What do you think?
Rate this book
Beer School: Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery
BEER SCHOOL Beer School Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery What do you get when you cross a journalist and a banker? A brewery, of course. “A great city should have great beer. New York finally has, thanks to Brooklyn. Steve Hindy and Tom Potter provided it. Beer School explains how they did their mistakes as well as their triumphs. Steve writes with a journalist’s skepticism―as though he has forgotten that he is reporting on himself. Tom is even less forgiving―he’s a banker, after all. The inside story reads at times like a cautionary tale, but it is an account of a great and welcome achievement.” ―Michael Jackson, The Beer Hunter “An accessible and insightful case study with terrific insight for aspiring entrepreneurs. And if that’s not enough, it is all about beer!” ―Professor Murray Low, Executive Director, Lang Center for Entrepreneurship, Columbia Business School “Great lessons on what every first-time entrepreneur will experience. Being down the block from the Brooklyn Brewery, I had firsthand witness to their positive impact on our community. I give Steve and Tom’s book an A++!” ―Norm Brodsky, Senior Contributing Editor, Inc. magazine “ Beer School is a useful and entertaining book. In essence, this is the story of starting a beer business from scratch in New York City. The product is one readers can relate to, and the market is as tough as they get. What a fun challenge! The book can help not only those entrepreneurs who are starting a business but also those trying to grow one once it is established. Steve and Tom write with enthusiasm and insight about building their business. It is clear that they learned a lot along the way. Readers can learn from these lessons too.” ―Michael Preston, Adjunct Professor, Lang Center for Entrepreneurship, Columbia Business School, and coauthor, The Road to How to Manage Growth “Although we (thankfully!) never had to deal with the Mob, being held up at gunpoint, or having our beer and equipment ripped off, we definitely identified with the challenges faced in those early days of cobbling a brewery together. The revealing story Steve and Tom tell about two partners entering a business out of passion, in an industry they knew little about, being seriously undercapitalized, with an overly naive business plan, and their ultimate success, is an inspiring tale.” ―Ken Grossman, founder, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2005
33 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 31, 2011
"Business School with a Bit of Beer" might have been a better title. The book does what it hopes to do pretty well: it charts the Brooklyn Brewery from its humble beginnings with Steve's homebrew into the brand recognized today for quality and Brooklyn renewal. But coming from the two guys that were there for every step of the way, there's a surprisingly large amount that I felt was missing from this book, specifically, from the beer perspective. Almost in passing, we learn that the beer the fledgling brewery will stake is future upon will be based on a recipe completely unrelated to any of Steve's homebrew. That flagship Brookyln Lager? Neither of the founders had a hand in crafting it. But you learn a lot about everything that went on outside of the bottle, from the logo design to the distribution of the cases to the brewing locations and events that supported the brewery. Just ... nothing about the beers. And sometimes, for all the passion they show for the actual beer they make, it seems like they could be selling hula hoops for all they care.
We learn about the fourth-generation Brooklyn brewer who delivered his grandfather's dry-hopped lager recipe to the Brooklyn boys only briefly. When their head brewer, Garret Oliver, appears in the narrative, you get the impression of a brilliant brewer whose larger-than-life personality and passion for beer helped make Brooklyn's beers what they are; and yet he's practically a footnote, his work on signature beers like the Black Chocolate Stout, or his adaptions of Steve's brown ale recipe, are again barely mentioned. You don't even get much of a sense of how the beer is made or what Oliver brings to the operation, short of one brief sketch of him cooling thousands of gallons of beer when the power blows out. Why does a book about a brewery devote more pages to the logo designs of Milton Glaser than the recipes and work of it's head brewer? This just seems ... wrong.
Perhaps it's my own expectations that are making me feel let down, but the book does a great job covering nearly every aspect of starting up and growing the Brooklyn Brewery ... except the beer. And while the book is a quick read and cleanly written, omitting so much about the actual beer that made the brewery what it is feels like a strange and glaring omission. Check this out if you want a quick overview of getting a small business in a challenging market like New York off the ground, or if you're a huge fan of the beer distribution industry of the greater Boston-New York area circa the early 90s. Just don't expect to get any insights into the beer that made it all possible.
