STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Workmen began installing fermenters and a brew house at The New Carnegie Brewery in Stockholm today. The project is a partnership between the Brooklyn Brewery, Carlsberg Sweden and a group of private investors.

“This is an important step forward,” said Fredrik Vogel, general manager of the project. “We also are pleased to announce we have hired the Swedish brewing team, which is training at Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, NY this year.”

Brooklyn Brewery’s Swedish subsidiary is the operating partner of the project and Brooklyn Brewmaster Garrett Oliver and Vogel hired the Swedish brewing team. The head brewer is Anders Wendler, a graduate of Sweden’s Lunds University. Anders has worked at breweries in the Ukraine, Germany and Sweden since the early 1990s. He is passionate about beer and spends his spare time experimenting with home brews. He was Sweden’s “Best Home Brewer of the Year.”

“I am really looking forward to working with the New Carnegie Brewery,” said Wendler. “For me, beer is both my job and my hobby. So it is obviously very exciting to be involved in the creation of Stockholm’s new craft brewery.”

The New Carnegie Brewery is located in the Hammarby Sjöstad (Hammarby Lake City) neighborhood of Stockholm. It can be reached by car or by a free ferry boat. It is expected to open in early 2014. Wendler said the brewery will have a capacity of 300,000 liters in the first year and will be expanded to a million liters annual production.

Wendler’s team includes brewer Chris Thurgeson, formerly of Nils Oscar Brewery; microbiologist Josefine Karlsson and cellarman Karl Fornarve, formerly of Sigtuna Brygghus.

Carlsberg, a Danish company, is the #1 brewery in Scandinavia and the #4 brewery in the world. Carlsberg owns the brands of the Carnegie Brewery, a Swedish brewery with a 178-year-old history. Carlsberg also imports Brooklyn Brewery beers to Sweden. Brooklyn Brewery once distributed the classic Carnegie Porter beer in New York and Massachusetts.

In 2003, Carlsberg awarded Brooklyn Brewmaster Oliver its “Semper Ardens” medal, recognizing Oliver’s contributions to the world’s beer industry, notably his book, The Brewmaster’s Table, the definitive study of beer and food pairings. At the same time, Carlsberg began importing Brooklyn Brewery beers to Scandinavia.

The New Carnegie Brewery is a result of the friendship that has developed between Carlsberg’s Joakim Losin, Third Party Products Commercial Director, and Brooklyn’s Chief Operating Officer, Eric Ottaway. Brooklyn Brewery will continue to ship packaged beer and tankers of beer to Sweden, but will brew some special beers at New Carnegie. Oliver and Wendler plan to develop partnerships with the great chefs of Scandinavia and the world and showcase New Carnegie and Brooklyn beers with them.

“We want New Carnegie to be a beacon for craft beer culture in northern Europe,” said Oliver. “New Carnegie will produce craft beers with a Scandinavian accent.”

ReedPOP, the number one purveyor of pop culture events, and The Brooklyn Brewery today announce the launch of ‘Brooklyn Defender’ – an exclusive American Black Ale specifically created for this year’s New York Comic Con (NYCC). Designed to “strike fear into the heart of those who would forget the virtues of true beer” the latest addition to the Brooklyn Brewery roster has a dark malt visage and hoppy finish that protects the city from the scourge of tasteless beers. In a true nod to the comic book origins of the East Coast’s biggest entertainment celebration, acclaimed comic book artist Cliff Chiang (Wonder Woman, Batman), illustrated the beer’s artwork. The ‘Brooklyn Defender’ will be introduced at a special release party September 21 and then make its’ way to select bars and restaurants. New York Comic Con takes place October 10-13 at the Javits Center.

“New York Comic Con is a celebration of all things pop culture and what better way to celebrate than with a beer. The Brooklyn Brewery has created a true gift for fans and has lined up some events and partnerships that will bring the magic of NYCC all throughout the city,” said Lance Fensterman, global vice president ReedPOP.

Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery added, “As a New York City native who grew up on 70s comics and later edited a science fiction magazine, getting to make the Brooklyn Defender for New York Comic Con is a massive honor for my inner geek.”

