Those of us with an entrepreneurial spirit enjoy learning how others make successes out of ideas. It's an added bonus when that success story is about a brewery. "Redhook - Beer Pioneer" by Peter Krebs tells the story of how two Seattle entrepreneurs built a brewery and paved a path for the craft beer industry. It is a detailed account of the struggles met and overcome to become one of today's most recognized craft breweries in the nation.
The book begins, "It was a trail of pride and passion. A trail littered with success and failure. The trail stretched from a humble building in Ballard, Washington, that once served as a transmission shop; to a converted trolley barn a mile east in Fremont, Washington; to a stunning chateaulike brewery in Woodinville, Washington, about twenty miles northeast of Seattle". As the story is told we learn how an unlikely duo was able to traverse the rocky path of building and operating a successful brewery in the early 1980's.
The author offers captivating details on how Paul Shipman, a charismatic man with the gift of persuasion, and Gordon Bowker, founder of Starbucks Coffee and advertising guru, found their way to a passionate pursuit of a shared vision.
An easy read chock full of the successes and failures of these two leaders, "Redhook - Beer Pioneer" inspires you to believe you can accomplish anything as long as you are persistent and dedicated to success.
Some of the book's highlights include:
- Bananna Beer and House Character - How Shipman spun to the local beer drinking public the brewery's funny tasting beer caused by contaminated yeast. I think the late beer author Michael Jackson saved the day on this one.
- The Bitter that was Sweet - How Redhook ESB, originally known as Ballard Bitter, made Redhook beer a drinkable alternative.
- Selling your Soul - Perceived as a controversial move for a craft brewer, Redhook made history by partnering in distribution with Annheiser-Busch. The book offers great insight on how this partnership was actually structured and why it was beneficial to Redhook without compromising their craftsmanship heritage.
"A surprisingly candid, revealing, and informative inside story from the decade's hottest little industry. I have known the two principal characters for almost twenty years...but I now have a far better understanding of their business triumphs and calamities."
-Michael Jackson
Author of Ultimate Beer