We learn about the fourth-generation Brooklyn brewer who delivered his grandfather's dry-hopped lager recipe to the Brooklyn boys only briefly. When their head brewer, Garret Oliver, appears in the narrative, you get the impression of a brilliant brewer whose larger-than-life personality and passion for beer helped make Brooklyn's beers what they are; and yet he's practically a footnote, his work on signature beers like the Black Chocolate Stout, or his adaptions of Steve's brown ale recipe, are again barely mentioned. You don't even get much of a sense of how the beer is made or what Oliver brings to the operation, short of one brief sketch of him cooling thousands of gallons of beer when the power blows out. Why does a book about a brewery devote more pages to the logo designs of Milton Glaser than the recipes and work of it's head brewer? This just seems ... wrong.
Perhaps it's my own expectations that are making me feel let down, but the book does a great job covering nearly every aspect of starting up and growing the Brooklyn Brewery ... except the beer. And while the book is a quick read and cleanly written, omitting so much about the actual beer that made the brewery what it is feels like a strange and glaring omission. Check this out if you want a quick overview of getting a small business in a challenging market like New York off the ground, or if you're a huge fan of the beer distribution industry of the greater Boston-New York area circa the early 90s. Just don't expect to get any insights into the beer that made it all possible.
April 29, 2023
I didn’t exactly know what I was getting into when I started this book, I thought it would be more about beer. But it was really about starting a business and being an entrepreneur. The ups and downs of their journey. An analysis of what they did right and what they did wrong. It turned out to be very related to my job going through the Distributor business. I absolutely loved it!
June 18, 2019
As someone starting off on the alcobev industry, I found this book to strongly resonate with my journey so far, and my vision for the business in the future.
June 17, 2015
2.5 stars
I wanted to like this book so bad. I love brewing beer and craft beers in general. I have this faraway dream of one day starting a brewpub business and brewing beer for a living. so I thought this would be a great read for me.
There are a few problems with this book.
1. it's trying to be a few different books and not being successful at any of them. The authors should have picked a thesis and stuck to it.
2. it's not organized very well. it can be rambly at spots before the authors circle back around and make a point, leaving you a bit lost.
3. it's also really repetitive. they tell stories and then come back and use the same exact story to make a different point and then they have a section at the end of every chapter where the other guy tells his side - and he tells the exact same story again.
4. a lot of others have mentioned this one as well - they barely talk about the beer. It all seems a bit cheap, where every move they make was motivated by money or self-promotion - even their charity work.
Hopefully Beyond the Pale is better. That'll probably be one of the next brewery 'biographies' I read.
I wanted to like this book so bad. I love brewing beer and craft beers in general. I have this faraway dream of one day starting a brewpub business and brewing beer for a living. so I thought this would be a great read for me.
There are a few problems with this book.
1. it's trying to be a few different books and not being successful at any of them. The authors should have picked a thesis and stuck to it.
2. it's not organized very well. it can be rambly at spots before the authors circle back around and make a point, leaving you a bit lost.
3. it's also really repetitive. they tell stories and then come back and use the same exact story to make a different point and then they have a section at the end of every chapter where the other guy tells his side - and he tells the exact same story again.
4. a lot of others have mentioned this one as well - they barely talk about the beer. It all seems a bit cheap, where every move they make was motivated by money or self-promotion - even their charity work.
Hopefully Beyond the Pale is better. That'll probably be one of the next brewery 'biographies' I read.
February 1, 2011
My high rating of this book has a lot to do with the good timing of this read. As I'm currently working through the complicated process of building a business plan, looking for investors and considering my future as an entrepreneur, the advice of these local businessmen has really hit the mark. Their lessons and honest advice have helped me understand how shareholders work, how raising capital works, and how unexpected challenges can be turned into revenue streams (in the Brooklyn Brewery's case -- craft beer distribution). Best of all, it's couched in a pretty enjoyable tale of two neighbors making beer, dealing with gunpoint robberies, working in a freezing, windowless office, and finally seeing their idea turn into a thriving business.
On pure craftsmanship, I would rate this a little lower -- several anecdotes are repeated during the narrative, perhaps because of the dual authorship or the non-linear organization of the book. It's a little clunky, but above all I found this book pretty inspiring.
On pure craftsmanship, I would rate this a little lower -- several anecdotes are repeated during the narrative, perhaps because of the dual authorship or the non-linear organization of the book. It's a little clunky, but above all I found this book pretty inspiring.
