Citizen Coors : A Grand Family Saga of Business, Politics, and Beer

by Dan Baum

Name by Jonathon Yardly of the Washington Post as one of the best books of 2000, Citizen Coors combines a monumental business story with a heartrending tale of family strife and a sweeping vista of American politics in the last half of the twentieth century. From the moment when the dsitute Prussian Adolph Coors stows away to America in 1868, through the creation of the Heritage Foundation, to the global expansion of the billion-dollar Coors Brewing Company, the Coors family triumphed by iron-willed commitment to its own values -- values that ironically prove the family's undoing on both the business and political fronts.

Acclaimed writer Dan Baum captures it all, from Adolph's Prohibition-provoked suicide to the banishment of an heir-apparent for marrying without permission. Baum vividly depicts the genius, eccentricity, and tragic weaknesses of the remarkable Coors family.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, American History, Book Club

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Dan Baum was born in Orange, New Jersey (or South Orange, New Jersey) to Seymour and Audrey Bernice (Goldberger) Baum. His father, Seymour, was an executive with Colgate-Palmolive. His mother, Audrey Bernice (Goldberger) Baum, was a social worker. Raised in South Orange, Baum graduated from Columbia High School in 1974. He graduated from New York University in 1978.

Over the years he worked for various publications as a journalist. He was staff writer for The New Yorker, for which he covered Hurricane Katrina. In addition to that famous magazine he was a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, The Asian Wall Street Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He also freelanced for various publications such as Rolling Stone, Wired, Playboy and Harper's Magazine. He also wrote several books: Gun Guys: A Road Trip, Citizen Coors: An American Dynasty and Smoke and Mirrors: The War on Drugs and the Politics of Failure.

In 1987 he married fellow reporter Margret L. Knox and they had one daughter, Rosa Baum. Over the next thirty-three years he and Margaret would makes their home in various places across the globe: Zimbabwe, France, Missoula, Mont., rural Mexico, Watsonville, Calif., and Boulder, Colorado (where he passed away).

For many years, Mr. Baum and Ms. Knox collaborated on writing projects that carried only Mr. Baum’s byline, though she was a full partner, he wrote on their website. They wanted their writing to speak with a strong individual voice, and they thought a double byline would undermine that goal.

He died on Oct. 8, 2020 at his home in Boulder, Colo., at 64. Cause of death was glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer.

Reviews

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting and compelling story but after part 1 I don't think it was organized as well. It's mostly chronological but every once in a while Baum puts in a compelling vignette that seems self enclosed but then shows up chapters later.

The boycott he writes about spans 10 years but it comes into prominence only for it to take a back seat and then come back. David Sickler becomes a familiar character but I had to flip back to recall who some of the other union figures were and some chapters cover a span of years only for the next chapter to cover a parallel story within that same time frame.

So, excellent story, well researched but presented a bit awkwardly.

[Jack Michalko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I worked at Coors as a part time employee over the summers while going to college from 1965-68. Actually I worked in Maintenance with Peter Coors in the summer of 67. My father in law was an executive at Coors and was mentioned in the book. I met and talked with Adolph Jr. in 1968 and knew a lot of the people mentioned in this book. With that being said I feel the author did an unbelievable job with this book. All the players were well described and things happened just as he wrote ( at least when I was there). In the 60's things were good. Coors couldn't make enough beer. The brewery ran three 8 hour shifts 7 days a week. I made $3.50 an hour in those days and worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week so I got lots of overtime. I felt like I was on top of the world. That was a lot of money in those days. I didn't have to join the union but did have to pay dues for the three months a year I worked there. We also got three 20 minute breaks a day for 8 hours work which we were paid for and beer flowed free in the lunch rooms. If you worked overtime you got an additional paid break. It was a wonderful place to work back in the day. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book!

[Colleen Nealon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read half way through before it became more or a political book and less about the family behind the beer.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating read. Left me with such a mixed feeling of the Coors family and their products.
Structure of the book felt a little haphazard & lost at times. Some very dry sections.

