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Beers and Beards #1
An Adventure Brewing
Pete’s a simple man who enjoys a good drink amongst friends and crafting a tasty ale. Not too much to ask, right?
Now, he's trapped in a fantasy world far from home, stuck underground and inside the body of a smelly dwarf with fantastic facial hair.
The worst part?
The swill that the dwarves are falling all over themselves to drink. It's flat, it's watery, and it has the alcohol content of a rancid coconut. Can Pete save the dwarves from their own sour fate, or will he be forever doomed to plink his pickaxe away in hopes that he hits the mother lode?
All he wants is to bring new and better beers to the world, but unfortunately altering dwarvish beer is frowned upon. So he has a lot to prove. Read this Cozy Fantasy Adventure filled with laughter, epic fantasy, love, and a little melancholy. Beers & Beards balances progression & slice-of-life with charm aplenty and a charisma score high enough to make a bard blush.
It doesn't matter if you like beer or not, this will fill your need for comforting stories!
Now, he's trapped in a fantasy world far from home, stuck underground and inside the body of a smelly dwarf with fantastic facial hair.
The worst part?
The swill that the dwarves are falling all over themselves to drink. It's flat, it's watery, and it has the alcohol content of a rancid coconut. Can Pete save the dwarves from their own sour fate, or will he be forever doomed to plink his pickaxe away in hopes that he hits the mother lode?
All he wants is to bring new and better beers to the world, but unfortunately altering dwarvish beer is frowned upon. So he has a lot to prove. Read this Cozy Fantasy Adventure filled with laughter, epic fantasy, love, and a little melancholy. Beers & Beards balances progression & slice-of-life with charm aplenty and a charisma score high enough to make a bard blush.
It doesn't matter if you like beer or not, this will fill your need for comforting stories!
680 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2023
327 people are currently reading
767 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
November 2, 2023
This book was so frustrating—mostly because there is a kernel of good story but the book gets in its own way. Cozy, to me, doesn’t mean unfocused plot that defers action and pursues tangents. Tangents about mining, tangents involving skill branches he doesn’t take, tangents involving fights that don’t seem to have much purpose, and so on.
Maybe the strands come together eventually. I don’t trust the writer much at this point so I don’t know if I will ever find out. I mostly expect poor puns and tiresome overdone pop culture references that every second or third Lit RPG book makes.
Who knew they could make me eye roll cabbages?
I wanted the beer brewing (though not the info-dumps). By the time it almost gets there the book is over.
So—here’s the thing. I wouldn’t be so peeved if there was nothing good.
That’s not the case.
Changing the world through beer is a super fun idea. I like how the MC is trying to navigate the traditions and his new culture. I like that there are friendships. I even like the silly god drama.
If you think the puns here are clever and love bathroom humor and the usual references and beer and all that, this is likely to be a very good time.
Maybe the strands come together eventually. I don’t trust the writer much at this point so I don’t know if I will ever find out. I mostly expect poor puns and tiresome overdone pop culture references that every second or third Lit RPG book makes.
Who knew they could make me eye roll cabbages?
I wanted the beer brewing (though not the info-dumps). By the time it almost gets there the book is over.
So—here’s the thing. I wouldn’t be so peeved if there was nothing good.
That’s not the case.
Changing the world through beer is a super fun idea. I like how the MC is trying to navigate the traditions and his new culture. I like that there are friendships. I even like the silly god drama.
If you think the puns here are clever and love bathroom humor and the usual references and beer and all that, this is likely to be a very good time.
January 24, 2024
Great start of the series! I really liked the world-building and the characters here. I was happy to read this cozy, slice-of-life book. Interesting characters and a cool world that eagerly awaits the next part of it. Peter was a great main character who was very interesting, and the side characters were equally interesting as well. Awesome book.
March 31, 2024
My slightly deranged thoughts
This book has some great aspects that made me finish the whole thing after giving it up twice.
It’s not a great book though. The good parts are divided by 50 pages of unnecessary tangents.
The book reads like 2 books squished together with 15 different omakes squashed in. However, it is well edited.
I honestly only kept going because of the unique concept. There are very few books with this idea.
I enjoyed the parts where the MC learned about a character fault of his. This is great as he’s an annoyance but he gets more tolerable as the book goes on.
He also made some questionable decisions. Most of them have consequences or are even explained as mind manipulation. Regardless, he’s very true to himself.
But did he have to tell Annie that he got isekai’d? That was just annoying.
This book has some great aspects that made me finish the whole thing after giving it up twice.
It’s not a great book though. The good parts are divided by 50 pages of unnecessary tangents.
The book reads like 2 books squished together with 15 different omakes squashed in. However, it is well edited.
