The Audacity of Hops: The History of America's Craft Beer Revolution

Description

In 1975, there was a single craft brewery in the United States; today there are more than 2,000. A once-fledgling, clumsy movement, craft beer has become ubiquitous nationwide and even includes a honey ale brewed at the White House. Powered by millions of savvy, devoted consumers and raking in billions of dollars annually for producers and retailers, the movement has changed the industry landscape and the international reputation of American beer, upended the big beer giants that once seemed untouchable, and altered forever drinking habits, closet hobbies, and bar conversation. But the epic narrative of this class of brew has never been chronicled in one volume--until now. Based on interviews with all of the biggest and most influential names in craft brewing since the 1970s--including brewers, critics, and marketers--The Audacity of Hops brims with charming, remarkable stories, which together weave a very American business tale, one of formidable odds and refreshing success. The Audacity of Hops will be the holiday and birthday gift for every craft beer lover. Entertaining, informative, and accessible, this book is the first of its kind: the definitive history of the other American revolution.

Tom Acitelli has written widely about beer, including as a regular contributor to All About Beer, the brewing industry's leading trade magazine. He was a senior editor at the New York Observer, New York City's leading weekly newspaper, for five years. Acitelli has also written for the New York Times, the New York Post, Town & Country, and Redbook.

"""Excellent history of the American craft brewing movement." "Slate "" [Tom Acitelli] s thorough research into the craft beer revolution tells a great story and shows how a ragtag yet purposeful group of passionate individuals can build an industry. He did an amazing job capturing the characters, improbable tales, and astounding passion that make up the craft brewing community. Ken Grossman, founder, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co." Everyone who cares about good beer owes Tom Acitelli a huge thanks: his history of American craft beer is lively, substantive, and thoughtful. Maureen Ogle, author of "Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer"" Highly quaffable and enjoyable. You can crack open a section or two, pore over it for an hour or so, and familiarize yourself with the moments and luminaries who contributed heavily to the American brewing renaissance. Heady stuff. Sam Calagione, president and founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and author of "Brewing Up a Business"" This is the story of how the Kingdom of Beer was returned to the drinker. It s about the nurturing of the beer epiphany in a time when word of a revolution in the making was passed on one glass of brew at a time. "The Audacity of Hops" is an absorbing reflection on what goes into every professional craft-brewed beer in America. Impassioned millions have taken the kingdom back. Charlie Papazian, founder of the American Homebrewers Association and author of "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing"" "It's an exhaustive look at the genesis of craft brewing. Its emphasis is less technical and more people-oriented, a refreshing read amid the many "how to brew" or glossary-heavy books on the subject."--"The Plain Dealer" "An invaluable resource for connoisseurs." --"Kirkus Reviews" ""The Audacity of Hops" chronicles the rich history of America's craft brewing revolution with deft portraits of the resourceful pioneers, the innovative brewers, and the intrepid entrepreneurs who are changing the way the world thinks about beer." --Steve Hindy, cofounder of Brooklyn Brewery and coauthor of "Beer School" "[Tom Acitelli]'s thorough research into the craft beer revolution tells a great story and shows how a ragtag yet purposeful group of passionate individuals can build an industry. He did an amazing job capturing the characters, improbable tales, and astounding passion that make up the craft brewing community." --Ken Grossman, founder, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. "All of us in the business have tales to tell about the American craft beer revolution. Tom Acitelli has woven them together into a fascinating history/adventure story where good beer is the hero. This is an exciting telling with a happily-ever-after ending for beer lovers all over the world." --Jim Koch, Founder and Brewer of The Boston Beer Company, brewer of Samuel Adams Boston Lager"" "Don Younger, the legendary publican who helped Portland, Oregon, become 'Beervana, ' once said, 'We didn't know we were making history, nobody does at the time, or we would have written these things down.' Tom Acitelli has discovered an astonishing amount of what did get written down, then done the legwork to find his own story about a new age in American beer." --Stan Hieronymus, editor and founder of "Appel""lation Beer" and author of "For the Love of Hops" "All of us in the craft beer business have stories to tell about the American Craft Beer Revolution. Tom Acitelli has woven them together into a fascinating history- adventure story where good beer is the hero. This is an exciting telling of the history of our industry with a happily-ever-after ending for beer lovers all over the world." --Jim Koch, Founder and Brewer of The Boston Beer Company, brewer of Samuel Adams Boston Lager"" "This book is a delightful read, painstakingly researched, often humorous, and filled with stories that breathe life into the birth of our industry." --David L. Geary, president of D. L. Geary Brewing Company."" "This is a highly quaffable and enjoyable craft beer book. You can crack open a section or two, pour over it for an hour or so, and familiarize yourself with the moments and luminaries who contributed heavily to the American brewing renaissance. This is heady stuff."- Sam Calagione, President and Founder, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery "This is the story of how the "Kingdom of Beer" was returned to the drinker by little guys and gals who loved beer. It's about the nurturing of the beer epiphany in a time when word of a revolution in the making was passed on one glass of brew at a time. "The Audacity of Hops" is an absorbing reflection on what goes into every glass of homebrew and professional craft-brewed beer in America. Impassioned millions have taken the kingdom back." --Charlie Papazian, author, "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" and the founder of The American Homebrewers Association "Excellent history of the American craft brewing movement." --Slate "Mr. Acitelli's exhaustive chronicle of the American beer revolution . . . lovingly told." --The Wall Street Journal "A lot of beer books come across my desk, but few are as thorough, well-researched and approachable as The Audacity of Hops. Author Tom Acitelli takes a reporter's approach to telling the story of the rise of craft beer in America." --Evan S. Benn, Esquire magazine beer columnist "Everyone who cares about good beer owes Tom Acitelli a huge thanks: his history of American craft beer is lively, substantive, and thoughtful." --Maureen Ogle, author of Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer "Highly quaffable and enjoyable. You can crack open a section or two, pore over it for an hour or so, and familiarize yourself with the moments and luminaries who contributed heavily to the American brewing renaissance. Heady stuff." --Sam Calagione, president and founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and author of Brewing Up a Business "Journalist and beer-lover Acitelli's exceptional document of this remarkable growth profiles the brewers, breweries, and brewhounds that have played a part in today's booming craft beer industry . . . It's an ingenious means of telling a story with so many influential characters, and Acitelli pulls it off, with an eye for detail and a nose for drama." --Publishers Weekly "This is the story of how the 'Kingdom of Beer' was returned to the drinker. It's about the nurturing of the beer epiphany in a time when word of a revolution in the making was passed on one glass of brew at a time. The Audacity of Hops is an absorbing reflection on what goes into every professional craft-brewed beer in America. Impassioned millions have taken the kingdom back." --Charlie Papazian, founder of the American Homebrewers Association and author of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing Mr. Acitelli s exhaustive chronicle of the American beer revolution . . . lovingly told. ""The Wall Street Journal""" "Mr. Acitelli's exhaustive chronicle of the American beer revolution . . . lovingly told." --""The Wall Street Journal"" "This book is a delightful read, painstakingly researched, often humorous, and filled with stories that breathe life into the birth of our industry." --David L. Geary, president of D. L. Geary Brewing Company