Inside Look: The Craft Beer Revolution By Steve Hindy

There are few authors better suited to write about the growth of craft beer than Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy.

A former foreign correspondent for the Associated Press, Hindy was stationed in the Middle East during the Iran-Iraq War, but made a radical career turn when he launched Brooklyn Brewery in 1987. Fast forward 27 years, and Hindy, the president of the country’s 16th largest brewing company (according to the Brewers Association), has once again put pen to paper to tell the inside story of well-known craft breweries, including Boston Beer Company, New Belgium Brewing and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.

In “The Craft Beer Revolution: How a Band of Microbrewers is Transforming the World’s Favorite Drink,” Hindy chronicles decades of growth for American craft breweries, which have doubled their collective volume to 15.6 million barrels — representing approximately 7.8 percent of all beer sold in the U.S. — in the last six years alone.

In The Craft Beer Revolution, Hindy weaves together a number of David versus Goliath tales while simultaneously explaining the state and federal laws that have helped, and hindered, craft brewers, and also explores a variety of business models and craft beer personalities.

To whet your palate, we’re pleased to share one of the more memorable passages from the book. In this following six-page excerpt, Hindy delves into Boston Beer’s initial contract brewing business model and recalls founder Jim Koch’s attempts to brand his flagship Samuel Adams Boston Lager as the “Best Beer in America.”

Interested in purchasing a copy? Click here to order The Craft Beer Revolution on Amazon.