The audacity of hops : the history of America's craft beer revolution

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. Charting The Birth And Growth Of Craft Beer Across The United States, Tom Acitelli Offers An Epic, Story-driven Account Of One Of The Most Inspiring And Surprising American Grassroots Movements. In 1975, There Was A Single Craft Brewery In The United States; Today There Are More Than 2,000. Now This Once-fledgling Movement Has Become Ubiquitous Nationwide--there's Even A Honey Ale Brewed At The White House. This Book Not Only Tells The Stories Of The Major Figures And Businesses Within The Movement, But It Also Ties In The Movement With Larger American Culinary Developments. It Also Charts The Explosion Of The Mass-market Craft Beer Culture, Including Magazines, Festivals, Home Brewing, And More. This Entertaining And Informative History Brims With Charming, Remarkable Stories, Which Together Weave A Very American Business Tale Of Formidable Odds And Refreshing Success-- Part 1: The Last Shall Be First ; Do It Yourself ; Beer For Its Own Sake ; Eden, California ; Tv Dinner Land ; Lite Up Ahead ; Brewed Through A Horse ; The Most Influential Beer ; Chez Mcauliffe ; The Bard Of Beer ; Long Days, Longer Odds. -- Part 2: Tipping Points ; Small, High-quality Food Places ; The Bearded Young Man From Chico ; The Fireman And The Goat Shed ; The West Coast Style ; Mayflower Refugee ; How The Brewpub Was Born ; The First Shakeout ; That's A Great Idea, Charlie ; The Third Wave Builds ; The Lesson Of The Nylon String ; This Connoisseur Thing ; Because Wine Making Takes Too Long ; More Than In Europe ; Beer, It's What's With Dinner ; Vats And Dogs ; To The Last Frontier And Back ; Weeping Radishes And Scottish Lords ; Here, There, And Everywhere. -- Part 3: Unhappy Meals ; Second Careers ; Davids And Goliaths ; Five Hundred Miles In A Rented Honda ; New York Minutes ; The Revolution, Televised ; A Manifesto And Arnold Schwarzenegger ; The Value Of Gold ; The Tyranny Of Fast Growth ; Finding Role Models, Defying Labels ; Ghosts Around The Machines ; Cherry Brew And Naked Hockey ; In Prime Time ; Critical Mass ; The Potato-chip Epiphany ; The Brewpubs Boom ; Suds And The City ; Attack Of The Phantom Crafts ; Budhook And The Bull Beer Market ; Last Call For The Old Days ; Big Beer's Biggest Weapon ; The French Lieutenant's Coat ; To The Extreme ; The Total Package ; Boos ; The Movement's Biggest Setback ; Lucky Bastards ; A Tale Of Two Breweries ; The Great Shakeout ; Victory Abroad, Defeat At Home. -- Part 4: Plotting A Comeback ; Mcdonald's Versus Fine Food ; Craft Beer Logs On ; Growing Pains Again ; Still The Latest Thing ; Crushing It ; With Gusto ; A Great Passing ; Beer, Premium ; Exit The Godfather ; Big Crowds And The New Small ; The Albion Brewery. Tom Acitelli. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 385-387) And Index. 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 volumeuntil now. Based on interviews with all of the biggest and most influential names in craft brewing since the 1970sincluding 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. Discover the underdog story of how America came to dominate beer stylistically in Tom Acitelli's The Audacity of Hops: The History of America's Craft Beer Revolution , the first and only history book on American craft beer. Based on extensive archival research as well as interviews with the movement's key players going back to the 1960s, this acclaimed book is the most comprehensive chronicle yet of one of the most interesting and lucrative culinary trends in the U.S. since World War II. Acitelli weaves the story of the rise of American craft beer into the tales of trends like Slow Food and the rebirth of America's urban areas, and paints an unforgettable portrait of plucky entrepreneurial triumph. The backgrounds on all your favorite craft brewers are here, including often forgotten heroes from the movement's earliest days as well as the history of homebrewing since Prohibition. This is the "book for the craft beer nerd who thinks he or she already knows the story" ( Los Angeles Times ) as well as for fans of good food and drink in general