I honestly only kept going because of the unique concept. There are very few books with this idea.
I enjoyed the parts where the MC learned about a character fault of his. This is great as he’s an annoyance but he gets more tolerable as the book goes on.
He also made some questionable decisions. Most of them have consequences or are even explained as mind manipulation. Regardless, he’s very true to himself.
But did he have to tell Annie that he got isekai’d? That was just annoying.
January 21, 2024
I enjoyed this for the first 400 pages or so, and then I started to get a little tired of dwarves and beer. I guess it's just not my thing.
August 1, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. I would say at the halfway point it started to diverge into different people perspectives. Which to me felt a little weird at the halfway point after the first half. Not really having any of that. Overall was a fun light-hearted book. I found myself laughing many times out loud.
November 2, 2023
A great read, looking forward to the sequel!
January 29, 2024
How can I give it a 10
June 11, 2024
Very interesting story. It was alot of fun to listen to.
November 14, 2023
New favorite series! I absolutely devoured this book, and am mourning the fact that book 2 is still being serialized right now, bc this is one of those books where eye-reading would be a totally different experience than listening to the audiobook, and the audiobook is just too good for me to cheat on with my eyeballs. (Though a couple times I needed subtitles for the scottish accents at first, but my brain got into the swing of it quickly enough (Scottish Brouge Level 1 achieved!)
The writing of this is SO good I 100% believe the pseudonym is to hide the fact that they're an established author in another genre and their publisher didn't want them to muddle their brand or something. I love LitRPG but my brain is secretly a writing snob against my will and i struggle to get through a lot of LitRPG classics, but this one is *chefs kiss* with the writing.
And, I giggled so much, and the author got the dwarven vibe down SO perfectly, and i learned so much more about brewing than i have ever needed or wanted, yet it's interesting to listen to, and it was just such a fun book!
plot: A very successful brewing company CEO in Canada dies and gets reincarnated in the body of a dwarf who is stuck in a 'reform mine' for a year. He makes friends and is utterly horrified at how awful the beer they're all obsessed with is, but the "True Brew" is a sacred thing in this world... so his nature requires him to try to fix it and bring all the excellent alcohols from Earth to this planet (and lots of the food, too), but without pissing off all the conservative dwarves who see him as the enemy for messing with the beer.
The magic/skills system is SUPER interesting and while still obviously belonging to the LitRPG genre, is way different than other LitRPGs. And I totally didn't even mention anything about the 8 gods of this world and why one of them brought our MC over from earth bc everything would be spoilers, but it's interesting too and I can't wait to see how all the subplots that got mentioned enough to establish them in this book, but haven't truly been followed yet, will play out in the rest of the series.
It's a fun for all the 'bad guys' and sabotage attempts revolve around people who are just pissed that someone is trying to improve the beer. Low stakes stories are so much better than 'the world will end!' stories.
It's also full of such great puns and silly pop culture (and other litrpg series') references (there's also a version of dwarven WWE) and glory to beards. So much glory to beards. 😃 The bearded baby comments in particular always bring me joy.
This series is absolutely top of my faves list now, along with Beware of Chicken.
The writing of this is SO good I 100% believe the pseudonym is to hide the fact that they're an established author in another genre and their publisher didn't want them to muddle their brand or something. I love LitRPG but my brain is secretly a writing snob against my will and i struggle to get through a lot of LitRPG classics, but this one is *chefs kiss* with the writing.
And, I giggled so much, and the author got the dwarven vibe down SO perfectly, and i learned so much more about brewing than i have ever needed or wanted, yet it's interesting to listen to, and it was just such a fun book!
plot: A very successful brewing company CEO in Canada dies and gets reincarnated in the body of a dwarf who is stuck in a 'reform mine' for a year. He makes friends and is utterly horrified at how awful the beer they're all obsessed with is, but the "True Brew" is a sacred thing in this world... so his nature requires him to try to fix it and bring all the excellent alcohols from Earth to this planet (and lots of the food, too), but without pissing off all the conservative dwarves who see him as the enemy for messing with the beer.
The magic/skills system is SUPER interesting and while still obviously belonging to the LitRPG genre, is way different than other LitRPGs. And I totally didn't even mention anything about the 8 gods of this world and why one of them brought our MC over from earth bc everything would be spoilers, but it's interesting too and I can't wait to see how all the subplots that got mentioned enough to establish them in this book, but haven't truly been followed yet, will play out in the rest of the series.
It's a fun for all the 'bad guys' and sabotage attempts revolve around people who are just pissed that someone is trying to improve the beer. Low stakes stories are so much better than 'the world will end!' stories.
It's also full of such great puns and silly pop culture (and other litrpg series') references (there's also a version of dwarven WWE) and glory to beards. So much glory to beards. 😃 The bearded baby comments in particular always bring me joy.
