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Ambitious Brew

the Story of American Beer
Dec 22, 2014Chapel_Hill_KenMc rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is a very readable history of American brewing, from the German immigrants of the mid-19th century to the proliferation of microbreweries today. If you ever wondered why Pabst has a blue ribbon, here's your answer. Ogle does an admirable job of detailing the challenges, failures, and triumphs of an industry that first had to overcome American puritan instincts, then xenophobia centered around immigrant German culture, and finally Prohibition, that spectacularly failed experiment of the 1920's. The rise of big industry beer in the 1950's and 1960's left us with few quality selections, but Ogle makes the case that only the big operators were able to survive Prohibition. She links the new micro brew revolution to a generally increased consciousness about food quality and food sources, and provides insight into how this thriving industry creating new enthusiasm for a wide palette of beer styles.