In 1975, there was one craft brewery in the United States; today, there are more than 2,300. Powered by millions of savvy, devoted consumers and raking in hundreds of millions annually for producers and retailers, the American craft beer movement has changed the brewing industry and the international reputation of American beer. It has upended the Big Beer giants that once seemed untouchable and forever altered the culinary habits of not only millions of Americans but millions more worldwide.
This delicious story of plucky triumph has never been chronicled in one volume--until now.
Based on thorough research as well as interviews with all of the most influential names in craft brewing since the 1960s, The Audacity of Hops brims with charming, remarkable tales, which together weave a very American business story, one of formidable odds and refreshing success.
The Audacity of Hops will be the holiday and birthday gift for every craft-beer lover--indeed, for anyone who loves fine food and drink, and the people behind them. Entertaining and accessible, this book is the first of its kind: the definitive, highly praised history of the other American revolution.
Review
βThis is the story of how the βKingdom of Beerβ was returned to the drinker. Itβs 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.β βCharlie Papazian , founder of the American Homebrewers Association and author of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing****
βEveryone who cares about good beer owes Tom Acitelli a huge thanks: his history of American craft beer is lively, substantive, and thoughtful.β βMaureen Ogle, author of Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer
"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."β The Plain Dealer
βThis book is a delightful read, painstakingly researched, often humorous, and filled with stories that breathe life into the birth of our industry.β βDavid L. Geary , president of D. L. Geary Brewing Company
βHighly 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.β βSam Calagione , president and founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and author of Brewing Up a Business
β[Tom Acitelli]βs 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.β βKen Grossman , founder, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
"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."βEvan S. Benn ,Esquire magazine beer columnist
"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."β Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Tom Acitelli has written widely about beer, including as a regular contributor to All About Beer , the brewing industryβs leading trade magazine. He was a senior editor at the New York Observer , New York Cityβs leading weekly newspaper, for five years. Acitelli has also written for the New York Times , the New York Post , Town & Country, and Redbook.