April 12, 2018
I'm fascinated by the beer business, and I'm always interested in hearing origin and success stories from the folks who've lived it. I'll admit, Brooklyn Brewery wasn't on my beer-drinking radar. Sure, I'd heard about it as an early craft beer settler, and I've had a pint or two in airports here and there, but living out West, Brooklyn Brewery beer isn't readily available.
That said, I enjoyed hearing how two neighbors — one a banker and one a journalist-slash-homebrewer — launched a successful brewery in the 1980s. I listened to the audiobook version read by the authors. While sometimes hearing the words in the author(s) voice can make for a more interesting listening experience, for Beer School this was not the case. I struggled with the deliveries of both narrators.
Other commenters have mentioned how few pages are devoted to the actual beer of Brooklyn Brewery. It would have been nice to hear a little more about that aspect of the business — and less about the distribution drama (I understand the distribution side of the business was important, and the trials associated with unloading it were key to the progression of the business, but it just wasn't that interesting to me).
The structure didn't bother me as much as some others even though it jumped around a bit. I followed along fine and appreciated the other author's take at the end of each chapter. I especially liked the advice Tom provided at the end regarding would-be entrepreneurs. His checklist is helpful, and many of his entrepreneurial traits mirrored mine (Steve focused on the outside communications/interactions related to the business, Tom the inside).
Overall, Beer School is an enjoyable read. I appreciate hearing entrepreneurs discuss what worked and what didn't along the way, as well as how Steve and Tom handled various setbacks to build Brooklyn Brewery into a thriving beer business.
That said, I enjoyed hearing how two neighbors — one a banker and one a journalist-slash-homebrewer — launched a successful brewery in the 1980s. I listened to the audiobook version read by the authors. While sometimes hearing the words in the author(s) voice can make for a more interesting listening experience, for Beer School this was not the case. I struggled with the deliveries of both narrators.
Other commenters have mentioned how few pages are devoted to the actual beer of Brooklyn Brewery. It would have been nice to hear a little more about that aspect of the business — and less about the distribution drama (I understand the distribution side of the business was important, and the trials associated with unloading it were key to the progression of the business, but it just wasn't that interesting to me).
The structure didn't bother me as much as some others even though it jumped around a bit. I followed along fine and appreciated the other author's take at the end of each chapter. I especially liked the advice Tom provided at the end regarding would-be entrepreneurs. His checklist is helpful, and many of his entrepreneurial traits mirrored mine (Steve focused on the outside communications/interactions related to the business, Tom the inside).
Overall, Beer School is an enjoyable read. I appreciate hearing entrepreneurs discuss what worked and what didn't along the way, as well as how Steve and Tom handled various setbacks to build Brooklyn Brewery into a thriving beer business.
December 22, 2019
DNF. Or very nearly—quit with 75 pages to go. Just knew the rest of the book’s ROI would be low. Look, I chose to buy this book because I respect the brand and think the Brooklyn Brewery is one of the true success stories of the craft beer boom of the 1990’s.
Unfortunately, the book has the entertainment or educational equivalent of a flat beer. I have read many books on alcohol; from The Drunken Botanist to the Beer Bible, and from the Brewer’s Guide to Opening and Operating a Brewpub to Mr. Boston’s, and I would rate this somewhat low on both scales.
If you are looking for an entertaining story on success in the industry, the Lagunitas book is better. If you are looking for a tactical “how to guide” for opening a brewery or a brewpub, this is not it.
I will say that this book documents that rare occasion of success-in-a-bottle story which was the perfect combination of a community ready to be rediscovered, riding the wave of the best new thing in the world, and solid leadership of a company making just the right amount of correct decisions to emerge successfully.
But, as an entertaining read, this was a solid 2 stars.
Unfortunately, the book has the entertainment or educational equivalent of a flat beer. I have read many books on alcohol; from The Drunken Botanist to the Beer Bible, and from the Brewer’s Guide to Opening and Operating a Brewpub to Mr. Boston’s, and I would rate this somewhat low on both scales.
If you are looking for an entertaining story on success in the industry, the Lagunitas book is better. If you are looking for a tactical “how to guide” for opening a brewery or a brewpub, this is not it.
I will say that this book documents that rare occasion of success-in-a-bottle story which was the perfect combination of a community ready to be rediscovered, riding the wave of the best new thing in the world, and solid leadership of a company making just the right amount of correct decisions to emerge successfully.
But, as an entertaining read, this was a solid 2 stars.