The ‘Brooklyn Defender’ will protect the drinkers of Gotham by allowing them to take refuge from bad beer and bad vibes at the following better beer bars:

RELEASE PARTY, September, 21 – 8:30 PM-midnight at Brooklyn Brewery (79 N 11^th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249)

Open bar, giveaways of ten (10) 3-Day Tickets to New York Comic Con, swag & special guests. RSVP through NYCC here: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/Whats-Happening/Events-I-Q/NYCC-Beer/

PINT NIGHTS – Take home a limited edition ‘Brooklyn Defender’ pint glass with order of the beer (while supplies last). Giveaways of four (4) 3-Day Tickets to New York Comic Con at each event.

September 24 – Barcade Brooklyn (388 Union Ave, Brooklyn NY 11211), 5pm

September 26 – Pony Bar UES (1444 1st Ave. at 75th St, New York, NY 10036), 7pm

October 1 – Pine Box Rock Shop (12 Grattan St, Brooklyn, NY 11206), 8pm

October 3 – Flying Pig (70-28 Austin St, Forest Hills NY, 11375), 7pm

October 7 – Owl Farm (297 9th St Brooklyn, NY 11215), 7pm

October 10 – Beer Culture (328 W 45th St New York, 10036), 7pm

NEW YORK COMIC CON SPECIALS, October 11 and 12

Pony Bar West (637 10th Ave, New York, NY 10036) –Take home a limited edition Brooklyn Defender pint glass with order of the beer (while supplies last).

Beer Authority (300 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018) – Happy Hour 11-7, $14.95. After 7:00 PM, $19.95. ‘Brooklyn Defender’ and burger with bacon, onion rings, pepper jack cheese and BBQ sauce. Purchase of the combo comes with a limited edition Brooklyn Defender commemorative pint glass (while supplies last).

NY Beer Company – The New York Comic Con Combo (321 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036)

Chef’s special Chipotle Black Bean Burger and 16oz pint of ‘Brooklyn Defender’ for only $15. Purchase of the combo comes complete with a limited edition ‘Brooklyn Defender’ commemorative pint glass (while supplies last).

For more information on ‘Brooklyn Defender’, visit: http://brooklynbrewery.com/blog/news/the-brooklyn-defender-returns-new-york-comic-con-rises-from-the-brewery-921/ and check out the ‘Brooklyn Defender’ Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/73732509

For more information on NYCC please visit: www.NewYorkComicCon.com/

ABOUT REEDPOP

ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions which is exclusively devoted to organizing events, launching and acquiring new shows, and partnering with premium brands in the pop culture arena. ReedPOP is dedicated to producing celebrations of popular culture throughout the world that transcend ordinary events by providing unique access and dynamic personal experiences for consumers and fans. The ReedPOP portfolio includes: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) Prime & East, Star Wars Celebration, and the UFC Fan Expo. In 2013 ReedPOP has added Star WarsCelebration Europe and PAX Australia to its rapidly expanding portfolio of international events. The staff at ReedPOP is a fan based group of professionals producing shows for other fans, thus making them uniquely qualified to service those with whom they share a common passion.  ReedPOP is focused on bringing its expertise and knowledge to world communities in North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

ABOUT BROOKLYN BREWERY

Since its founding in 1988, The Brooklyn Brewery brews flavorful beers that enrich the life, tradition and culture of the communities it serves. Its award-winning roster of year round, season and specialty products have gained the Brewery notoriety as one of the top craft beer producers in the world. Brooklyn beers are currently distributed in 25 states and 17 countries, and throughout 2011 the brewery underwent an expansion that will double overall capacity by the end of 2013. In addition to facilitating community meetings at its event space, brewery employees serve on not-for-profit boards, including the Prospect Park Alliance, the Open Space Alliance, Transportation Alternatives and the Brooklyn Historical Society. Each year the company supports many charitable and arts organizations including BAM, Brooklyn Museum and MoMA, and partners with food purveyors across the country to produce beer dinners and tasting events. The Brewery is open to the publicMonday-Thursday from 5-7pm for reservation-only Small Batch tours, Friday evening for Happy Hour, and Saturdays and Sundays for Tours and Tastings. For more info, visit BrooklynBrewery.com and follow @BrooklynBrewery on Twitter.

