I’ll admit I don’t review very many beer books. Most of my beer-news happens in a minute-by-minute fashion, so it’s not often that I get a chance to slow down a bit and catch up on some really cool craft beer history.Today I’m bringing you an advanced peek inside the new book by Jeff Alworth called The Widmer Way - How Two Brothers Led Portland’s Craft Beer Revolution. I’ve recounted in other posts how I first encountered Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen: in Yosemite Valley many (many) moons ago; but before Jeff’s book, I had no idea just how important that beer was in craft beer history.
Started in 1984 by brothers Kurt & Rob Widmer, Widmer Brothers Brewery was not only a pioneer in the craft beer world, but as the title indicates, they started the craft beer revolution in the Portland, OR area. Jeff Alworth worked closely with Kurt & Rob to chronicle their history and their path from home brewers to craft beer icons.
The book takes a deep dive into the history of Widmer Brothers Brewery and follows the brothers as they come full circle from home brewing to the formation of the Craft Brew Alliance and their affiliation with Anheuser-Busch.
With each turn of a page, I was struck by not only how much I didn’t know about Widmer Brothers Brewery itself, but also the long (and challenging) road that Kurt & Rob followed to get to where they are today. Jeff manages to not only chronicle their history in an interesting and meaningful way, but he also manages to highlight many of the personal stories and anecdotes that only Rob & Kurt (and their father Ray) would be able to relate. I particularly loved scouring the original brew sheets and recipe sheets for their Weizen beer as well as all of the great Widmer-historical photos in the book; and I honestly didn’t know how much of a role the city of Portland itself played in the history of the Widmer Brothers Brewery.
Any fan of craft beer history or craft beer in general will enjoy the story of the Widmer Brothers…and the details Jeff managed to develop really makes for a fun and compelling read. Be sure to check out The Widmer Way - How Two Brothers Led Portland’s Craft Beer Revolution by Jeff Alworth for yourself, and when you do, be sure to let us know what YOU think.
[Editor’s Note]: Jeff Alworth is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. He writes about beer, cider, and occasionally, politics. His books include The Beer Bible (Workman), Cider Made Simple (Chronicle), and The Secrets of Master Brewers (Storey). His books have twice been cited by the North American Guild of Beer Writers as best book, and in 2016, The Beer Bible was named best wine, spirits, or beer book by the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP). For more insight on author Jeff Alworth, visit his website atwww.beervanablog.com/. To learn more about the press and our other titles, please visit our website at ooligan.pdx.edu/books.
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