August 14, 2019
You can definitely learn something about the beer business through this book.
But overall, the lessons found in it can be applied to any other business.
I would say the content is much more about entrepreneurship/start-up in general rather than in beer itself, as it has a lot of the ins and outs about building a business from scratch.
Some chapters were overly extensive for me on certain subjects (particularly on marketing and partnerships) and less extensive on beer itself.
For all that, I give it a 3/5 star rating.
But overall, the lessons found in it can be applied to any other business.
I would say the content is much more about entrepreneurship/start-up in general rather than in beer itself, as it has a lot of the ins and outs about building a business from scratch.
Some chapters were overly extensive for me on certain subjects (particularly on marketing and partnerships) and less extensive on beer itself.
For all that, I give it a 3/5 star rating.
December 29, 2020
More about business and determination than beer, which was what I needed to hear now. Also enjoyed hearing about the complications/victory/hardships of distribution company they started. Biggest take aways are that some people are born to be entrepreneurs, having a partner who is opposite of you is very valuable, determination and thinking outside of the box are valuable skills in building your business. These are things I needed to understand about myself in this moment to push me forward.
October 3, 2019
enjoyed learning about the history behind brooklyn brewery. can be confusing keeping up with each perspective of the two founders, but very interesting stories from getting robbed to the sale of their distribution business. inspiring me to open up my own brewery one day!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2020
This was a good book about the history of Brooklyn lager. The writing was not spectacular and it did not make me want to open a brewery. But, it was interesting none the less. It was almost entirely about the business and not the beer.
February 15, 2018
Interesting microbrewery business history and perspective from my beer hero, Steve Hindy.
April 4, 2018
pretty interesting business book with a beer flavor
March 22, 2019
A good read!
August 26, 2020
More like Business School, which you could probably guess by the back cover, but informative if you want to start a business in Brooklyn and fairly entertaining otherwise.
June 11, 2023
More detailled and no BS entrepreneurial story.
Read
September 21, 2012
From Publishers Weekly
This winning tale of the rise of the Brooklyn Brewery follows the basic pattern of every entrepreneur's memoir: a restless visionary sets out to accomplish a dream, barely survives a series of setbacks, emerges victorious—and ready to tell readers how they can do the same. But this account serves up more than the usual suds and foam—its counsel is sound and its prose lively, and it should appeal to both wannabe industrialists and beer drinkers, not that those categories are mutually exclusive. In fact, the authors, foreign correspondent Hindy and banker Potter, decided to found their New York brewery, now 17 years in business and among the top 40 in the U.S. in sales, after consuming many bottles of Hindy's homebrew. The longtime partners tell their story in engaging, candid voices, delivering cautionary anecdotes, reflections on longstanding disagreements and lingering resentments, and brutally frank self-assessments. It helps the story immeasurably that beer is a more colorful subject than, say, spreadsheet software, a fact that gets the reader past the inevitable chapter on financing. Though Hindy and Potter may not help the aspiring entrepreneur strike gold, they offer a compelling model and a heartening story. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
"This gripping and lighthearted read charts their successes and failures and leaves you thirty for more." (Sainsbury's Magazine, September 2009)
July 16, 2012
Hindy and Potter's tale of how they started Brooklyn Brewery should be the template for all business books: honest, engaging, and well written. The book takes the reader from the first spark of the idea for a brewery through the long and arduous journey of turning that idea into a success, and then the work of keeping Brooklyn Brewery successful. This means you read through chapters that focus on the importance of financing, sales and distribution, understanding the core values and missions of a business, etc. But the surprising thing is that you never feel that you're reading a business school textbook. Brooklyn Brewery is a personal business, and Beer School gives you a fantastic first-hand account of how it all started.
June 28, 2014
Good follow-on to course I took last year on the history of Brooklyn and to all the walking tours that I have taken there. One more way to get to know this fascinating borough of NYC. Heart-warming to have manufacturing in general and beer brewing in particular returning to a borough that usta be such a hub of manufacturing.
Also a "sobering" and fascinating tale of just how challenging it is to be an entrepreneur, even a successful one.
I actually listened to it as an audiobook (though that is not yet one of the choices of editions on GR) read alternately by the 2 authors, one of whom reads better than the other. But no matter. Always an enhancement to hear a good story "from the horse's mouth"!
Also a "sobering" and fascinating tale of just how challenging it is to be an entrepreneur, even a successful one.