[Aiman Adlawan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book to read about the Coors family and how the origins of the brand. My only interest is to know how the great grandfather developed his own brand of beer back in his time when everything was all done hand and labor.
The book doesn't really give an in-depth story about the development of the brewing process, harvesting the grains, packing and all. But in general, its an interesting read about the brand and the family that ran the business and turned it into one of the most recognized American Brand.

[Sean Skehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a case study about Coors in business school and this book caught my attention. Interesting read about a family grappling with balancing tradition and growth in the 20th century.

I think the author failed to understand Joe and Bill Coors in the same way Edmund Morris failed to understand Reagan.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really interesting to read this book nearly 23 years after it was published. The rise of craft beer, the M&A activity that impacted Coors, and the ramifications of the Coors political advocacy are all to come but you know they happened and I think that adds to the book. There is something here for anyone interested in beer, business, politics, or just a well told story.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't know the last time I drank a Coors product, but certainly don't intend to again...

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely fascinating history of the Coors brewing dynasty.

[Jim Risner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A informative book on a great American beer family.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the top of my Boston Globe review:

The saga of the Colorado brewing family is intertwined with thread after thread of American history: Western expansion, rugged individualism, Prohibition, patriotic contributions in wartime, the rise and fall of unions, concern for the environment, the triumph of consumerism over quality, the rise of the conservative movement.

The story of the Coors family is just as rich on a more personal level, filled as it is with humble beginnings and mountains of money, high principle and stunning hypocrisy, charity and vindictiveness, even murder and suicide. It is an epic from any angle, and despite the flaws in his rendering of it, Baum deserves high credit for obeying the first rule of biography: Find a story worth telling.

http://michaelprager.com/Citizen-Coor...

[Pamela Pickering · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read this book I didn't have a special interest in business and while I do ocassionally enjoy a brew I don't harbor a special interest in beer. A friend recommended this book and I wouldn't say that he has a special interest in beer or business either. I reluctantly gave it a try and really enjoyed it (surprise! surprise!)The author gives the average reader a good idea how marketing, keeping up with "the times", and just plain old product quality can affect a business. It is fascinating to see how much a "dynasty" can change throughout a century. You don't have to be from Colorado to find this book interesting.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read to learn about learn about the founding of Coors in the 1800s and see how they grew the family business.

The Beer world changed for them in the 1980ies and the family had diffeculties dealing with it and by the 1990 lost many of the old family traditions.

Also mistakes the Coors made throught the years srewed up a good thing. Good lesson for me given where I am in my life.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Excellent history into the company and roots of Coors. Very interesting how the town of Golden Colorado became almost completely self sufficient all from the Coors family. Not to mention the impact the family had on politics from prohibition recovery to Ronald Reagan's policy making. A great and intriguing read, even if you don't like beer :)

[Joshua Arons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about the destruction brought on by nepotism. The Coors family for four generations let personal politics and beliefs be their guiding light. Admirable, except for the fact that this was done to the detriment of their workers, and stockholders. Interesting story.

[Melissa Kayden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moved very slowly. I have read another of Baum's books and loved it, but this one was difficult to finish. And though I have never been a Coors beer fan, parts of this book were enough to turn me off. Wouldn't recommend this one.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of information given in this book, interesting and somewhat amazing that the Coors family was so very naive in business matters. I live in Colorado and know people who work or worked there. Employees said this company was generous to them.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting biography of the Coors family (of brewery fame).

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best historical treatment of a boycott that I've ever run across

[Ethanganot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting context for my place of business. Definitely slanted so it had to be taken with a grain of salt, but overall it was a fun and quick read.

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love them or hate them, the Coors family history is look at a unique American success through struggles and stubbornness.

[Vicki Mullen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Challenge: A book set in your home state

This book was really hard to read. The author would change thoughts mid sentence. The second half was a little better, but then the end just dragged.

[Todd Laugen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great look at the Coors family and especially Joe Coors promotion of conservative causes.