This series is absolutely top of my faves list now, along with Beware of Chicken.
January 26, 2024
In the frothy mix of fantasy and LitRPG genres, "An Adventure Brewing" by JollyJupiter is a pint of something different. It's a story where fantasy economics, shop craft, and brewing skills collide, and our cozy non-hero, Pete, a simple Canadian with a love for a good drink, finds himself in a fantasy world. This book is like a fine ale - it improves as it progresses.
Pete's journey from an ordinary guy to a fantasy dwarven brewer is heartwarming and humorous. His transformation, both physical and mental, is a unique twist on character development, as his new physical form slowly influences his thoughts and actions and becomes a key plot device in the story. It's not every day you read about a protagonist growing concern over their attraction to dwarven bearded women or a sudden love of dwarven mining songs.
The plot, though cozy and focused on the mundane aspects of Pete's new life as a dwarf, is anything but dull. The everyday challenges Pete faces in this fantasy world are relatable yet wrapped in a layer of the extraordinary. It's a story where changing a dwarven beer recipe feels like an epic quest. The fact that such a book can hold my interest until the end is integral to the book's charm. It's a bit like finding an unexpected hop in your beer – surprising, but it adds character.
I’m still not sold on the RPG elements woven into the fabric of the world-building, but I can see how they relate to the book’s overall plot and setting. While I’m usually not a fan, including the mechanics makes more sense here than most books in the genre, so I can grant a pass this time. Besides, the book's other redeeming qualities more than outweigh my personal taste issues.
To wrap it up, "An Adventure Brewing" is a solid brew. It's for those who like their fantasy with a side of humor, a dash of character-driven narrative, and a sprinkle of RPG. It's a cozy, charming tale that warms you like a good drink among friends.
In the audiobook version, Christian J. Gilliland's narration is the cherry on top. His voice acting, especially the dwarven accents, adds a layer of enjoyment that might be missed in print. His performance and delivery made me laugh out loud when I’m sure I would have barely cracked a smile reading the text.
Pete's journey from an ordinary guy to a fantasy dwarven brewer is heartwarming and humorous. His transformation, both physical and mental, is a unique twist on character development, as his new physical form slowly influences his thoughts and actions and becomes a key plot device in the story. It's not every day you read about a protagonist growing concern over their attraction to dwarven bearded women or a sudden love of dwarven mining songs.
The plot, though cozy and focused on the mundane aspects of Pete's new life as a dwarf, is anything but dull. The everyday challenges Pete faces in this fantasy world are relatable yet wrapped in a layer of the extraordinary. It's a story where changing a dwarven beer recipe feels like an epic quest. The fact that such a book can hold my interest until the end is integral to the book's charm. It's a bit like finding an unexpected hop in your beer – surprising, but it adds character.
I’m still not sold on the RPG elements woven into the fabric of the world-building, but I can see how they relate to the book’s overall plot and setting. While I’m usually not a fan, including the mechanics makes more sense here than most books in the genre, so I can grant a pass this time. Besides, the book's other redeeming qualities more than outweigh my personal taste issues.
To wrap it up, "An Adventure Brewing" is a solid brew. It's for those who like their fantasy with a side of humor, a dash of character-driven narrative, and a sprinkle of RPG. It's a cozy, charming tale that warms you like a good drink among friends.
In the audiobook version, Christian J. Gilliland's narration is the cherry on top. His voice acting, especially the dwarven accents, adds a layer of enjoyment that might be missed in print. His performance and delivery made me laugh out loud when I’m sure I would have barely cracked a smile reading the text.
February 19, 2025
Vinely, a Good Beer
Terminal brain cancer in his late 40s sucked. Pete knew today was probably the day he would die. His life didn’t flash before his eyes, but he did reminisce. It all started with mead, then moved on to experimentation with bitters and sours for beers/ales then whiskey and champagne. Beaver Moose IPA hit it off after a hockey player talked about it on an interview. Later a micro-brewery and staff and of course, bills. Later came wine after growing grapes. 15 years later, the wine was one of the best around. Pete had it all. One day while picking grapes, he got dizzy and slid to the ground…
As his eyes peeled open, Pete’s head was killing him. Why was the hospital smell gone? It smelled like sulfur. Why were there sounds of hammers? What is going on? Was that a Scottish accent? Someone pulled at my beard. He didn’t have a beard. The men had huge beards and armor. The room was made of stone. Where was he and how long was he out? Was he dead? The 2 men were short and squat, had beards bulbous noses and had weird accents. They looked like the dwarves of stories and fairytales. When he saw himself in the mirror, a red headed dwarf, he passed out again.
