The United States of Beer : A Freewheeling History of the All-American Drink

From the author of "the definitive history of bourbon" (Sacramento Bee) comes the epic true tale of how beer conquered America, from B.C. to Budweiser and beyond Equally irreverent and revealing, Dane Huckelbridge's masterful cultural history charts the wild, engrossing, and surprisingly complex story of our favorite alcoholic drink, showing how America has been under the influence of beer at almost every stage. From the earliest Native American corn brew (called chicha) to the waves of immigrants who brought with them their unique brewing traditions, to the seemingly infinite varieties of craft-brewed suds found on tap today, beer has claimed an outsized place in our culture that far transcends its few simple ingredients—water, barley, and hops. And yet despite its ubiquity—Americans consume some six billion gallons of beer each year—the story of beer in the USA is as diverse and fascinating as the country itself, overflowing with all the color and character of America's many peoples and regions. A brewery was among the first orders of business when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, and George Washington tried (but mostly failed) to produce beer at Mount Vernon. Since 1776, America has operated under the principle of E. Pluribus, Brewdog: out of many regional brews, one nation of beer drinkers. The first "macrobrew" revolution was in the Midwest, where an influx of German immigrants in the 1800s changed American brewing forever. Bavarian newcomers brought their now-universal lager to St. Louis, Milwaukee, and the rest of the heartland; Busch, Pabst, and Schlitz soon followed, establishing the first great beer empires and ushering in a golden age of brewing that would last into the twentieth century. Then in 1920, Prohibition threatened the very existence of beer in America. Brewers were forced to diversity into a variety of odd products—among them malted milk, porcelain, and cement—in order to survive. When the spigot finally reopened in 1933, many breweries were tapped out. By the early 1980s, a country that once boasted more than a thousand breweries was down to a few dozen, with little to distinguish among them. But stirred by the American entrepreneurial spirit, a cadre of daring young trailblazers decided our options shouldn’t be limited to watery, flavorless macrobrews. The microbrew movement began on the West Coast, but quickly spread: today there are thousands of craft breweries, scattered across all fifty states. Drawing upon a wealth of little-known historical sources, explaining the scientific breakthroughs that have shaped beer’s evolution, and mixing in more than a splash of dedicated on-the-ground research, The United States of Beer offers a raucous and enlightening toast to the all-American drink. From the author of Bourbon, “the definitive history” (Sacramento Bee), comes the rollicking and revealing story of beer in America, in the spirit of Salt or Cod. In The United States of Beer, Dane Huckelbridge, the author of Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit—a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance bestseller—charts the surprisingly fascinating history of Americans’ relationship with their most popular alcoholic beverage. Huckelbridge shows how beer has evolved along with the country—from a local and regional product (once upon a time every American city has its own brewery and iconic beer brand) to the rise of global mega-brands like Budweiser and Miller that are synonymous with U.S. capitalism. We learn of George Washington’s failed attempt to brew beer at Mount Vernon with molasses instead of barley, of the 19th century “Beer Barons” like Captain Frederick Pabst, Adolphus Busch, and Joseph Schlitz who revolutionized commercial brewing and built lucrative empires—and the American immigrant experience—and of the advances in brewing and bottling technology that allowed beer to flow in the saloons of the Wild West. Throughout, Huckelbridge draws connections between seemingly remote fragments of the American past, and shares his reports from the frontlines of today’s craft-brewing revolution. From the author of Bourbon , the definitive history (Sacramento Bee), comes the rollicking and revealing story of beer in America, in the spirit of Salt or Cod. In The United States of Beer , Dane Huckelbridge, the author of Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance bestsellercharts the surprisingly fascinating history of Americans relationship with their most popular alcoholic beverage. Huckelbridge shows how beer has evolved along with the countryfrom a local and regional product (once upon a time every American city has its own brewery and iconic beer brand) to the rise of global mega-brands like Budweiser and Miller that are synonymous with U.S. capitalism. We learn of George Washingtons failed attempt to brew beer at Mount Vernon with molasses instead of barley, of the 19th century Beer Barons like Captain Frederick Pabst, Adolphus Busch, and Joseph Schlitz who revolutionized commercial brewing and built lucrative empiresand the American immigrant experienceand of the advances in brewing and bottling technology that allowed beer to flow in the saloons of the Wild West. Throughout, Huckelbridge draws connections between seemingly remote fragments of the American past, and shares his reports from the frontlines of todays craft-brewing revolution. "A history of beer in America by the author of Bourbon chronicles how beer has evolved in every nation from a regional product to a global mega-brand, sharing anecdotes about such subjects as Washington's failed attempt to brew molasses at Mount Vernon and the manufacturing technologies that introduced beer to the Wild West,"--NoveList.;New England or A Proper Happy Hour for the Mayflower -- New York And The Mid-Atlantic or Of Yankee Clippers and Flying Dutchmen -- The South or a Little Dixie Goes a Long Way -- The Midwest or The German Beer Barons Finally Hop to It -- The West or Beers of the Wild Frontier -- The West Coast or Wish They All Could Be California Brews. "A history of beer in America by the author of Bourbon chronicles how beer has evolved in every nation from a regional product to a global mega-brand, sharing anecdotes about such subjects as Washington's failed attempt to brew molasses at Mount Vernon and the manufacturing technologies that introduced beer to the Wild West, "--NoveList