I decided upon pork belly, white navy beans, Brussels Sprouts, eggs and unbleached white flour. From these ingredients you can go in a number of different directions. You can braise the pork belly and serve it cassoulet-style, have the sprouts on the side, and use the flour and eggs to make an accompanying bread. You could also use the pork cassoulet in an omelette. The pork can be cooked into a ragu, and then the eggs and flour made into pasta, with frizzled and fried Brussels sprouts added just before serving. The pasta could also be used to make the covering for a pork and white bean ravioli with sprouts, or the covering for a Chinese dumpling. You can use the flour and eggs to make bread, then make a pretty tasty bruschetta. You can make some great ramen-style noodles also. And if you cure the pork belly into bacon, you’ve got a whole other range of dishes you can do.

Depending on your dexterity and creativity, you could do a lot with these five ingredients and some spices. I’ll be fascinated to see what people come up with!

This recent trend of collaboration beers represents the next logical step in building relationships that brewers began thirty years ago at the dawn of modern craft brewing. Since then, an unprecedented sharing of knowledge and resources has led to an industry mature beyond its years. This is arguably the reason that American craft beer has built its excellent reputation in such a short time, and also why collaboration beers feel like such a natural extension of that success.

Of course, since trade guilds began in the United States, shortly after the start of the Civil War, brewers have been sharing technical information and basic advancements in brewing techniques. But today’s craft brewers have gone further. The kind of assistance they gave one another—early on and continuing through the present day—was unequivocal and without reservation.

When all the small breweries combined brewed such a tiny fraction of the total beer sold, nobody worried about market share, competition or trade secrets. Brewers in the craft industry were simply very open with one another, freely offering each other help, and freely asking for it, too, in a way that earlier generations and larger businesses wouldn’t dream of doing.

As several brewers noted, many early brewers came from a homebrewing background, and took their hobby and “went pro” at a time when there were few books available and hardly any readily available body of knowledge. Most brewers learned their craft in the kitchen, not in a formal school setting. As a result, brewers were already used to turning to other homebrew club members or on forums to fill in gaps in their knowledge.

But a curious thing happened once the size and number of small brewers increased and their market share grew bigger, too. Those close relationships endured as did their willingness to share, as brewers eschewed conventional business thinking and continued to help each other as often as needed. You’d be hard-pressed to find another business where people don’t protect their most valuable trade secrets and operational knowledge. Most industries employ corporate espionage to find out their competitors’ secrets and the threat of lawsuits to keep their own employees from defecting and taking their institutional knowledge with them to a competing firm.

You might be tempted to think that so cavalier an attitude could doom such businesses to failure or, at the very least, to not staying ahead of their competition. By any measure, however, you’d be deeply wrong. It may be counter-intuitive, to say the least, but by and large the breweries that have been the most open and helpful have also been the most successful.

By contrast, in countries where the converse is true—England, Germany, New Zealand, for example—the number of breweries is in decline and innovation is often in short supply. In England and Germany, where some of the richest brewing traditions took flower, a lack of cooperation is helping to bring about a rash of brewery closings, mergers and stagnation. In New Zealand’s craft beer scene, which actually began around the same time as America’s, a lack of openness and community cooperation has led to quality control issues and difficulty winning over consumers. In such climates, sharing recipes and providing other personal assistance with one another is not something brewers are interested in doing, and in many cases even fear their business could suffer as a result.

“What would you like?” asks the woman who owners the pub.

“I would like to have a beer,” my friend says, his tone suggesting he’d welcome some suggestions. But the woman just nods and is about to rush back to her counter.

I capture her attention again. “What kinds of beer do you offer?”

She says shortly, “Krombacher.”

That’s the biggest pils brand in Germany: not a bad beer, but since it seems to be the only choice in this supposed wine and beer bar, I’m a bit disappointed: “That’s all you’ve got?”

She is not amused: “Yes, that’s all. That’s the way we have it here. If you prefer something else you’ve got to go elsewhere.” She explains that she has a hard time finishing even one cask before it turns bad. Eventually she calms down: “Krombacher Pils and Weizen is all I can offer you on tap. Next week, we will also have the new Krombacher Dark.” My friend and I order a small pils, served in a slim tulip glass. As we drink, I read through the wine list, which is two pages long. We decide to go elsewhere as soon as we’ve finished our beer.

The next bar is modern, more stylish. Honey-colored lights, some tables, many stools, and mirrors all over the wall. Not exactly a beer bar, but a place for good drinks. We choose a table. My friend again, in his seemingly helpless manner, says, “I would like to order a beer…”

The waitress, assertively: “0. 3?”