I actually listened to it as an audiobook (though that is not yet one of the choices of editions on GR) read alternately by the 2 authors, one of whom reads better than the other. But no matter. Always an enhancement to hear a good story "from the horse's mouth"!
October 4, 2013
Beer School nos cuenta la historia del nacimiento, ardua lucha y éxito de la compañía cervecera Brooklyn Brewery. Ésta historia es contada en primera persona para dar un toque más personal a pesar que son varias personas las que nos relatan en ella, la historia en sí es bastante interesante para aquellos que buscan una historia de éxito en el mercado cervecero en donde nos dejan ver los varios problemas tanto legales como financieros e incluso delincuenciales que tuvieron que sufrir y combatir pero también la ayuda angelical de la cual fueron benefactores para llegar a ser la empresa reconocida e importante que son ahora
July 10, 2008
This is is a business text set in the exciting world of brewing against the colorful backdrop of Brooklyn. It has an eclectic cast of characters: the war correspondent, the banker, the famed graphic artist, the mob, and the brewer with a stylish sense of uniqueness. It captured the highs and lows, and difficulty of starting a brewery which also happens to be a successful business. These guys didn't succeed because they made crazy beer. They took advantage of their place, and time, to make a quality traditional product. Their story was enjoyable, educational, and slightly inspiring.
November 8, 2010
if you're interested in small business -- and, i guess, not even breweries, really, but in this specific brewery -- this is the book for you! if you are interested in beer, this is not the book for you.
very readable but not very engrossing. it reads a lot like a polished press release and is pretty emotionless, which i get (if you have a business public face you don't want to "open up" i guess) but there were some moments that could have been great, especially considering one of the authors was a foreign correspondent.
ho-hum. wouldn't recommend it.
very readable but not very engrossing. it reads a lot like a polished press release and is pretty emotionless, which i get (if you have a business public face you don't want to "open up" i guess) but there were some moments that could have been great, especially considering one of the authors was a foreign correspondent.
ho-hum. wouldn't recommend it.
December 31, 2013
I enjoy reading about entrepreneurs and the obstacles they encounter. It amazes me how different entrepreneurs approach starting their business and then managing it. Approaches are not the same and almost always loose some focus that needs eventually to be recalled. America is great in that entrepreneurs who see opportunities differently, can be successful even with completely different paths. One common ingredient however, is hard, persistent work and being right timed.
September 19, 2008
This isn't sophisticated literature...it's a history and rough guide to tackling an entrepreneurial idea. It's inspiring, realistic, straightforward, specific, and honest account of the founding, history, and development of the brewery. As someone who's heading down a similar path, it seemed like it might be worth my time and attention...and I'd have to say it was!
March 8, 2010
This was both an interesting history of the Brooklyn Brewery (which I'd not heard of before this book), and an excellent manual on management and entrepreneurial growth. It gave me lots of good ideas applicable to my day job, and inspired me to seek out and try a few Brooklyn beers (which proved to be quite tasty).
August 3, 2010
This book was not only entertaining, but also a FANTASTIC resource of business advice and practical experience. I listened to the audiobook because I don't have time to sit down and read, and it was even more amazing because the book was read by the authors and founders of the Brooklyn Brewery! I would recommend this to anyone!
July 13, 2013
Great business book whether you're interested in starting a brewery or not. Interesting anecdotes about their brewery are interspersed between wonderful 20/20 hindsight observations about building a successful business. Both Tom and Steve are very candid about the pitfalls and thrills of becoming an entrepreneur, and are brutally honest in assessing their progress. All in all, a great read.
May 21, 2015
Didn't dig this book too much, seemed like this was more of a financial prospect rather than a labor of love for the authors. Too technical and corporate/business for my taste, a much better book is "Beyond The Pale: The Story of Sierra Nevada" by Ken Grossman and "Nuts" which is about Southwest Airlines for two business case studies with soul and heart.
February 19, 2008
I was looking to read about the craft industry. Great take aways about how the craft brew industry has evolved and the link between brewing and distributing. This book really goes into the life of the Entrapenuer and the trials and tribulations of that life. Good Read. Interesting.
April 3, 2011
This book contained fascinating insight into the challenges of starting a brewery. Brooklyn made it with a lot of hard work and a lot of luck. It terrifies me when these guys say that they haven't slept soundly since becoming an entrepreneur.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews