The Lager Queen of Minnesota: A Novel
A National Bestseller! "The perfect pick-me-up on a hot summer day."
--Washington Post
"[A] charmer of a tale. . . Warm, witty and--like any good craft beer--complex, the saga delivers a subtly feminist and wholly life-affirming message."
--People Magazine
A novel of family, Midwestern values, hard work, fate and the secrets of making a world-class beer, from the bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest Two sisters, one farm. A family is split when their father leaves their shared inheritance entirely to Helen, his younger daughter. Despite baking award-winning pies at the local nursing home, her older sister, Edith, struggles to make what most people would call a living. So she can't help wondering what her life would have been like with even a portion of the farm money her sister kept for herself. With the proceeds from the farm, Helen builds one of the most successful light breweries in the country, and makes their company motto ubiquitous: "Drink lots. It's Blotz." Where Edith has a heart as big as Minnesota, Helen's is as rigid as a steel keg. Yet one day, Helen will find she needs some help herself, and she could find a potential savior close to home. . . if it's not too late. Meanwhile, Edith's granddaughter, Diana, grows up knowing that the real world requires a tougher constitution than her grandmother possesses. She earns a shot at learning the IPA business from the ground up--will that change their fortunes forever, and perhaps reunite her splintered family? Here we meet a cast of lovable, funny, quintessentially American characters eager to make their mark in a world that's often stacked against them. In this deeply affecting family saga, resolution can take generations, but when it finally comes, we're surprised, moved, and delighted.
--Washington Post
"[A] charmer of a tale. . . Warm, witty and--like any good craft beer--complex, the saga delivers a subtly feminist and wholly life-affirming message."
--People Magazine
A novel of family, Midwestern values, hard work, fate and the secrets of making a world-class beer, from the bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest Two sisters, one farm. A family is split when their father leaves their shared inheritance entirely to Helen, his younger daughter. Despite baking award-winning pies at the local nursing home, her older sister, Edith, struggles to make what most people would call a living. So she can't help wondering what her life would have been like with even a portion of the farm money her sister kept for herself. With the proceeds from the farm, Helen builds one of the most successful light breweries in the country, and makes their company motto ubiquitous: "Drink lots. It's Blotz." Where Edith has a heart as big as Minnesota, Helen's is as rigid as a steel keg. Yet one day, Helen will find she needs some help herself, and she could find a potential savior close to home. . . if it's not too late. Meanwhile, Edith's granddaughter, Diana, grows up knowing that the real world requires a tougher constitution than her grandmother possesses. She earns a shot at learning the IPA business from the ground up--will that change their fortunes forever, and perhaps reunite her splintered family? Here we meet a cast of lovable, funny, quintessentially American characters eager to make their mark in a world that's often stacked against them. In this deeply affecting family saga, resolution can take generations, but when it finally comes, we're surprised, moved, and delighted.
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Community Reviews
Family. It’s a complicated relationship, even if it’s a simple word. These sisters’ stories are told in alternating chapters. I was charmed to hear about Edith’s quintessentially Minnesotan perspective on the world around them. And I was amused to hear about Helen’s struggles to separate from that very attitude. Much of it is set in the world of craft brewing. This was enhanced by an audiobook narrator who nailed the accent!
This was a fun book to read for our book club. There is plenty to talk about here: Estranged sisters, an orphaned niece, the many difficulties the face just to get by, and a love of crafting beer. These Minnesota women are tough! The story itself is good enough but what I really loved was learning about beer. I'm not a beer fan and knew very little about it going in to this book. But by the end, I had learned a lot of terminology and gained an appreciation for the chemistry, processes, and patience required to develop a good beer. More than anything though, it made me wish I liked beer! Discussing it with our book group made it all that much more fun (several members showed up with their favorites varieties). Drink lots. It's Blotz!
It’s starts out silly and humorous then evolves to touching drama. You care about each of characters and want the best for them as you read their struggles and root for each one even though they’re at odds with each other.
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