We must have looked confused, because she quickly adds: “We have 0.4, 0. 3, and 0.25,” referring to the liter sizes that are available. We each decide on a 0.3 and are served another pils—this time, Radeberger. It seems the only skill you need if you want to drink a beer in a German bar is to know the exact quantity you want.

A Beer is a Beer is a Beer

Germany has more than 1,300 breweries (half of them situated in Bavaria) that brew at least 20 different styles and about 7,000 brands. However, in this country a beer will always be a beer. When you order one, you will get the main local brand that is on tap. It may vary from place: a Kölsch in Cologne, a helles in Bavaria, a Bavarian weißbier at the Karg Brewpub in Murnau near Munich, an alt in Düsseldorf and a smoked lager at Brauerei Spezial in Bamberg. But in most of the bars and restaurants in Germany, you will be served a pils from one of the big domestic brands like Krombacher, Bitburger, Beck’s, Veltins, Radeberger or Warsteiner. The only ritual you have master is to find a quick answer to the short question: “0. 3?” The rest is out of your hands.

Even though, after the Czechs and the Irish, Germans drink the most beer per capita, most German consumers don’t seem to think twice about it: a beer is a beer is a beer. It is as simple as that. Beer quenches the thirst and goes with almost all the food in your everyday life. (As soon as the meal becomes elaborate, wine is served.) In Bavaria, beer is even considered to be a staple food, which, of course, is to say that beer belongs to Bavaria like bread on the table.

However, most Germans, when asked what beer they prefer, will answer, passionately, with a brand name. This is the German paradox: we love beer dearly, it is an integral part of our culture, yet it has become a commodity.

Against this background, young people who seek excitement and diversity are drawn to wine, spirits or beer mixes—the German equivalent to American “malternatives” or British “alcopops.” These colorful drinks first appeared in the late nineties, and became very popular with young drinkers. While overall German beer sales fell about 3 percent last year, more and more beer mixes were being sold. The category gained 18 percent in 2007.

Putting the Beer First

Sebastian B. Priller, the junior owner and manager of Brauhaus Riegele, the foremost independent brewer in Augsburg, holds a clear opinion: “When it comes to beer, Germans focus more on marketing, branding, sponsoring, pricing and all that, instead of talking about the product itself. I think it is high time to put the beer first: its taste, its ingredients, the way it is brewed, the food it pairs with. And we need to live this culture and celebrate beer like they do with wine.”

It’s his mission that every customer in the bar makes a conscious decision about what kind of beer to drink. “Of course, people need help there,” says 32-year-old Priller, who holds a Diplom-Biersommelier—a certificate in all aspects of beer service—from the Doemens Akademy in Munich. Priller enumerates the requirements: the landlord, the waiters or a sommelier should know the beer list and be able to give recommendations. The beer list should be elaborated and contain a good description including style, alcohol content and food references. The right glass with the right beer should be obligatory.

Priller points out: “Consumers won’t ask for beer culture by themselves. We have to celebrate it and show them how much fun it is to enjoy beer like this.”

The Riegele in Augsburg does just that: recently, the brewery offered various beer cultural events, including brewery tours, beer tastings, brewing courses and challenging “expert events” for beer lovers who wanted to experience professional beer judgings. By midyear, Riegele will also be equipped with a pilot brewery to make specialty beers year round, “to show the people the variety of styles that are possible within the Reinheitsgebot,” Priller says.

In a bold step, he is also establishing a cellar in order to introduce vintage beers, which thus far are unknown to German audiences. Brauhaus Riegele, a mid-size brewery founded in 1386, offers 14 different styles, including festbier, kellerbier, weizen and strong beer. In addition, Priller also promotes northern German styles or Belgian specialties in his tasting classes, just to illustrate the enormous variety of beer.

Besides his Biersommelier education, what has most influenced Priller is the Slow Food movement and its attitude: “The enjoyment of good beer does not only depend on its taste. It is also due to where the beer comes from and who made it. It is due to the brewer’s philosophy and his commitment to the region as well as what he does to celebrate beer culture,” he says.

Bucking Tradition

“The variety is there, but it is not apparent to consumers,” states Frank Bettenhäuser, owner of the north-Hessian Hütt Brauerei in Baunatal near Kassel. Hütt is a mid-size brewery: with the recent purchase of the smaller Hessische Löwenbier Brauerei in the nearby village Malsfeld, it has become the biggest brewery in the region, with an annual production of about 69,000 hectoliters (about 59,000 barrels). The portfolio consists of two pils styles, a kellerbier, a black lager, several weizen styles and beer mixes.

The 50-year-old brewery manager goes on to say, “In Germany, beer is a thirst quencher, not a drink to be savored. We have to work hard to change this image.” As with most of his fellow independent brewers, he hopes to cultivate a new approach to beer: on his agenda this year are events to raise the sophistication of his employees and other culinary professionals, and beer seminars for the general public.

German beer drinkers might be conservative, but Bettenhäuser knows from events that his customers love to learn more: “People have a good time when they get more insights into beer production, and they love to explore the different tastes.” The Hessische Löwenbier Brauerei, with its small batches of 120 hectoliters (102 barrels), offers him new creative possibilities, like the malty Brauer Schorsch’s Haustrunk (a Märzen-styled house beer), which is only available at the site in Malsfeld.

But Bettenhäuser points out the pressures of a shrinking market: “Independent mid-size brewers have to think about quality and quantity likewise,” he states, “and bringing out a new beer is always a major effort.” Besides, he adds, beer is too cheap in Germany—creativity would not pay off.

Invention and Tradition

Brewing creative beer? Matthias Trum, owner of Bamberg’s Schlenkerla Tavern, is not too optimistic that brewers’ creativity would be welcomed by German beer drinkers at the moment. “The consumer is not ready for it,” the 32-year-old states. Yet, he is happy to see that beer variety has become an international trend and that craft beer is more and more sought-after, even in Germany. He points out that, with his rauchbier, he offers a niche product within the specialty niche, of which he would never be able to sell high quantities. Thus, it doesn’t make sense for him to expend effort on an ongoing invention of new beers.

Trum’s world-famous brewery, which has operated since 1405, produces 13,000 hectoliters a year (11,000 barrels), with less than 20 percent shipped abroad. With the barley malted over open fire like in ancient times, Schlenkerla’s is an historic approach to brewing.

The Weihenstephan-trained brewmaster remains faithful to this heritage even when it comes to new products: three years ago, Trum released a new fasting beer brewed in the smoked beer tradition and based on an historic recipe. It has less smoked malt than the renowned Schlenkerla Märzen and tastes refined and elegant. “It’s a beer dedicated to our local customers in Bamberg,” Trum states, as it is only available during Lent when not many tourists are in town. In terms of beer culture, Trum believes that the Reinheitsgebot can ensure the quality of German beer, and hopes to see the beer mix category fade.

Reaching Across Borders

Georg Schneider, owner of the Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn in Kelheim, doesn’t mince words: “The German beer market is deadly boring,” he says. “It is all very much the same. The tendency towards sameness is encouraged, for example, by our domestic beer tests rating beer only by its typicality and flawlessness. Creativity is only acted on in the beer mix category.”

The 42-year-old Georg Schneider IV, the sixth generation of his family to lead the business, is among the most eminent independent entrepreneurs in the country. In terms of beer culture, he is one of the most active German brewers: thanks to his efforts, Schneider Weisse has been recognized for leadership and sustainable management. With the brewery celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2008, Schneider Weisse is clearly one of the most traditional specialty brewers in Germany.

And yet, Schneider has embarked on one of the most forward-looking brewing projects in the country. Through the friendship between Schneider brewer Hans-Peter Drexler and Garrett Oliver of the Brooklyn Brewery in the U.S., the Schneider house hosted a collaborative brewing, probably the first in its history. Oliver came to Kelheim last May to concoct the Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse, a hoppy weizenbock, with Drexler. Most of the Hopfen-Weisse was shipped to the U.S. after its release in June, with only 200 cases sold in Germany. The unusual creation delighted the few German beer lovers and insiders who took notice of the event and tasted it. However, some customers who expected a regular weißbier were unenthusiastic.

Schneider is happy about this experience: “If you brew a beer that not everybody likes, you have the wonderful effect that people talk about it,” he says. His brewmaster adds, “We’ve got to take people by the hand and lead them to new worlds of taste. Customers, as well as chefs, culinary staff and traders, are searching for innovations.”

Schneider wants to continue brewing tasteful beers that are far from the mass market profile, one being the anniversary release Georg Schneider 1608, a full-bodied weizen with nutmeg and clove flavors and a grassy note from the hops. The beer is only available in a limited edition. Further, says Schneider, “We are looking for fellow brewers who are interested in doing a guest brewing with us. We are looking for them all over the world.” He insists on working together with foreign breweries because he expects the cultural exchange to be more fruitful than with a German brewer.