Pete was an indentured servant to the government mine. He had to pay off his debt for fighting in the city. He had found a new cavern while mining and stuck his head in it. This resulted in him getting sulfur poisoning and ending up in the medical rooms. Pete now was going to get a bill from the doctor to be added to what he owed. Grim was his supervisor and when he was released he brought him and his mining partner, Balin, back for a drink of beer. When they all took a swig of beer, Pete spit his out. It was water downed swill. What the…? How could dwarves have crappy beer? The beer tasted terrible and was only about 1% alcohol. This goes against all stores, all fantasy stories. After spitting out the beer, Grim put him on punishment duty, mucking the stalls. Pete would take it upon himself to educate the dwarves on the different kind of beers and ales, the glasses they were served in and the food that they can be cooked in. This was now his quest. Of course, he had to pay off his debt first, but he could do it. And so it begins…
Terminal brain cancer in his late 40s sucked. Pete knew today was probably the day he would die. His life didn’t flash before his eyes, but he did reminisce. It all started with mead, then moved on to experimentation with bitters and sours for beers/ales then whiskey and champagne. Beaver Moose IPA hit it off after a hockey player talked about it on an interview. Later a micro-brewery and staff and of course, bills. Later came wine after growing grapes. 15 years later, the wine was one of the best around. Pete had it all. One day while picking grapes, he got dizzy and slid to the ground…
As his eyes peeled open, Pete’s head was killing him. Why was the hospital smell gone? It smelled like sulfur. Why were there sounds of hammers? What is going on? Was that a Scottish accent? Someone pulled at my beard. He didn’t have a beard. The men had huge beards and armor. The room was made of stone. Where was he and how long was he out? Was he dead? The 2 men were short and squat, had beards bulbous noses and had weird accents. They looked like the dwarves of stories and fairytales. When he saw himself in the mirror, a red headed dwarf, he passed out again.
Pete was an indentured servant to the government mine. He had to pay off his debt for fighting in the city. He had found a new cavern while mining and stuck his head in it. This resulted in him getting sulfur poisoning and ending up in the medical rooms. Pete now was going to get a bill from the doctor to be added to what he owed. Grim was his supervisor and when he was released he brought him and his mining partner, Balin, back for a drink of beer. When they all took a swig of beer, Pete spit his out. It was water downed swill. What the…? How could dwarves have crappy beer? The beer tasted terrible and was only about 1% alcohol. This goes against all stores, all fantasy stories. After spitting out the beer, Grim put him on punishment duty, mucking the stalls. Pete would take it upon himself to educate the dwarves on the different kind of beers and ales, the glasses they were served in and the food that they can be cooked in. This was now his quest. Of course, he had to pay off his debt first, but he could do it. And so it begins…
April 3, 2025
Great narrator. I'll have to listen to more of his work. Here's the thing about this book. I should give it a 4.5, for reasons I'll share, but we're only allowed whole-value ratings, and this book doesn't deserve a 4-star. So it's getting a 5 with a caveat. For those of you looking for a cozy fantasy LitRPG, this one falls right behind my fave: Player Manager. Maybe you don't enjoy sports so you're going to skip Player Manager without giving it a fair chance. It's your life. So jump into this one. Other more famous LitRPG will get mentioned as "the" cozy fantasy LitRPG to listen to at the cost of this gem, and that's a shame. A VERY strong and light and funny tale. YES, you must hang on past the point the MC gets past his Dwarven work in the mines. Once this story gets beyond that point, it comes alive with personality, to the point I'm rating it at 4.5. Yes, the goat comes off as waaaaaaay to close to a particular cat we love, but I overlooked it because its personality was perfect for the story. The characters are loveable. The story is quaint. And I also happen to have a "Tim" in my life who's annoying, so the message imhit home. Buying book 2 now.
December 15, 2025
There's a good story desperately trying to get a foothold in “An Adventure Brewing”, first in the ' Beers and Beards' series.
There are three things which prevent that happening.
1. An overly complicated RPG drop down menu system which effectively stops the action every time.
2. A very complicated magical system which, frankly, bored me to tears. Ditto for the many gods.
3. An obsession with explaining things. I, for example, have a rough idea how beer is made. If I want to know in detail I'll research it, not go looking for it in a fantasy novel.
Long story short, a Canadian brewer/winemaker is reincarnated as an indentured dwarf working in the mines.
He's got to work off his debt to gain his freedom - he's full of bright ideas, all of which take a lot of time to come to fruition.
And the beards of female dwarves are becoming increasingly attractive!
It's quite readable a lot of the time but I gave up about halfway after one drop-down menu session too far.
I've read several LitRPG novels recently and none of them were particularly good.
I think it is time to do some research to find out if the sub-genre actually has any good reads.
2.5 Stars, brought back to 2 Stars.
There are three things which prevent that happening.
1. An overly complicated RPG drop down menu system which effectively stops the action every time.
2. A very complicated magical system which, frankly, bored me to tears. Ditto for the many gods.
3. An obsession with explaining things. I, for example, have a rough idea how beer is made. If I want to know in detail I'll research it, not go looking for it in a fantasy novel.
Long story short, a Canadian brewer/winemaker is reincarnated as an indentured dwarf working in the mines.
He's got to work off his debt to gain his freedom - he's full of bright ideas, all of which take a lot of time to come to fruition.
And the beards of female dwarves are becoming increasingly attractive!
It's quite readable a lot of the time but I gave up about halfway after one drop-down menu session too far.
I've read several LitRPG novels recently and none of them were particularly good.
I think it is time to do some research to find out if the sub-genre actually has any good reads.
2.5 Stars, brought back to 2 Stars.
May 27, 2024
This should be a great novel. The premise is absolutely wonderful. A brewer on our planet dies and goes to what should be heaven—working with a bunch of dwarves who drink beer day and night and everywhere in between. The problem? Dwarven beer is terrible. So, our hero sets out to overcome a plethora of stupid but totally believable obstacles to give dwarves the beer they deserve. It's a LitRPG that doesn't focus on fighting and I was so excited about the idea that I bumped it to the front of my very long list of "to be read" novels. The problem? It's just a very slow-moving story. Even listening at high speed, I couldn't make the pages turn fast enough to truly engage me, and that really stole my enjoyment from the tale. I can't actually point to what I think should be carved out, I'm just saying that all taken together the book was too long, maybe twice as long as I thought it should be.
August 27, 2024
It was a beautiful life. A loving wife and daughter, a strong business as a vintner and brewer, then a deadly disease. He didn't want to die, but the universe had other plans for him, so he died.
Then he woke up in another world, in a body that wasn't his, a dwarven body, in prison. Well, not a prison like we think of it, but more of a work/study area for miscreant dwarves. So, Pete set to work - by god, Dwarves must have some excellent beer - right!...right?
Well, no. To be frank, (okay - his name is actually Pete, not frank - but you get what I'm saying) the dwarven beer is crap. But don't tell the dwarves that - it's the original recipe handed down by the gods, and to try to change it is not only sacrilegious, - but it's against law. So of course Pete has to change their minds.
Excellent story, bad dad jokes (bad being a relative term - oh, see what i did there - dad - relative - nothing??), and a cast of characters that pull you along. FOR CRACK AND ANNIE!
Then he woke up in another world, in a body that wasn't his, a dwarven body, in prison. Well, not a prison like we think of it, but more of a work/study area for miscreant dwarves. So, Pete set to work - by god, Dwarves must have some excellent beer - right!...right?
Well, no. To be frank, (okay - his name is actually Pete, not frank - but you get what I'm saying) the dwarven beer is crap. But don't tell the dwarves that - it's the original recipe handed down by the gods, and to try to change it is not only sacrilegious, - but it's against law. So of course Pete has to change their minds.
Excellent story, bad dad jokes (bad being a relative term - oh, see what i did there - dad - relative - nothing??), and a cast of characters that pull you along. FOR CRACK AND ANNIE!
January 1, 2025
There was a lot of great components in this book. But there’s a lot working against it as well.
I love the premise and the overall story, but the writing meanders a lot and this books feels way too long.
I have come to understand that this book was written piecemeal over a long amount of time, with each chapter being released individually and then combined into a book afterward. I think that really works against the book.
This book has over 70 chapters! I think some editing and adjustments should have been made to adapt the story to a book format and I really think there are two completely separate three act arcs in the book that should have been separated into their own books. I hope the future books will adjust and make better book adaptations.
Overall, the writing is great and this is my first LitRPG book but I love the ways character stats and quests are used in the book. I definitely recommend the book, but it truly is a slog to get through because of how long it is.
I love the premise and the overall story, but the writing meanders a lot and this books feels way too long.
I have come to understand that this book was written piecemeal over a long amount of time, with each chapter being released individually and then combined into a book afterward. I think that really works against the book.
This book has over 70 chapters! I think some editing and adjustments should have been made to adapt the story to a book format and I really think there are two completely separate three act arcs in the book that should have been separated into their own books. I hope the future books will adjust and make better book adaptations.
Overall, the writing is great and this is my first LitRPG book but I love the ways character stats and quests are used in the book. I definitely recommend the book, but it truly is a slog to get through because of how long it is.
