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Ambitious Brew (2007)

by Maureen Ogle(Favorite Author)

3.75 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1616848448 (ISBN13: 9781616848446)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

review 1: This is a very readable history of American brewing, from the German immigrants of the mid-19th century to the proliferation of microbreweries today. If you ever wondered why Pabst has a blue ribbon, here's your answer. Ogle does an admirable job of detailing the challenges, failures, and triumphs of an industry that first had to overcome American puritan instincts, then xenophobia centered around immigrant German culture, and finally Prohibition, that spectacularly failed experiment of the 1920's. The rise of big industry beer in the 1950's and 1960's left us with few quality selections, but Ogle makes the case that only the big operators were able to survive Prohibition. She links the new micro brew revolution to a generally increased consciousness about food quality... more and food sources, and provides insight into how this thriving industry creating new enthusiasm for a wide palette of beer styles.
review 2: Solid history of the beer business in America, from the rise of Anheuser-Busch and Pabst and countless local breweries in the 19th century to prohibition to consolidation to the craft beer revolution of recent times. A consistent theme is that the big and successful brewers gave American consumers what they wanted (which might not be the beer that you and I would want): light lagers and pilsners, as opposed to the hoppy ales that I love.Ogle does a good job of profiling the families and individuals involved in the industry. There is a ton of information here, and she presents it in a relatively breezy, novelistic way. less

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