Book Review: “The Audacity of Hops”
You may know the names — Maytag, McAuliffe, Grossman, Papazian — and maybe have a passing knowledge of their individual roles in the craft beer you’re hopefully drinking right now. But do you really know the impact these fearless and stubborn pioneers had on a nation drowning in macro-produced, carbon-copy beer?
Journalist Tom Acitelli (All About Beer magazine among others) seems to think he knows the minute details of the growth of craft beer movement. And it would appear that he does. In fact, he’s spent the last two years researching, conducting one-on-one interviews and culling numerous articles, personal correspondence and archived newsletters in constructing the detailed timeline found in The Audacity of Hops. Throughout the book’s 375+ pages, the author details the interwoven history of these pioneering figures that forged a nascent craft beer rebellion.
The majority of the book is spent highlighting the early struggles of Anchor Brewery, the rise and fall of several other smaller outfits that helped plant the seeds (the story of Jack McAuliffe’s New Albion Brewery is obviously key and gets a good deal of attention) and the fortuitous timing of several political shifts. Through it all, Acitelli paints a picture of resilience and determination.
As the book progresses so it follows a logical timeline, flowing from West Coast to East Coast and each bourgeoning scene as it develops and back again. From Redhook to Boston Beer Company to Larry Bell’s adventures in Michigan, no region is left out. The author seems to have covered his bases, telling of so many inside stories in a smooth narrative including choice quotes and stories from the brewers themselves. Weaving in and out of all the anecdotes and tales presented is the ever-present Beer Hunter, Michael Jackson — the one man with enough global clout to champion the wares of these early craft breweries.
Acitellie’s writing is friendly, well structured and I think neutral enough that it doesn’t completely paint “big beer” as a wholly demonic presence, but takes a fairly analytical approach to describing the impact that the likes of Miller and AB Inbev have had on the rise of craft beer — “100% share of mind” distribution schemes and phantom crafts are all investigated, as well as buy outs and global consolidation. I think the only thing that the book may lack would be some more photographic elements from those early days. Most of the imagery is from more recent times. I’m a visual person and would love to have had some candid shots of Maytag, Grossman and McAuliffe at work.
Even if you think you know all about the rise of American craft beer, The Audacity of Hops is still full of great quotes, stories and more that you can add to your own beery, mental encylopedia. I don’t believe it to be a fully exhaustive history of the craft beer movement, nor do I think it’s meant to be one, but it certainly is entertaining and an easy enough read that you could probably cruise through it during a quiet weekend over a few glasses of your favorite brew.
