Beer Tap Tales: Confessions of a New Hampshire Barkeep

by Jack Blindt

Before Northern Exposure or Cheers , Teddy ran a bar in rural New England . Elvis died. Loggers arrived. UFOs flew. Skylab dropped. Snow fell. Trucks crashed. Tempers flared. The jukebox played. And people drank. Heavily. Ice wasn't the only thing that cracked as events spiraled out of control. Teddy wanted to strike back at several of his worst customers, but would he? Was it really that bad?

These darkly humorous connected stories reveal how Teddy navigates sticky situations and copes with his unhinged bar customers. Grab a beer and take a seat in one of his rough-cut pine booths as the action unfolds. No guarantee against splinters.

Paperback

Published July 16, 2021

About the author

I can laugh about it now that I've survived.

Jack Blindt was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in Millburn and Springfield, NJ. In 1969 he graduated from Missouri Valley College. He worked for several years as a social worker in Newark, NJ. After attempting grad school in Virginia, he took a social work job in Culpeper, Va.

Then it all changed. He spent the six craziest years of his life (‘77 – ‘83) running a pub in rural New Hampshire. His experiences and the people he knew in those years inspired these stories and essays.

In 1983, he moved to Elizabeth City, North Carolina where he ran Betsy Tooley’s Deli. Five years later he opened The Sandwich Market.

Retiring in 2016, he read his old journals and stories, inspiring him to write this book.

Reviews

[Hank Suaerz-Murias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminiscent of John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. I've also experienced characters like these; I don't care to revisit, except on paper. The author's approach to dealing with them is both amusing and comforting, because misery loves company. Good chronology of related short stories, great for sporadic reading.

[Anna Corson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheers!

I really enjoyed this book. It was great fun. He did a great job on the characters. I could just picture them in my mind as he described them. I could just picture Teddy sneaking around to get his revenge on some of his more troublesome customers. It was like reading a rougher version of Cheers episodes. It was definitely a different time, though, because even though it was just a story, they were so blase about the drinking and driving and that bothered me, but that was the way life was in the 70's. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Won this from Goodreads. Rough and tumble storytelling, reads like a diary but it isn't. hard to believe that a social worker would interact with customers of his bar the way he did. Finished it but not a particularly good book.

[Megan Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. An interesting read. Not what I expected but still had some funny spots in it. It almost reads like a diary but not at the same time.

[Cathy Duffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun read! This book took me back to my 1970s college days of visiting crazy bars. The character development was very good, stories were great!

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to get into this book multiple times but the stories just fell flat. Not a terrible read, but not engaging.

[naomi ruth kemerer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. Easy reading that makes you smile, not one to make you think!

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this as a kindle giveaway. Thank you. Some interesting stories. It's hard dealing with the public.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

So fun to read. I don't really go to bars anymore now that I have a child, so it was fun to live vicariously through this book.

[Ryan Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read. (Mostly) endearing stories of a bygone time.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent tales from a New Hampshire Barkeep

Truly enjoyed Jacks book. Would love to hear where life took him through the rest of the 80's and beyond.

[Lorinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

Nice prose
Great characters
Mr Blindt has the ability to entertain as if you're actually sitting in the bar
I look forward to reading more of his tales

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still not sure if this is fiction or true tales or a combination,
but was very entertained. Found all the characters and escapades believable.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can see why he was not a great social worker. The whole book just feels like a tale of his bullying escapades.