Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah: How It Took 13 Years, Extreme Jewish Brewing, and Circus Sideshow Freaks to Make Shmaltz Brewing an International Success [Paperback]

Jeremy Cowan (Author), James Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2010

In this witty and compelling tale of how the nation’s first and only Jewish Celebration beer came to fruition, founder Jeremy Cowan tells the story of Shmaltz Brewing’s evolution from an inside joke into a thriving and award-winning craft brewing company. Divulged are the small-business challenges and marketing strategies that helped Cowan go from hand-squeezing pomegranates and delivering beer in his grandmother’s Volvo to producing two of the most respected and unique craft beer brands in America: He'brew the Chosen Beer and Coney Island Craft Lagers. Included alongside the sage advice for entrepreneurs and the humorous personal anecdotes are suggested beer pairings for each chapter, a hangover rating system, and 16 pages of full-color photograph collages.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“While his sense of humor, Jeremy's schtick, is riotous and unforgettable, it is the trails encountered following his dream that make this book a memorable read. Enjoy the ride as much as one of Jeremy's beers.”  —Daniel Bradford, publisher, All About Beer magazine

“Jeremy Cowan combines the heart of a brewer with the soul of a two-thousand-year-old rabbinical mench in his new book Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah. A must read on how to get from there (a crazy dream) to here successfully in beer.”  —Tom Dalldorf, publisher, Celebrator Beer News

“Mixes comedic, self-deprecating anecdotes with general acts of badassery—which pretty much sums up the brands [Cowan] has created.”  —Jeff Cioletti, editor in chief, Beverage World magazine

“This man knows how to build a brand from scratch and reading his story is a fascinating, can't-put-the-book-down tale. Just don't read it from right to left.”  —Pete Slosberg, founder, Pete's Wicked Ale

“Hilariously mind-blowing”  —Alan Kaufman, author, Jew Boy

About the Author

Jeremy Cowan is the founder and proprietor of Shmaltz Brewing Company, which annually produces more than 7,000 barrels of award-winning craft beer. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, and San Francisco. James Sullivan is a regular contributor to the Boston Globe, a former staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, and the author of The Hardest Working Man, Jeans, and Seven Dirty Words. He lives in Boston.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Malt Shop Publishing; 1ST edition (December 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982932537
• ISBN-13: 978-0982932537
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #772,309 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars L'haim! April 19, 2011

By Michael

Format:Paperback

You can't help falling in love with the story behind Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah: a so-crazy-it-just-might-work concept that transformed into a life calling. The novel is personal and poignant, frustrating and uplifting. Author Jeremy Cowan doesn't hold back in detailing candidly his naivety, partying, the kindness of others, his relationships or lessons learned along the way. It's a must read for anyone considering or who has ever considered starting their own business. You'll never sit down for a (craft)beer again and take for granted the heart and soul behind the finished product.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a special kind of schtick... April 20, 2011

By DrummAnne

Format:Paperback

This kind of narrative could only be delivered by the likes of Jeremy Cowan, Craft Beer Lover, Creator, and man behind the myth of Shmaltz Brewing. Hysterical, occasionally far-fetched but utterly believable, Cowan's first novel is a baseball hit out of the park and through the windshield of your car. Initially shocking, once you realize that the insurance check is in the mail and the read will pay off, the warm blanket of narrative provides stories that will serve through years and years of cocktail parties to come. L'Chaim!

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Just a Nice Jewish Craft Beer Memoir April 20, 2011

By Marie

Format:Paperback

As you might expect from the man behind He'brew Beer and Coney Island Lagers, this book is a wild, off-beat, creative, and contemplative memoir, as well as a candid tale of the blood, sweat, failures, and lucky breaks that come with starting your own small business. I loved all the "supplementary materials" in the book, including suggested beer pairings for each chapter, a hangover rating system, and a list of the author's many sublets and crash pads across the country for the past 14 years. Overall, a highly-entertaining read that I can see appealing to beer lovers, entrepreneurs, and dreamers alike.