April 3, 2025
I would compare this book to Legends and lattes. I would say where that one had a soul purpose of Coffee this on is aimed at Beer. Where that one had an mature retiring feel this one has a Ok I am here I am not focused on my friends and family not being present but my passion for brewing and wanting my beer here. with that said early into the book it really bothered me. then I told myself... every book does not need real feeling characters struggling with their morals, with deep conflict. This is a "cozy" fantasy, let it be what it is. once I stopped over thinking the character thinking and actions I found myself enjoying the book. Be warned you will hear a lot about beer and brewing. the world is not that fleshed out, nor do we explore much about anyone other than the main character... now say it with me ... It is not an epic fantasy, it is a light read, it is fantasy and not real, it is fine to let it be it. Go forth and read and you decide your own rating.
October 8, 2023
Pete is a brewer from the Okanagan in British Columbia, Canada. He's perfected his art and learned over five thousand recipes for different beers. Then he dies, but instead of going into the great unknown he ends up in a dwarven mine. As a prisoner.
I'll stop the recap there. This is an easy to read fantasy novel about the struggle to brew tasty beer. The dwarves are set in their way, both in beer and in food. Pete sets out to change all that, but it takes time.
The editing is very good and while I do think the book is a bit too long for the story it's telling, I enjoyed it. Pete's human side comes out more than a few times leaving the dwarves wondering if he's touched in the head. There are stats and they are important, but they're secondary to brewing. The book explains the brewing terms in good detail so that everyone can follow along with the process. 5/5*
I'll stop the recap there. This is an easy to read fantasy novel about the struggle to brew tasty beer. The dwarves are set in their way, both in beer and in food. Pete sets out to change all that, but it takes time.
The editing is very good and while I do think the book is a bit too long for the story it's telling, I enjoyed it. Pete's human side comes out more than a few times leaving the dwarves wondering if he's touched in the head. There are stats and they are important, but they're secondary to brewing. The book explains the brewing terms in good detail so that everyone can follow along with the process. 5/5*
May 14, 2024
funny!
Peter gets reincarnated into an incarcerated dwarf and a world with subpar beer. This is an affront to him as he used to be a master brewer. He makes it his mission to rescue dwarven beer. First he uses his knowledge to “invent” a faster way to mine, earning him an early release. He makes friends and a new family. Gets a job at a brewery on the skids and helps get it back on track. In the end he saves the brewery and helps dwarven beer take its first steps to greatness.
This is a calm and hilarious story. The world building is creative and new. The character development is ongoing and visible. It is a a story that can function as a standalone has an overarching plot and leaves you satisfied. It was truly an enjoyable read it has great narration. And and I truly truly look forward to the next installment.
Peter gets reincarnated into an incarcerated dwarf and a world with subpar beer. This is an affront to him as he used to be a master brewer. He makes it his mission to rescue dwarven beer. First he uses his knowledge to “invent” a faster way to mine, earning him an early release. He makes friends and a new family. Gets a job at a brewery on the skids and helps get it back on track. In the end he saves the brewery and helps dwarven beer take its first steps to greatness.
This is a calm and hilarious story. The world building is creative and new. The character development is ongoing and visible. It is a a story that can function as a standalone has an overarching plot and leaves you satisfied. It was truly an enjoyable read it has great narration. And and I truly truly look forward to the next installment.
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December 17, 2024Fun reading
First, I dont even like beer.
Oh, and I don't play games, they usually bore me, but I appreciate that they are important to most people.
In fact I wish I enjoyed them.
Being allergic to the main ingredient in most beer is the big reason for not liking it, being diabetic, well, beer is a LOT of carbs so not on the list of things I drink.
But I do like the scent of beer, good beer and I appreciate that many people love beer, some to excess but that can be true of anything's.
This adventure is ROtFL in places and I intend to read all of them.
The characters are very well done, the situations creative and believe able within the created world , which is nicely complex and the connection with ours is even explained well.
If you are looking for a fun read buy it and enjoy!
First, I dont even like beer.
Oh, and I don't play games, they usually bore me, but I appreciate that they are important to most people.
In fact I wish I enjoyed them.
Being allergic to the main ingredient in most beer is the big reason for not liking it, being diabetic, well, beer is a LOT of carbs so not on the list of things I drink.
But I do like the scent of beer, good beer and I appreciate that many people love beer, some to excess but that can be true of anything's.
This adventure is ROtFL in places and I intend to read all of them.
The characters are very well done, the situations creative and believe able within the created world , which is nicely complex and the connection with ours is even explained well.
If you are looking for a fun read buy it and enjoy!
October 12, 2023
Zum Wohl!
This was great fun to read. I'm a lifelong sci-fi reader and recently started brewing at home. This book held a lot of interest for me. I learned more about all kinds of brewing. As a matter of fact I brewed a batch today while finishing the book. A continuously hopped IPA, my first in this style. A Light Munich.
