In Craft Brew: An American Beer Revolution, M. B. Mooney tells the stories of more than a dozen of the best independent brewers from across the nation. For these brewers, their business is to help those new to beer find that special brew and to offer veteran beer drinkers new and exciting tastes. But more than that, they know that they are extending an invitation to join a warm community and share in a vibrant culture. Mooney explores their stories of passion and caring, history and innovation, creativity and influence, fellowship and rebellion, and, most of all, great beer. Craft Brew: An American Beer Revolution offers the beer enthusiast a chance to be immersed in the stories and culture of the brewing community. But if you are unlucky enough to have not yet found that beer you like, Craft Brew will open your eyes to possibilities and just might send you in search of that special brew that will usher you into the ranks of the converted.

Just about anyone with a modest amount of beer knowledge will tell you that right here, right now is the best time in the history of mankind to be a beer drinker. With the most breweries in the United States since Prohibition and a global culture that is thriving and innovating, there are choices on tap like never before, using ingredients that a generation ago would have been considered taboo by beer makers. And looking around at any one of the 4,800 breweries currently operating in the U.S. will reveal a clientele as diverse as the nation itself. The truth, however, is that while it is a great time to be a beer drinker, it's also a confusing time. Poor quality, misinformation about flavors, and, perhaps, too much choice. Moreover, for every good news story about diversity of taste and positive economic impact, there's a dark side: Unfair business practices like large breweries paying for a tap instead of earning it by popular demand, small brewers denied access to ingredients by larger brewers monopolizing them, unsafe working conditions, and an undercurrent of sexism among brewers that still favors white males above all others. Quality often suffers as breweries try to grow too quickly and "craft" beers promote bitter, strong flavors at the expense of the more subtle brews. To drink beer is easy. Pour, put to lips, and swallow. To think critically about beer is much harder. Appreciating and conscientiously participating in beer culture today is about more than downing pints and understanding flavors. It requires an understanding of everything it took to get that beer into your glass, looking and tasting the way it does, priced the way it is, and sold at that particular venue. Drawing on history, economics, and countless interviews with industry insiders, expert John Holl here provides a complete guide to beer today, exploring how beer and breweries are building communities, changing tastes, and shaping lives.

Beer. Friends. Fun. Put them together, and you have a beer fest! Join M. B. Mooney as he travels the United States to bring you the delights of Beer Fest USA. While beer has always been an important part of American culture, the last three decades have seen an explosion in the popularity of craft brews and microbrews, and, along with them, beer festivals. Modeled on their German counterparts such as Munich's Oktoberfest, beer festivals allow brewers to introduce customers to their creations, to educate the public about the differences between various craft beers, to learn from beer drinkers, and to promote friendship. Beer Fest USA introduces beer enthusiasts-novices and seasoned beer geeks alike-to thirteen of the biggest and best beer festivals in the US, giving you a taste of the unique history and flavor of each. So get ready to drink up, laugh with friends, and start planning your next beer festival vacation.

Beer. Friends. Fun. Put them together, and you have a beer fest! Join M. B. Mooney as he travels the United States to bring you the delights of Beer Fest USA. While beer has always been an important part of American culture, the last three decades have seen an explosion in the popularity of craft brews and microbrews, and, along with them, beer festivals. Modeled on their German counterparts such as Munich's Oktoberfest, beer festivals allow brewers to introduce customers to their creations, to educate the public about the differences between various craft beers, to learn from beer drinkers, and to promote friendship. Beer Fest USA introduces beer enthusiasts-novices and seasoned beer geeks alike-to thirteen of the biggest and best beer festivals in the US, giving you a taste of the unique history and flavor of each. So get ready to drink up, laugh with friends, and start planning your next beer festival vacation.