Diversity in taste does not, as one might think, contradict the Reinheitsgebot—Schneider and Drexler, like all other German brewers and brewmasters, claim to remain true to these premises. “The Reinheitsgebot is our unique selling point,” Schneider argues. But there is downside to it as well: The purity law not only helps sell the beer, it also reinforces the average German beer drinker’s conservatism. The first thing Germans object to when they hear about great beers from other countries is “But these beers are not brewed after the Reinheitsgebot, are they?” In this respect, the Reinheitsgebot leads them to make a quick but safe choice and insulates them from new beer experiences.

Things might change, though, as the taste for diversity is growing. One symptom of this trend is the great success of Bierclub.de. Frank Winkel and Matthias Kliemt founded the commercial beer subscription service in 1996. They started out with 200 subscribers. Today they count 5,500 customers who receive a package of nine regional beers each month, including beer descriptions as well as cultural and culinary information about the beers’ origins. The number of subscribers is constantly growing. According to Winkel, the motivation to become a member is a growing interest in specialty beers to which consumers otherwise would only have limited access. And subscribers to Bierclub.de do not only live in Germany. The Bierclub has to send out care packages to beer lovers in the U.S., Italy, England, Holland and Denmark.

With a German club helping provide beer diversity to enthusiasts in other countries, perhaps the future of German specialty and craft beer will surprise us yet.

Beer Appreciation & Style Guides

If there is a single book that has masterfully illuminated the beauty of all things beer in the minds of laymen and experts alike, it is Michael Jackson’s New World Guide to Beer—the undisputed best-selling beer guide of all time. The colorful, oversized volume takes you on a dizzying tour of global beer culture and heritage, leaving you not only with a superb education, but a renewed excitement for your love affair with beer. Information on all of Jackson’s books is available at his website, www.beerhunter.com.

Not the romantic type? Maybe you prefer a more systematic approach to your favorite indulgence. Roger Protz’s latest release, 300 Beers to Try Before You Die!, will help you ply your way through beer heaven. The beautifully-illustrated portfolio of brews gives expert tasting notes for each beer, as well as a little history, a little brewing info and space for the taster’s own notes. Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide: 500 Classic Brews delivers a similar experience. Simply put, it is the culmination of Jackson’s life-long globe trot in search of the world’s best beers.

Want to mount your own beer expeditions? For the beer trekker and pub crawler, handy guides have been published for virtually every beer-producing corner of the globe. In the U.S., Lew Bryson has launched a series of books (including Pennsylvania Breweries, New York Breweries and Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Breweries) that have set the standard for trekking handbooks. Paul Ruschmann and Maryanne Nasiatka have recently published Michigan Breweries in the same series. Across the pond, CAMRA (Campaign For Real Ale) annually publishes its Good Beer Guide—Britain’s granddaddy of pub guides edited by Roger Protz. The 2006 edition, as well as CAMRA’s long list of other books, is available at www.camra.co.uk. Taking a trip to Europe? Naturally, the German beer mecca, Munich, has its own guide. The Beer Drinker’s Guide to Munichis now its 5th edition and popular as ever.

Beer History

There are almost certainly more books on the history of the amber fluid than on any other facet of beerdom. Historians Gregg Smith and Carrie Getty give us one of the more whimsical and entertaining histories in The Beer Drinker’s Bible—Lore, Trivia & History: Chapter & Verse. For a more in-depth study of beer’s role in civilizations from Egypt to colonial America, have a look at Origin and History of Beer and Brewing—initially published in 1911 but reprinted in 2005 by BeerBooks.com. For a fantastic journey through German brewing history, get a copy of Horst Dornbusch’s Prost! The Story of German Beer. www.beertown.org.

For U.S. brewing history, Stanley Baron’s 1962 book Brewed In America: The History of Beer and Ale in the United States remains unmatched in breadth, depth and insight. You’ll have to hunt a little online to find a copy, but it’ll be well worth the effort. Conveniently, the book Beer Blast: The Inside Story of the Brewing Industry’s Bizarre Battles For Your Money picks up the story just about where Baron leaves off. Industry insider Philip Van Munching gives an incredible account of the big boys’ competitive battles of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Be sure, also, to look for Maureen Ogle’s opus, Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer, released last fall.