I loved how Pete refused to turn into the typical Swords and Sorcery hero and stayed true to his own character. He made tough, smart decisions based on who he was and his friends backed him up. I also enjoyed the conflict he had going on with his god, Brack. It was clever.
I really enjoyed this and look forward to book two. Well done!
Read every day and read for fun!
This was great fun to read. I'm a lifelong sci-fi reader and recently started brewing at home. This book held a lot of interest for me. I learned more about all kinds of brewing. As a matter of fact I brewed a batch today while finishing the book. A continuously hopped IPA, my first in this style. A Light Munich.
I loved how Pete refused to turn into the typical Swords and Sorcery hero and stayed true to his own character. He made tough, smart decisions based on who he was and his friends backed him up. I also enjoyed the conflict he had going on with his god, Brack. It was clever.
I really enjoyed this and look forward to book two. Well done!
Read every day and read for fun!
August 29, 2025
Straight Isekai, this has a single job--to give us dwarves and beer--and it succeeds admirably.
Of course, we're meant to believe it's a cozy fantasy, and for the most part, it is, if all you want is a beer-fetish alchemy-lite build your own brewery adventure.
Fortunately for me, that's all I expected, and it has its funny moments. There's something admirable about a drinking adventure if you've a mind and hearty constitution for it. Real fantasy at its roots. True escapism.
Still, not bad.
Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews is be interested in reading my SF (Very hard SF, mind you), I'm open to requests.
Just direct message me in goodreads or email me on my site. I'd love to get some eyes on my novels.
Arctunn.com
Of course, we're meant to believe it's a cozy fantasy, and for the most part, it is, if all you want is a beer-fetish alchemy-lite build your own brewery adventure.
Fortunately for me, that's all I expected, and it has its funny moments. There's something admirable about a drinking adventure if you've a mind and hearty constitution for it. Real fantasy at its roots. True escapism.
Still, not bad.
Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews is be interested in reading my SF (Very hard SF, mind you), I'm open to requests.
Just direct message me in goodreads or email me on my site. I'd love to get some eyes on my novels.
Arctunn.com
November 30, 2023
Picked up on a whim & love it!
I'm an alcohol nerd. Brewing, distilling, cocktails, basically anything to do with making or mixing drinks immediately draws my attention.
Coming across this book, I was drawn in by the idea of tavern-building and how that could be incorporated into a LitRPG.
I had a blast reading this. Enjoyed all of the characters and I got that cozy vibe that we all look for in this low-stakes genre. I even learned a bit about brewing along the way, so that is also a plus.
Without getting into too much detail, I'd say if you're interested at all in this premise, it does not disappoint. Give it a try!
Can't wait for book 2!
I'm an alcohol nerd. Brewing, distilling, cocktails, basically anything to do with making or mixing drinks immediately draws my attention.
Coming across this book, I was drawn in by the idea of tavern-building and how that could be incorporated into a LitRPG.
I had a blast reading this. Enjoyed all of the characters and I got that cozy vibe that we all look for in this low-stakes genre. I even learned a bit about brewing along the way, so that is also a plus.
Without getting into too much detail, I'd say if you're interested at all in this premise, it does not disappoint. Give it a try!
Can't wait for book 2!
January 5, 2024
a lot more fun than expected
I’m not a huge fan of brewing, and there IS a lot of stuff about and around brewing as that’s a a large part of the premise for the hero’s presence, but it’s done well. I skimmed a few paragraphs here and there but didn’t skip more than that.
I will say that it could use another round with a good technical editor as they lost a few words, had a few wrong words, and a fair amount of missing or misplaced punctuation. Nothing bad enough to kick me too far out of the story or make me put it down for a while, and I’m picky about that kind of thing.
Hope you laugh and enjoy it nearly as much as I did!
I’m not a huge fan of brewing, and there IS a lot of stuff about and around brewing as that’s a a large part of the premise for the hero’s presence, but it’s done well. I skimmed a few paragraphs here and there but didn’t skip more than that.
I will say that it could use another round with a good technical editor as they lost a few words, had a few wrong words, and a fair amount of missing or misplaced punctuation. Nothing bad enough to kick me too far out of the story or make me put it down for a while, and I’m picky about that kind of thing.
Hope you laugh and enjoy it nearly as much as I did!
May 20, 2024
Audio: 2 Stars - I have enjoyed this narrator in other books but in this one he is AWFUL, not helping the story itself. He sounded more like he was delivering the 7PM news.
Story: The idea was good but not properly developed. There are too many unnecessary tangents, which explain the 20+ hours of audio. They could have removed all of the unnecessary info and focused on developing a better story. The narration is a bit confusing because it keeps going from 3rd person to 1st person and back again. The MC complains ALL the time and makes stupid decisions over an over......DUDE you are in a different world! Onto my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!
