers, with craft brewers and home-brewers alike adapting traditional European techniques to create some of the worlds most distinctive and experimental styles. This book details the wide array of processes and ingredients in American sour beer production, with actionable advice each step of the way. Inspiration and practical applications for brewers of all levels are provided by some of the countrys best known sour beer brewers, including Russian River, Jolly Pumpkin and The Lost Abbey.
"The first major reference work to investigate the history and vast scope of beer, The Oxford Companion to Beer features more than 1,100 A-Z entries written by 166 of the world's most prominent beer experts"-- Provided by publisher.
Brewing Battles is the comprehensive story of the American brewing industry and its leading figures, from its colonial beginnings to the present. Although today s beer companies have their roots in pre-Prohibition business, historical developments since Repeal have affected industry at large, brewers, and the tastes and habits of beer-drinking consumers as well. Brewing Battles explores the struggle of German immigrant brewers to establish themselves in America, within the context of federal taxation and a growing temperance movement, their losing battle against Prohibition, their rebirth and transformation into a corporate oligarchy, and the determination of home and micro brewers to reassert craft as the raison d etre of brewing. Brewing Battles looks at beer s cultural meaning from the vantage point of the brewers and their goals for market domination. Beer consumption changed over time, beginning with an alcoholic high in the early 19th century and ending with a neo-temperance low in the early 21st. The public places where people drank also changed from colonial ordinaries in peoples homes to the saloon and back to home via the disposable six pack. The book explores this story as brewers fought to create and control these changing patterns of consumption. Drinking alcohol has remained a favored activity in American society and while beer is ubiquitous, our country harbors a persistent ambivalence about drinking. An examination of how the industry prevailed in a sometimes unreceptive environment exemplifies how business helps shape public opinion. Brewing Battles reveals the complicated changes in the economic clout of the industry. Prior to the institution of the income tax in 1913 the liquor industry contributed over 50% of the federal government s internal revenue; 19th century temperance advocates portrayed the liquor industry as King Alcohol. Today their tax contribution is only 1% yet brewing actually has a much more pervasive influence, touching on almost every aspect of modern American life and contributing greatly to the GNP. Brewing Battles is this story.
Classic Beers of the Good Old Days There was a time when one income could support a family, when American-made automobiles were the best on the market, when you could eat a steak without thinking of cholesterol, and when Milwaukee was the beer capital of the world. Back then, you drank beer—not lager, stout, or IPA—just plain old great American beer. The ultimate guide to the classic brews and legendary brands of the past two centuries,Great American Beeris packed with full-color photos of beer memorabilia from the heyday of this country’s beer revolution and brief histories of fifty brands that left their mark on generations of beer drinkers. Infused with fact, lore, and an ample dose of tongue-in-cheek humor,Great American Beerlures you into the America where these legendary beers were born and rose to prominence as regional favorites. If you’re a beer drinker who knows that Schlitz offers “just the kiss of the hops” or who can recite the Budweiser Manifesto by heart, this book’s for you. Test your knowledge of great American beers. 1. Which great American beer is considered “The Champagne of Beers”? 2. Which classic American brew is the “One beer to have when you’re having more than one”? 3. What was the favorite beer of Dennis Hopper’s homicidal Frank Booth character in the cult classicBlue Velvet? The answers to these and other pressing questions about our country’s most timeless brands can only be found in . . .Great American Beer
In The Best of American Beer and Food Lucy Saunders covers both pairing food and beer and cooking with beer. She begins by exploring the art of pairing flavorful beers with specific foods, considering today's wide range of beer styles and the foods and flavors that they compliment from salad through dessert. She then turns to recipes that incorporate beer, using the diverse tastes available from today's ales and lagers as flavor components.
