The Audacity of Hops

Book excerpt: Discover the underdog story of how America came to dominate beer stylistically in The Audacity of Hops, the first book on American craft beer's history. First published in May 2013, this updated, fully revised edition offers the most thorough picture yet of one of the most interesting and lucrative culinary trends in the US since World War II. This portrait includes the titanic mergers and acquisitions, as well as major milestones and technological advances, that have swept craft beer in just the past few years. Acitelli weaves the story of American craft beer into the tales of trends such as slow food, the rise of the Internet, and the rebirth of America's urban areas. The backgrounds of America's favorite craft brewers, big and small, are here, including often-forgotten heroes from the movement's earliest days, as well as the history of homebrewing since Prohibition. Through it all, he paints an unforgettable portrait of plucky entrepreneurial triumph. This is the "book for the craft beer nerd who thinks he or she already knows the story" (Los Angeles Times), an "excellent history" (Slate) "lovingly told" (Wall Street Journal) for fans of good food and drink in general.