Red, White and Brew: An American Beer Odyssey by Brian Yaeger
From Amazon: Beer enthusiast Brian Yaeger writes about his travels throughout the country visiting microbreweries, and like most suds aficionados, he has an affinity for so-called craft beers. Throughout his odyssey—starting at the ancient Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville, PA and going West before concluding at the upstart Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Delaware—he spends less time on the many beers he quaffs than he does on portraying the dedicated brewers running these quixotic enterprises. There's good reason for that, as the people he comes across in his journey (crashing on couches, always buying a six-pack sampler of the local brewery's wares on the way out of town) are an uncommonly determined lot. In Yaeger's chatty interviews with the brewers, they talk about the business, the post-1980s renaissance in American beer and the common need to enter into distribution agreements with the likes of Anheuser Busch (if not letting themselves be bought outright). Yaeger's book is a solid and amiable rendering of a tough business.
I read Red, White and Brew last summer and absolutely loved it. At its core, Red, White and Brew is an adventure story that takes its author/protagonist not only across the country but also into the depths of the multi-faceted beer industry. While crisscrossing the country, Yaeger visits myriad breweries and paints a vivid picture of our country's beer industry from the biggest conglomerates to the smallest basement operations, talks with grizzled and steadfast brewers (who literally pour their sweat and tears into their beers) about the intricacies of the brewing process and shares many a pint with the drinkers that are the backbone of the beer industry.
One of the most eye-opening aspects of Red, White and Brew is the constant battle that pits smaller upstart brewers against giants like Anheuser Busch. As Yaeger details, it's very rare for a craft brewery to gain national recognition mainly because they don't have the financial resources that the larger companies do. Brewers like Yuengling and Dogfish Head (both of which started as craft beer outfits) are the exceptions to the rule. Often, the mountain these small breweries must climb is simply too high and they are forced to enter into one-sided distribution agreements or even face being bought out. In this sense, Red, White and Brew can even be seen as a David vs. Goliath tale in that it illuminates how the little corner brewery struggles to survive and thrive in the shadow of industry giants like Miller and Coors. As I was reading, I found myself rooting for the little corner brewery and raised a glass of my Yards ESA in solidarity.
While parts of Red, White and Brew are dominated by the histories of the breweries Yaeger visits—albeit very fascinating histories—his conversations with the brewers and drinkers themselves reveal the backbone of the beer industry: people. The people Yaeger talks with (and more than once, crashes on their couches) are determined, passionate and intelligent. You know how they say that you can see into a painter's soul when you look at one of his paintings? The same goes for brewers: each bottle or pint of beer is a little window into his soul. The people Yaeger comes across love beer and are totally dedicated to creating it, sharing it with the world and, of course, drinking it.
Brian Yaeger's Red, White and Brew is a great read and does an excellent job of pulling back the curtain on the beer industry. Yaeger gives an honest, authentic and often funny account of the beer business, from the executive offices of the biggest breweries all way down to the corner bar.
Grab a road soda and enjoy the ride!
Brew of a Kind B.A.L (Book Awesomeness Level): 3 ½ Pints
You can follow Brian Yaeger on Twitter @yaeger (I do, duh) and be a third wheel in his ongoing love affair with beer at www.beerodyssey.com.