Story: The idea was good but not properly developed. There are too many unnecessary tangents, which explain the 20+ hours of audio. They could have removed all of the unnecessary info and focused on developing a better story. The narration is a bit confusing because it keeps going from 3rd person to 1st person and back again. The MC complains ALL the time and makes stupid decisions over an over......DUDE you are in a different world! Onto my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!
May 31, 2024
A very fun romp of dwarves and beards and beer. At times it could get a little repetitive due to the nature of the writing style and the decisions made with how to create this world and all the fun within it. However it still had a fun pace and kept me wanting more of this cozy adventure. I learned a lot about brewing (I think, I don't know how much I retained or how exactly accurate it was but it seemed to be very informative on the topic of brewing beer) I will read the next one at some point as this book was too funny and fun to just be done with the adventures of Peter the Dwarf and the gang.
July 19, 2024
An Adventure Brewing
Pete lived a good life. He took a passion for fine drink and made it a solid career to support his family. Now, he finds himself in the body of a dwarf. At least dwarfs are known for their amazing beer right? It’s actually terrible! Pete is just the man, er dwarf, to fix it!
This is a great start to a new cozy series! You can tell they the author really had an appreciation for the brewing process. Everything is explained well and you will love it even if you don’t have your own micro brewery. Christian Gillian’s did a great job with the narration. Pretty amazing with the songs too!
Content warning: none
Pete lived a good life. He took a passion for fine drink and made it a solid career to support his family. Now, he finds himself in the body of a dwarf. At least dwarfs are known for their amazing beer right? It’s actually terrible! Pete is just the man, er dwarf, to fix it!
This is a great start to a new cozy series! You can tell they the author really had an appreciation for the brewing process. Everything is explained well and you will love it even if you don’t have your own micro brewery. Christian Gillian’s did a great job with the narration. Pretty amazing with the songs too!
Content warning: none
September 24, 2025
A competent isekai slice of life that doesn't let the litRPG elements intrude, it also doesn't let the humor intrude either.
While the setup is good, the game of gods interesting, the author's take on dwarves and gnomes workable, and the progression from indenture to brewer a passable story, it fails to deliver the cozy elements to keep reading. With the humor not hitting the characters not being likeable, the locations and characters lacking description, and very little progress happening on the central conflict of the god's game, I can't really recommend this. Even if you really like beard descriptions, these largely vanish by the second book.
While the setup is good, the game of gods interesting, the author's take on dwarves and gnomes workable, and the progression from indenture to brewer a passable story, it fails to deliver the cozy elements to keep reading. With the humor not hitting the characters not being likeable, the locations and characters lacking description, and very little progress happening on the central conflict of the god's game, I can't really recommend this. Even if you really like beard descriptions, these largely vanish by the second book.
November 16, 2023
perfect slice of life read
Not much bad to say. The author has some knowledge on brewing, lit rpg, mmorpgs, and writing. There are basically no human characters in the book. except for the prologue, the entire cast is non-human. It's a fun read with believable characters, fun twists, and a great MC you'd like to have a beer with. This is one of the best books I've read in 2023 (read around 35 give or take), and excluding the bad editing due to translation into kindle unlimited servers, it's the perfect palate cleansing book for anyone needing something chill to enjoy.
Not much bad to say. The author has some knowledge on brewing, lit rpg, mmorpgs, and writing. There are basically no human characters in the book. except for the prologue, the entire cast is non-human. It's a fun read with believable characters, fun twists, and a great MC you'd like to have a beer with. This is one of the best books I've read in 2023 (read around 35 give or take), and excluding the bad editing due to translation into kindle unlimited servers, it's the perfect palate cleansing book for anyone needing something chill to enjoy.
January 18, 2024
All hail the Brew
This was so much fun. It has been sitting in my to read books for some time while I read books from other series. I was not expecting much and was thinking I would not even like it.
OOOOH how I was wrong. I thought this was awesome. It was so much fun. Everything about it was great.
If you are a beer snob, you will love it. If you just like beer every once in a while, you will love it. If you have ever thought of brewing your own batch, you will love it.
Sit down, drink a batch of the True Brew, and read the book.
This was so much fun. It has been sitting in my to read books for some time while I read books from other series. I was not expecting much and was thinking I would not even like it.
OOOOH how I was wrong. I thought this was awesome. It was so much fun. Everything about it was great.
If you are a beer snob, you will love it. If you just like beer every once in a while, you will love it. If you have ever thought of brewing your own batch, you will love it.
Sit down, drink a batch of the True Brew, and read the book.
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